What do experts know about the role of the microbiome in relation to Corona and how effective are probiotics?

Probiotics are considered to have a good effect on our microbiome in the intestine, improving our defense against a variety of diseases.

Taking probiotics, which increase the quantity of helpful bacteria in the gut, may aid recovery from coronavirus, according to a recent study.

But is that really true? This is what experts say…

Probiotics are living bacteria that provide health advantages when consumed.

Probiotics, often known as helpful bacteria, provide a wide range of physiological and mental benefits, including improved digestion, reduced depression, and better heart health.

A growing body of research suggests that having the right gut bacteria mix can help the body’s immune defenses as well.

In the current study, half of 300 Covid patients aged 16 to 60 who tested positive on a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) but did not require hospital treatment were given a probiotic capsule, while the other half received a placebo.

The findings, which were published in the journal Gut Microbes, showed that 53% of those taking the probiotic (78 of 147 in this group) were free of Covid symptoms after a month, compared to 28% (41 of 146) of those taking the placebo.

Probio7 AB21 is a supplement that comprises four live bacteria strains, three of which are lactobacillus.

The lactobacillus bacteria, which is prevalent in dairy foods, was discovered ten years ago by researchers in the Netherlands. They discovered that the bacteria produced substances that could interact with nerve cells and lessen the chronic inflammation associated with numerous disorders.

Long Covid patients have low lactobacillus counts in their intestines, which could cause inflammation throughout the body, according to a previous study.

The current study, sponsored by Kaneka, the supplement’s manufacturer, discovered that individuals who took the bacteria capsule recovered faster and had a lower viral load – the quantity of virus circulating in their system.

“This is encouraging and it appears to be a high-quality, well-conducted trial,” said Professor Mary Hickson from Plymouth University.

Probiotics can ‘modify’ the gut microbiota, according to Philip Calder, a professor of nutritional immunology at Southampton University.

“Through this they might help the immune system to function and limit inflammation.”

A healthy diet and probiotic supplements, according to Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, are likely to improve microbiome health.

Healthy eaters had a 10% lower rate of reporting Covid than those who ate the unhealthiest diets, as shown by the ZOE COVID app’s data. They were also 40% less likely to develop serious symptoms that necessitated hospitalization.

“The greater the diversity of bacteria in the microbiome, the more effective the immune system,” added Professor Spector.

However, is it possible for a daily supplement to outperform Covid?

Professor Andrew Smith and Dr Paul Gill, experts in microbial diseases at University College London, warned in an online article about the new findings: “The study excluded those over 60 and did not account for whether volunteers had been vaccinated or not.

“So we don’t know if probiotics provide any benefit to those most at risk of severe Covid.

“And taking probiotics may be inappropriate for those with a weakened immune system because of the potential increased risk of infection from consuming large quantities of live bacteria.”

Source: 10.1080/19490976.2021.2018899

Image Credit: Getty

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