With this article we would like to give you more information about bacteria in general and what the term spore formation actually means.
1. What are bacteria and what are the differences?
Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms that belong to the prokaryotes. This means that they do not have a cell nucleus and their genetic material is located directly in the cytoplasm. They are often very small and cannot be seen with the naked eye. What you probably already know is that bacteria can be found in almost all habitats, such as in soil, in water, but of course also in the human body. There are many different types of bacteria that can be morphologically divided into 3 basic forms: the rod, the cocci and the spirilla form.
But the structure, the coloring behavior, the transmission routes or the ability to form spores are also possible properties by which bacteria can be classified. It is important to mention, however, that in science the phylogenetic classification (phylogeny) of bacteria is based on the molecular structures of these organisms. Put simply, this means that as the degree of relatedness decreases, the molecular structures differ more and more in their composition.
Bacteria perform various functions in the human body, many of which are essential to life. Some species of bacteria live in our digestive tract and help digest food by breaking down indigestible carbohydrates. Other bacteria produce vitamins that are essential to the human body.
Other bacteria can also act as protection against pathogenic bacteria, for example by preventing the colonization of mucous membranes with "bad" bacteria. Not all bacteria are helpful for the human body. Pathogenic bacteria can cause disease by damaging tissue or producing toxins. This can lead to infections such as pneumonia, gastrointestinal infections or urinary tract infections.
2. What is sporulation? What are the key differences between spore-forming and non-spore-forming bacteria?
Spore formation is the process by which bacteria form special survival structures called spores. Spore-forming bacterial strains are able to form this "protective shell" of proteins and other molecules around themselves.
These spores are very resistant to extreme conditions such as heat, drought, UV light and many chemicals. The bacterial strains can go into a dormant state and reduce their normal metabolic activity when environmental conditions become poor. When conditions become favorable again, the spores can germinate and multiply into active bacteria.
Examples of spore-forming bacteria are Bacillus anthracis or Clostridium botulinum. Non-spore-forming bacteria, on the other hand, are organisms that do not form spores. One example is the bacterial genera Bifido- and Lactobacillus bacteria. They are found in our intestines, among other places, and are considered "good" intestinal bacteria that promote health. Morphologically, they are predominantly rod-shaped and gram-positive.
3. Why did we choose these bacterial strains in our products?
As you now know, the human intestine is an extremely complex ecosystem that is populated by a large number of bacteria. The intestinal microbiome is home to both spore-forming bacteria such as Bacillus or Clostridium, as well as a significant number and variety of non-spore-forming bacteria. These non-spore-forming bacteria include, for example, Lactobacillus plantarum LP01 and Bifidobacterium breve BR03. You can also find these two bacterial strains in our Dailybacs, among other places.
There is a lot of debate in science and in society about how well probiotics (bacteria) survive the journey through the gastrointestinal tract and reach where they are supposed to, namely the large intestine. Two factors that make it difficult for the bacteria to survive on their journey are stomach acid and bile salts.
Unfortunately, false information about spore-forming / non-spore-forming bacteria and enteric-coated capsules is often spread in advertising and the media.
Scientific evidence shows that bacteria, even if they are not in an enteric coating and do not form spores, can reach your intestines and work there.
The decisive factor for the survival of bacteria is not the capsule or the ability to form spores, but the individual properties of a bacterial strain. A quality feature of high-quality probiotic bacterial strains is good resistance to stomach acid and bile salts in order to survive the gastrointestinal passage well. This is encoded in the respective genetic material of the bacterial strain and is independent of a gastric acid-resistant capsule or the ability to form spores.
Dailybacs only uses bacterial strains that have been tested for their effectiveness in the most clinical studies and have achieved the best results. In general, non-spore-forming bacterial strains have been researched much better, so there is about 4-5 times more scientific literature and studies on non-spore-forming probiotics. As you know, our products are always based on scientific evidence. This is the basis on which we select each of the bacterial strains and the other natural ingredients that go into our products.
It is also important to know that you can ingest bacteria not only by taking our Dailybacs. By integrating fermented (unpasteurized) foods such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut or kombucha into your daily routine, you can ingest good bacteria and do something good for your body.
If you still have questions or there are topics that have not been explained in enough detail, please feel free to contact us at info@mybacs.com . We will do our best to answer all your questions!
