The prebiotic landscape: history, health and physiological benefits, and regulatory challenges - an IPA perspective part 1.

Prebiotics are becoming increasingly recognized by consumers, health care professionals and regulators as important contributors to health. Nonetheless, the development, progress, and adoption of prebiotics is hindered by loose terminology, various misconceptions about sources and types of compounds that may be classified as prebiotics, and the lack of consensus on a definition that satisfies regulators. Evolving knowledge of the microbiome and its effects on host health has generated opportunities for modulation of the microbiota that can support host health.

Probiotic use in at-risk populations.

Objective: To inform health care providers about quality standards for manufacture of probiotic products being recommended for at-risk patient populations.

Summary: Probiotics are used in a variety of clinical settings, sometimes in at-risk populations for therapeutic endpoints. Although probiotics might not be approved as drugs, they are sometimes used for the prevention or treatment of disease.