Benefits of using prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics in elderly adults

• Autor(a) principal: Pereira,Luciana Santos
• Data de Publicação: 2014
• Outros Autores: Oliveira,Luciano Rodrigues de, Santos,Marina Teixeira, Barbi,Talita, Calil,Ana Maria
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Geriatrics, Gerontology and Aging (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://ggaging.com/details/116
• topic: Dietary supplements; gastrointestinal tract, length of stay, constipation/control and prevention, functional food, hospital costs, elderly.

<p>The use of probiotcs, prebiotcs and synbiotics are called functional foods. The use of them stimulate the proliferation of beneficial bacteria, rather than the proliferation of harmful bacteria, the strengthen of the natural defense mechanisms of the host maintaining the balance, they can directly stimulate immunity, protection against pathogens and prevention of infection by <i>Clostridium</i> resulted of the using of antibiotics. It is common for patients to proceed with gastrointestinal tract disorders are able to increase the lenght of hospital stay causing other complications, such as respiratory infections and pressure ulcers. The aim of study was to identify aspects concerning the use of synbiotics, prebiotcs and probiotcs in adults and/or elderly people and to describe the advantages and disadvantages of their use. A literature review was performed by nurses of a semi-intensive of a large hospital in the city of S&atilde;o Paulo between the years 2011 and 2012. The following question was used as a guideline: <b>Is it possible to benefit hospitalized patients with the use of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics, thus preventing the complications of the gastrointestinal tract?</b> It was concluded that many complications of inpatients were resulted from changes in the GI tract, such as anorexia, eletrolyte imbalance, dehydration, susceptibility to the formation of pressure ulcers, dermatitis, and so on. Continued use of these products could prevent these situations, thereby reducing the length of stay, hospital costs and time spent by nursing staff in preventable situations. It is not clear the disadvantages of using these products.</p>