probiotics, prebiotics and the gut microbiota - International Life ...

28 Concise Monograph SeriesAn emerging role for prebiotics and probiotics inappetite control and weight management could bevery important. An expanding area of interest for bothprebiotics and probiotics is the investigation of theirpotential for an anti-inflammatory role in conditionsbeyond the gut such as cardiovascular disease, obesityand metabolic syndrome.One critically important fact to bear in mind is thatreported benefits of probiotics should be consideredstrain-specific unless otherwise demonstrated. Prebioticsare also likely to have substance-specific effects. Thus, forboth probiotics and prebiotics it is vital that future humanstudies take this into account. Such studies, apart fromestablishing the effects of each ingredient, should alsoaim to improve our understanding of the mechanismsof action and, if possible, lead to validated biologicalmarkers.It must be remembered when considering studieson prebiotics that only a few prebiotics are currentlyestablished. Similarly, only a limited number of microbeshave been documented as probiotic. In all cases, it isclear that prebiotics and probiotics must be consumedregularly in order to confer a benefit.This monograph attempts to summarise the scienceand principles valid for prebiotics and probiotics today.It is noteworthy that these ingredients can be readilyincorporated into a balanced diet and that there is agrowing body of evidence for their potential healthbenefits.