Do you know about heat-killed probiotics?

Some facts about heat-killed probiotics. After inactivation of bacteria, mainly by heat treatment, the dead bacteria can release components with major immunostimulating effects, antagonistic properties against pathogens, maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier…

Follow the article below to learn about this “dead probiotics”!

1. Definition of probiotic

According to the full definition of FAO & WHO in 2002: “Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when supplemented in adequate doses, confer a health benefit to the host”.

The word “probiotic” is of Greek origin and means “for life”.

However, more and more research is being done on non-living microorganisms, which still retain their effects and have advantages over live probiotics. This article will discuss the potentials of heat-killed probiotics.

2. Live bacteria and dead bacteria

a. About live bacteria

Today, the use of oral probiotics is common. They have demonstrated potential as therapeutic options for a wide variety of diseases, primarily gastrointestinal diseases (including acute infectious diarrhea, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, functional gastrointestinal disorders or necrotizing enterocolitis) but also extra-intestinal disorders, such as hepatic encephalopathy.

However, the safety level with the use of live probiotics is still a matter of debate. The main risks include: systemic infection due to bacterial movement, especially in immunocompromised patients and children; acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes; or intervention in the colonization of the neonatal microbiota.

There is also a lack of studies evaluating microbial viability once in the gut and the difference between microbial viability and non-survivability. To avoid these risks, there is increasing interest in non-viable microorganisms or microbial cell extracts used as probiotics, mainly probiotics (lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria) are killed by heat (including bacteria sterilized by Tyndall).

b. About dead bacteria

There is considerable published evidence that preparations containing dead cells and their metabolites can also induce biologically related reactions, restoring normal intestinal homeostasis. In many cases similar to that seen with living cells, although there are potential differences.

After inactivation of bacteria, mainly by heat treatment, the dead bacteria can release microbial components with major immunostimulatory effects, antagonistic properties to pathogens to maintain intestinal barrier integrity. Various bacterial components, such as lipoteichoic acid, peptidoglycan or exopolysaccharide (EPS), have been suggested to be mainly related to these properties in preparations containing heat-killed bacteria.

At the clinical level, products containing killed strains of beneficial bacteria play a role in gastrointestinal diseases, including infant flatulence and coli—in combination with mucosal protectants— and diarrhea. Heat-destroyed good bacteria may also have a role in the management of dermatological or respiratory allergies.

3. Advantages of probiotics destroyed by heat

Some advantages and/or some extracted components over live bacteria:

a. Safety:

+ “Dead” bacteria have no risk of migrating from the intestinal lumen to the bloodstream, especially in subjects with weak immune systems or sensitivities to environmental agents.
+ There is no risk of acquiring and transmitting antibiotic resistance genes.
+ There is no risk of interfering with the normal colonization of the infant gut microbiota.

b. Physiological effects: 

+ They release active molecules from the disrupted inactivated cells, pass through mucus layers and stimulate epithelial cells more directly.

+ Loss of cell viability and lysis may produce further and more complex beneficial effects.

c.Bioproducts from probiotics destroyed by heat: Easy to standardize, transport and store.

References:

[1] N. Piqué, M. Berlanga, và D. Miñana-Galbis, “Health Benefits of Heat-Killed (Tyndallized) Probiotics: An Overview”, Int J Mol Sci, vol 20, p.h. 10, p. 2534, May 2019, doi: 10.3390/ijms20102534.

Article source: Nutrition Research and Development Institute (https://inrd.vn/)

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