Probiotic Species for Better Health

Medically researched probiotic species

Most probiotics people think of for their health are species of bacteria or yeast. The good news for patients and pharmacists (like me) is that there has been a lot of research on quite a few probiotic bacteria and yeast, which is starting to unravel some of the medical mysteries as to why some probiotics work for some people but not others.

What are probiotics? How a pharmacist explains it.

As a pharmacist, I often discuss probiotics with customers who are curious about their benefits. Probiotics are living microorganisms, such as bacteria and yeasts, that can provide health advantages when consumed in appropriate amounts – in the right situations. But, as I often tell my patients, not all products labeled as probiotics have confirmed health benefits. And, not every species that’s helpful to a particular person is going to help someone else – it all depends on a number of factors, and not everyone’s situation (and microbiome) are the same. It always makes sense to consult with your primary care doctor if you are having medical issues. One of the most common questions I get at the pharmacy is how to take probiotics with antibiotics – check out my article on that here.

How do they work?

The primary action of probiotics takes place in the digestive tract, where they interact with the gut microbiome. This microbiome consists of a variety of microorganisms, predominantly bacteria, that reside mainly in the large intestine. The right probiotic species MIGHT help protect your digestive tract from harmful microorganisms, may improve digestion and gut function, make bouts of diarrhea go away faster, and may offer other health benefits as well – including an interesting, possible link between the gut and happiness/mood. You can learn about how long it takes probiotics to work here.

What are the most common Probiotic species?

The most common probiotics, and the best studied by medical researchers, are Bacillus, Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, Escherichia, Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces and Streptococcus.

How are Probiotic species named?

Probiotic species are named in Latin, through a hierarchical naming system that includes their genus, species, and strain. Using the example of Bifidobacterium bifidum, the naming system for this microorganism can be broken down as follows:

Genus: Bifidobacterium – This is the first part of the name and represents the broader classification of the microorganism.

Species: bifidum – This is the second part of the name and identifies the specific type of microorganism within the genus.

In this case, there is no strain designation provided. However, if there were a strain, it would be listed after the species name as a unique identifier, differentiating between various subtypes of the microorganism with specific characteristics or properties.

So, Bifidobacterium bifidum is a microorganism with Bifidobacterium as the genus and bifidum as the species. If a strain were to be included, it would be represented as Bifidobacterium bifidum [strain]. It can also be abbreviated B. bifidum. 

Probiotic Species Comparison Chart

This chart compares the most popular microorganisms taken to support gut and overall health. It’s really important to realize that not every specific species will help every individual, so I’m listing possible health benefits. And not all of this research is fully baked yet (or should I say fermented yet – that’s a yeast joke), so always talk with your doctor to see if they recommend another course of action. 

Not everything living in your gut is a probiotic

One thing that is confusing is that not every bacteria or yeast that lives naturally in healthly people is a good probiotic. For some bacteria, like E. coli, there are only very specific strains that are beneficial probiotics, where as other strains can be quite dangerous. And some species that live in your body naturally, like the yeast Candida albicans, can be harmful if too many grow in your body.