Bifidobacteria - Bifidobacteria And Bifidoflora

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Bifidobacteria

Bifidobacteria and bifidoflora

Bifidobacteria

Bifidobacteria with complete confidence can be called an important representative of the human intestinal microflora. They correspond to this name, both quantitatively and qualitatively. So, in quantitative terms, their share in the composition of microbiocenoses ranges from 85 to 98%. If we consider their qualitative role in the body, then they are very important in maintaining the homeostasis of the human body.

Bifidobacteria are very important for the normalization of intestinal microbiocenosis, maintenance of non-specific resistance of the organism. They are also necessary to improve the absorption and hydrolysis of fats, protein and mineral metabolism, the synthesis of biologically active substances and vitamins.

The lack of bifidobacteria leads to pathogenetic long-term disturbances in the work of the intestines in children and adults, as a result, a chronic indigestion is formed.

As a rule, bifidobacteria colonize the intestines in the first hours of a newborn's life, at 5-6 years the number of these bacteria becomes predominant. After the level of bifidobacteria becomes large, the number of opportunistic microbes becomes much less. The same microbes that still remain in the body due to bifidobacteria cannot show their aggressiveness.

However, recent observations of scientists have revealed such an unpleasant fact that bifidobacteria began to reach the required amount at a later date, and this, in turn, delays the reduction of conditionally pathogenic microbes.

Most of all, newborn babies who have been infected in utero due to inflammatory or other diseases of the mother and who have undergone antibiotic treatment in the first days of life suffer most from the deficiency of bifidobacteria. As a rule, such treatment leads to the development of dysbiosis. Dysbacteriosis is a violation of the normal ratio of bacteria in the intestine.

With dysbiosis, favorable conditions are created for the development of prolonged intestinal disorders. Bifidobacteria and such beneficial microorganisms as lactobacillus have a neutralizing effect on such aggressive microbes as staphylococcus, protea, fungi. The toxins produced by these microbes can increase the sensitivity of the body, which leads to the development of diathesis, as well as chronic diseases of the digestive system.

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What is the reason for the normal formation of bifidoflora? First of all, this is the influence of changes occurring in the environment, namely in the so-called microbial landscape. Some microbes have been able to adapt to the effects of chemicals and antibiotics, they are able to multiply faster, and ultimately displace microbes with lower adaptability. An important circumstance is the high sensitivity of bifidobacteria to the effects of antibiotics.

Today, the use of antibiotics is quite common, which has led to a violation of the harmony in the microflora in millions of people. And quite often it is the newborns who find themselves in this "poor" bifidobacteria environment. Nevertheless, a person is always surrounded by a huge number of opportunistic and pathogenic microbes that live on household items, in the hands of a child or an adult. If it enters the intestines with a small amount of bifidobacteria, these bacteria easily colonize the intestines.

Therefore, a very important preventive measure is the early attachment of the baby to the breast. This contact with the mother from the first hours of life makes it possible for bifidobacteria to pass from mother to child. In addition, mother's milk contains special substances that promote the growth of bifidobacteria. No milk mixture contains such substances, nor are they in pasteurized donor milk.

It is easy to disturb the balance of the microbial flora with antibiotic treatment, especially in children who are bottle-fed. Of course, it is impossible to completely abandon these drugs, so the doctor prescribes, if you cannot do without them. However, at the first symptoms of a cold, mothers themselves are in a hurry to give their child antibiotics, just in case. This will not affect the development of the disease, however, it will deal a blow to the bifidobacteria that protect our body.

Often, children who are prone to frequent respiratory diseases suffer from dysbiosis. In this case, it is rather difficult to determine where the cause lies and where the effect is. If the intestinal microflora is disturbed, then the body has lost its resistance to viruses - this contributes to the development of ARVI, however, drugs, and viruses, including, can also destroy bifidoflora.

Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist

Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".