Dysbiosis and the Use of Pre‐, Pro‐ and Synbiotics

Chronic dysbiosis is likely an important environmental risk factor for development of several chronic diseases in genetically susceptible individuals. Dysbiosis occurs in various forms; it may be due to overgrowth of specific pathogens, or due to more general changes in bacterial groups, and/or changes in the functional and immunomodulatory properties of the gastrointestinal microbiota. Synbiotics are a combination of probiotics and prebiotics. They are often administered together to add a growth substrate for the administered probiotic. Prebiotics are typically added to diets to enhance the growth of endogenous microorganisms or stimulate their metabolism. Theoretically, probiotics have the potential to cause systemic infections; they can produce deleterious metabolites and can transfer antibiotic resistance genes. Probiotics, like any other bacteria, can be either susceptible or resistant to concurrently administered antibiotics. For the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, antibiotics and probiotics are prescribed concurrently.