Erciyes Tip Dergisi, cilt.27, sa.3, ss.122-127, 2005 (SCI-Expanded)
Probiotics are living microorganisms that modulate the intestinal microbial balance and prebiotics are undigestible carbohydrates that enhances the number and activity of the colon bacterias and the effects of probiotics. Recent studies indicated that probiotics were effective in either preventing or treatment of several gastrointestinal system diseases such as bacterial and viral diarrhoea, atopic diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases. It is stated that prebiotics have properties which induces immune system and inhibits colonal carcinogenesis. In this review, the importance of probiotics and prebiotics in nutrition were emphasized and the studies on these topics summarized.