Microbiomes are invisible, busy ecosystems of tiny microorganisms found within the body, on skin and on surfaces all around us. The delicate balance of microorganisms within these microbiomes influences the health and well-being of humans and animals – for better or worse.
As awareness of the microbiome’s significance grows, so does the importance of the role of healthy ‘good’ bacteria (probiotics). The Provilan / Ingennious probiotic pet care and cleaning sprays, liquids and soaps are a powerful ally to microbiomes. They can transform a failing, imbalanced skin or surface microbiome into a healthy one.
This news post will firstly explain what microbiomes are, where they exist and their pivotal role in maintaining good health. We’ll then explore how our Provilan probiotic ranges can transform microbiomes that are out of balance – whether on your pet’s skin or in your home.
Read on to discover the restorative power of a ‘microbiome in a bottle’. Transforming health and well-being from the outside in:
What Does Microbiome mean?:
The microbiome is the diverse community of microorganisms (microbiota or microbes) that live in a specific environment. These communities are living, bustling ecosystems of trillions of different microbes. They include bacteria (healthy and harmful), viruses, protozoa (parasites), and fungi (yeasts and moulds).
Where is the microbiome located?
The microbiome is best known for its importance in the gut or digestive system. However, microbiomes are everywhere. They also exist in human and animal mouths and on skin, ears and eyes. They exist in the air, in soil, in water and on hard and soft surfaces in homes and other indoor spaces. Every person, pet and home has a microbiome that is as unique as a fingerprint, and that can fluctuate and change depending on circumstances.
Why is the microbiome important?
Microorganisms are invisible to the naked eye, and yet are often considered to be the most dominant life form on Earth. While the typical human body contains an estimated 37 trillion human cells, it also contains over 100 trillion bacteria and other microbes. The human body has 3 times as many bacterial cells as it does human cells! (Source: Libretexts).
The microbiome’s functions and benefits are a exciting, complex and ongoing area of active research. However, the importance of balanced microbiomes to the good health of people, pets, plants, and the planet is undeniable.
The missing piece of the ‘good health’ puzzle - Researchers believe microbiomes could change the future of human health (Source: BBC Future). Your unique microbiome may be used to improve and personalize your future medical experience (Source: News Medical)
When a microbiome is in balance, the microorganisms within it co-exist without problems. Most microorganisms are not harmful and provide natural protection against the pathogens that cause illness and infection. Many are essential to sustaining life on our wonderful planet. Many industries harness this microbial power – in food production, agriculture, waste management, energy management, bioremediation and more.
Microbiome of the gut
The ‘best known’ microbiome is the microbiome in the gut, essential for good digestion and nutrition. However, emerging evidence shows it acts as a supporting organ for the rest of the body too. The Guardian explains how microorganisms in the gut affect everything from immunity to weight control to mood and mental health. In fact, a healthy gut microbiome supports most core body functions including the metabolism, central nervous system and energy.
Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is therefore an important piece of the jigsaw for good health and well-being. It sits alongside lifestyle factors such as a good diet, reducing stress and increasing exercise.
Unfortunately, many factors can disrupt the balance within the gut microbiome. These include antibiotics, pollution and stress. Even the overuse of disinfectants and antimicrobial cleaning agents can cause problems. This disruption (called dysbiosis), can impair the bodily functions the microbiome supports at a cellular level. Out of balance microbiomes are linked to a long list of illnesses. These include cancer, depression, anxiety, allergies, asthma, obesity, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, autism and more.
Microbiome of the skin
Just like the gut, the skin houses a diverse ecosystem of bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms. A healthy skin microbiome (or skin biome) is crucial to the overall well-being of the skin – for humans and animals. Skin biome balance helps to maintain a resilient skin barrier. It also helps to regulate Ph, improve skin hydration and support collagen production and cell turnover.
However, just like the gut, many factors can disrupt the skin’s delicate balance of helpful and harmful microorganisms. Disruptors include environmental factors, pollution, contact with harsh chemical cleaners or soaps, antibacterial products, poor diet, aging, stress, and antibiotics. When this happens, opportunistic pathogens like yeast and harmful bacteria are no longer kept in check by the ‘good guys’. They start to thrive, causing all sorts of problems. This imbalance or dysbiosis can lead to skin inflammation, itching and infections, atopic dermatitis, and increased vulnerability to environmental and seasonal allergies.
In pets especially, skin dysbiosis can allow yeast – normally a small percentage of the microbiome – to grow out of control. Yeast infections are uncomfortable, red, and itchy especially if your pet has skin folds.
Localised dysbiosis can also increase the risk of ear infections, eye infections, dental plaque and gum disease.
What is the home microbiome?
The positive role of the microbiome within your home (or office or any other building) is an emerging area of research. Environmental and Human Microbiome for Health explains how people living in diverse, microbiome-rich environments benefit from better health and more resistance to the disease.
This means that, just like the skin and the gut, a healthy, diverse home microbiome provides a healthier living environment. This can help to protect you, your pets and other occupants from environmental allergies, and chronic non-communicable diseases.
And just like the gut and the skin, the community of microorganisms differs for every building and is also at the mercy of external influences. Chemical and antibacterial cleaning, and environmental conditions such as humidity and pollution can all disrupt the microbial diversity and balance of the home microbiome (home biome).
Can a microbiome be restored?
Yes – by introducing large quantities of live microorganisms ("good" bacteria) called probiotics.
How do Provilan probiotics support the microbiome?
In gut health, taking oral probiotic supplements helps to restore a healthy microbial balance within the microbiome. Research shows this improves immunity, mental health, anxiety, allergies and obesity, Alzheimer’s disease and more.
In the same way, their topical probiotic pet care and sustainable cleaning ranges also restore and maintain balance and diversity within microbiomes. Each product contains scientifically proven, nurturing probiotic ‘good’ bacteria sourced from plants. (Note: our focus is on the external microbiome).
Restoring your pets Skinbiome with probiotic pet care
As you may know, our great love is supporting the health, hygiene, and happiness of animals. Animals, like humans, have diverse microbiomes all over their bodies – on their skin, in their ears, eyes and mouths. Each microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining good health and preventing infection.
LUCAA+ from Provilan is a range of targeted probiotic sprays (leave on) and shampoo (rinse off) that support these different animal microbiomes. The range includes probiotic preparations for skin health, dental health, ear and eye health as well as sprays to restore microbial balance to pet clothing and bedding. Restoring a healthy microbiome helps with itching, promotes a more robust skin barrier, increases natural defenses against seasonal and environmental allergens and reduces the risk of infections.
The Company's focus leans towards dogs and cats, but the range is suitable for all other pets – rabbits, reptiles, birds – and for horses and larger and farm animals too.
Discover the range: LUCAA+ probiotics for pets and other animals.
Applying probiotics directly to your pet’s skin, ears, eyes or mouth restores balance and harmony within their different microbiomes.
Lucaa also recommend swapping harsh cleaning chemicals for probiotic versions, especially where your pet has direct contact (e.g. the floor). All the Provilan probiotic products – both pet care and cleaning are non-toxic. They respect the skin’s pH and do not contain phthalates, parabens, GMO, or chemicals of concern such as Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and Phenoxyethanol.
Restoring the Homebiome with probiotic cleaning products
Provilan products have a positive impact on your indoor living environment that goes beyond highly effective cleaning. Cleaning with probiotics promotes a healthier eco-system balance in your living space that supports better immunity, allergy management and well-being. This reduces your chemical pollution exposure, improves infection prevention, improves indoor air quality and reduces odours at source. Probiotic cleaning also reduces seasonal and environmental bio-allergens such as pollen and dust mite poop. The Provilan sustainable cleaning products are infused with healthy good bacteria. These probiotics restore balance to the different microbiomes found on different surfaces within your home.
Probiotic Odour Remover and Air Optimiser sprays improve the microbial balance in the air. Just like the LUCAA+ pet shampoo, the probiotics in the human hand soap stay on the skin after washing. They continue to clean and establish a healthy skin biome.
Probiotic vs chemical cleaning
In contrast, chemical and antibacterial cleaning disrupts the critical balance within the microbiome and reduces microbial diversity significantly too. Harsh disinfectants have one goal: to kill all microorganisms (or the advertised ‘99%’) in the microbiome, both ‘good’ and ‘bad’. This indiscriminate ‘nuclear bomb’ approach leaves a terrible legacy. Only the strongest pathogenic bacteria survive, giving them a field day with no ‘good’ competition to keep them in check. This creates a dangerous cycle of antimicrobial resistance, one of the biggest threats to human an animal health .
Switching to probiotic cleaning creates a healthier indoor environment than chemical or antibacterial cleaning. This is because probiotic cleaning establishes a more diverse and stable microbial environment over the long term. Huge quantities of healthy good bacteria (probiotics) simply outcompete the harmful bacteria. They eat their food (organic dirt, bio-allergens, and other matter) and take up all the space. The pathogens die and overtime, this contributes to a more stable and balanced microbial ecosystem (microbiome).
In contrast, chemical cleaners kill pathogens instantly. Unfortunately, the results are only short term as the strongest pathogens bounce back. Recontamination sometimes happens in as little as 20 minutes!
How long to improve the microbiome?
The key to restoring a microbiome with probiotics is to maintain a consistent routine, whether it’s for pet care or cleaning. Improvements in the microbiome can begin immediately but may take time for visible improvements to show.
Regular application of the topical products such as the Ear Care, Eye Care, Coat Care, or Dental Care spray, enables the probiotics to establish and maintain a healthy microbial balance on your pet’s skin and coat. Unlike one-off treatments, consistent use enhances the long-term effectiveness of the probiotics. This promotes better skin health, enhances your pets’ natural defences, alleviates irritation, reduces allergy reactions, and contributes to improved well-being.
Dental, Eye, Ear, Skin conditions can see an improvement in just a few days, but it may take a few weeks for the positive effects to become noticeable. Be patient if your pet has had long term issues – when their microbiome is healthy again, they will thank you though!
This blog has been taken from Ingenious Probiotics website. April 2023.
