Probiotic and Prebiotic Interactions and Their Role in Maintaining Host Immunity
Book Chapter
Sadiq, MB, Azhar, FUA, Ahmad, I. (2022). Probiotic and Prebiotic Interactions and Their Role in Maintaining Host Immunity
. 425-443. 10.1007/978-981-16-1626-6_22
Sadiq, MB, Azhar, FUA, Ahmad, I. (2022). Probiotic and Prebiotic Interactions and Their Role in Maintaining Host Immunity
. 425-443. 10.1007/978-981-16-1626-6_22
The interaction between probiotics and prebiotics is essential in maintaining the host immune system. Prebiotics are food for probiotics, and their constant supply to the gut ensures the viability of probiotics and production of various beneficial metabolites like short-chain fatty acids that modulate the immune response. The beneficial effects of probiotics and prebiotics are dependent on their mutual presence in the gut. The combination of probiotics and prebiotics enhances their mutual effect and termed as synbiotics. Synbiotics play a vital role in maintaining the host immune system and management of various ailments and infectious diseases. Various benefits associated with synbiotics are maintenance of gut microflora, increase in mucus production, production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and production of various antimicrobial metabolites. Various delivery systems have been used for the delivery of probiotics and prebiotics; however, food serves as an ideal system for delivery of probiotics and prebiotics. Synbiotics also play an important role in reducing the incidence of health disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.
