Probiotics and Human Microbiome

Human microbiota is a diverse and rich ecosystem composed of trillion microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These microbial populations reside at different locations of the body including the skin, mouth, and more importantly, gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The gut microbiota is among them and serves the main physiologic homeostasis, supportive metabolic processes, immune-modulatory and defensive functions against the invasion of pathogenic organisms. The term probiotics refers to live microorganisms which when taken in sufficient quantities exert a number of health benefits on the host. They are important to the gut health, as they provide necessary micronutrients, enzymes, and vitamins (this includes B complex and vitamin K that is vital to digestive processes and mucosal integrity). In this chapter, the association of human microbiota with probiotics is highlighted and the use of probiotics to rebalance the microbe in the host is demonstrated as contributing to good health.