Prebiotics: future trends in health care

Article type: Review Article

Authors: Singh, Rupali^a | Sharma, Pramod Kumar^a | Malviya, Rishabha^a

Affiliations: [a] Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, Bypass Road, Baghpat Crossing, Meerut 250005, Uttar Pradesh, India. e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Prebiotics are the non-digestible food ingredients, which help in the successful digestion of the food components in the gut and lower intestine. They play an important role in the promotion of the growth of “good” bacteria in the intestine and gut of humans. In other words, nutraceuticals are beneficial for the maintenance of gut microbiota, microflora, and human health. This study specially reviewed different articles on the role of prebiotics in hepatic encephalopathy, cardiovascular diseases, constipation, diarrhea, hypotriglyceridemia, and type 2 diabetes. In conclusion, prebiotics are supplements to improve health and can favorably treat biological disorders.

Keywords: Prebiotics, Gut microflora, Nutraceuticals

DOI: 10.3233/s12349-011-0065-8

Journal: Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 81-90, 2012