Streptococcus thermophilus is a type of probiotic bacteria. Probiotics are also known as friendly bacteria due to their health benefits, namely assisting in the breakdown of food, absorbing nutrients and warding off the organisms within the microbiome which can cause disease including diarrhoea [I]. Read more about other types of probiotics in our Probiotics entry.
Streptococcus thermophilus is commonly used to produce fermented dairy foods such as yogurt; also used in dietary supplements. Streptococcus thermophilus is a bacterium commonly used in the production of fermented dairy foods, particularly yogurt. It is one of the starter cultures added to milk during yogurt production. Streptococcus thermophilus works together with other lactic acid bacteria, such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus, to ferment lactose, the natural sugar found in milk, into lactic acid.
Streptococcus thermophilus is commonly used to produce fermented dairy foods such as yogurt; also used in dietary supplements. It is most commonly taken by mouth to treat and prevent diarrhoea and constipation [ii]. Epidemiological studies have shown that the consumption of fermented foods is associated with reduced risks of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease, along with improved weight management [iii].
In one particular study, the patients were organised to receive a mixture of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus thermophilus strains or placebo for eight weeks.The results suggested that the studied probiotic preparation was well tolerated and safe and can offer benefits for patients with diarrhoea experienced as part of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) [iv].
[i] Kok, C.R. & Hutkins, R. (2018) ‘Yogurt and other fermented foods as sources of health-promoting bacteria’. Nutr Rev. 76(Suppl 1):4-15.
[ii] Rodríguez-Serrano, G.M. García-Garibay, M. Cruz-Guerrero, A.E. et al. (2018) ‘Proteolytic System of Streptococcus thermophilus’. J Microbiol Biotechnol. 28(10):1581-1588.
[iii] Kok, C.R. & Hutkins, R. (2018) ‘Yogurt and other fermented foods as sources of health-promoting bacteria’. Nutr Rev. 76(Suppl 1):4-15.
[iv] Skrzydło-Radomańska, B. Prozorow-Król, B. & Cichoż-Lach, H. et al. (2021) ‘The Effectiveness and Safety of Multi-Strain Probiotic Preparation in Patients with Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Study. Nutrients’. 13(3):756.
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