Bifidobacterium bifidum
Benefits of Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Gut microbiome
- Form: Bacteria
- Food sources: Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut and miso, and some plant-based yoghurts.
What is Bifidobacterium bifidum?
Bifidobacterium is a genus (family) of bacteria that live in our intestines. Bifidobacteria can break down complex carbohydrates in the gut, and this fermentation process produces lactic acid. Lactic acid lowers the pH of the gut, and the acidity of the gut environment influences which microorganisms thrive there.
There are many different species of Bifidobacterium, including Bifidobacterium 'longum', 'breve', 'lactis' and 'bifidum'. Bifidobacterium bifidum is one of the most studied.
What does the research say about Bifidobacterium bifidum?
Bifidobacteria have been associated with the production of a number of metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid and bacteriocins. Research on one B. bifidum strain has looked at its effect on the balance of the intestinal microbiome.
Researchers have also studied a modified B. bifidum strain that produces an antioxidant enzyme, looking at cytokines and the gut's epithelial barrier. Laboratory research has looked at how different Bifidobacterium strains, including Bifidobacterium bifidum, interact with immune cells, and a study of the B. bifidum PRL2010 strain looked at its effect on the host immune response.
As we age, Bifidobacterium levels decline quite drastically. Hence why it is so important to adopt and maintain a diet rich in wholefoods that provides a wide variety of fibre from multiple sources. Foods that contain plenty of fibre are important to include in your diet, as Bifidobacteria feed on it. Examples of fibre-rich foods include broccoli, lentils, dates and apples. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and other fermented vegetables contain live cultures, mostly lactic acid bacteria, which sit alongside Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli in the gut.
You may also enjoy reading 'What is IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease)?'.
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