Chemistry of Good and Bad Bacteria: A Pharmacist’s Perspective on the Microbial Revolution

Health & Lifestyle

By Kaajal Luckraz

Friday!!! Fri-nally!!

The family is welcoming its latest addition: Baby Bronny. And everyone is cooing in utter amazement at this miracle of life… other than the physical features that Baby Bronny will inherit from not-cheugy mom, she will also seemingly inherit most of her bacteria from her mother’s digestive tract – not the latter’s vagina, as previously thought.

For decades, bacteria have been viewed as the enemy to eliminate with disinfectants and antibiotics. But a growing body of research is reshaping this narrative. Today, “good bacteria” are being recognised as essential partners in health, with profound effects on everything from digestion to immunity and even mental wellbeing. This shift is not just scientific — it is transforming how we, healthcare professionals, approach everyday health.

A Living Pharmacy within

Under a microscope, and, as a pharmacist with a passion for chemistry, I see this miracle of life through the lens of science. You are essentially sterile when you are born. So it is a rather extraordinary moment for the immune system, because until that moment, all the body surfaces do not come into contact with microbes. The Babybiome study tells us that the first 1000 days after birth represent a critical window for gut microbiome development — which is essential for immune system maturation and overall health. The gut microbiome undergoes major changes during this period due to shifts in diet and environment.

This ecosystem functions almost like a “living pharmacy” — producing vitamins, supporting metabolism, and regulating immune responses. They’re meant to prevent and treat dysbiosis – an imbalance or a deficit of beneficial microbes in your microbiome. Did you know that the number of bacteria in your gut is almost 10 times more than the number of your own body cells? If you gathered your gut bacteria together, it would weigh around 1kg (over 2lbs)!

On the Frontline

In community and clinical settings, we are coming across more and more patients experiencing digestive discomfort, recurrent infections, or fatigue. Increasingly, these symptoms are being linked back to gut health.

* Antibiotics

One of the most common scenarios involves the use of antibiotics. While antibiotics are lifesaving, they are non-selective and therefore eliminate both harmful and beneficial bacteria. If you speak to us, we can help:

– Explain how to use your antibiotics appropriately
– Recommend timing strategies (e.g. spacing probiotics away from antibiotics)
– Support your microbiome recovery post-treatment

* The Gut-Brain Connection

Emerging research into the gut-brain axis is proving to be particularly insightful. We are now seeing potential links between gut imbalance and conditions such as stress, anxiety, and low mood. Certain probiotic strains are being studied for their calming effects — sometimes referred to as “psychobiotics.”, e.g., lactobacillus rhamnosus and casei.

Probiotics in food

One of the most powerful ways to support good bacteria is through diet. The general recommendation is simply to add more fermented foods to your diet. Our Mauritian diet already provides for this.

* Pickles. Choose brands brined in water and sea salt instead of vinegar. Vinegar stops good bacteria from growing.

* Sourdough bread or ‘Pain de Campagne’. This kind of bread is baked with fermented flour. Not all store-bought bread labeled “sourdough” uses it, so shop at an artisan bakery or specialty grocery store.
* Lassi — a natural probiotic drink made from fermented curd.

The more adventurous palates can try kefir, kimchi and kombucha — all available in specialists shops around the island.

Do not forget your prebiotics, which are like fertiliser for our gut microbes. Prebiotic-rich foods include garlic, onions, bananas and oats.

Probiotics as medicines

Probiotics are also available as health supplements. Different strains serve different purposes:

– Lactobacillus for digestive balance.
– Bifidobacterium for immune support.
– Saccharomyces boulardii during and after antibiotics

How to choose you probiotic

You are looking for products that are backed by scientific data, and also which have good consumer reviews.

1. Check for the label — it should have the name of the specific bacteria — the genus, the species and strain.

2. It should ideally state the potency until end of the shelf life.

3. Check for storage conditions as some require to be refrigerated.

4. Ensure there is contact information for the company to report issues or ask questions.

Remember, just as we are individuals, so are our microbiomes. When trying a new product, give it a month to assess its effectiveness. If it doesn’t meet your expectations, you may need a different strain. Speak to your healthcare professional about it.

We live in a world where FMTs (fecal microbiota transplants) — whereby stool samples are collected from healthy donors to harness beneficial bacteria and processed into capsules — have been practiced at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston for the past fifteen years. Taken orally, they have been shown to save the lives of seriously ill patients. The future of biotics very likely lies in precision microbiome interventions, guided by the data from when you were born! Think of it as ‘personalized microbial medicine’, I dare opine.

Kaajal Luckraz attained her MPharm degree and qualified as a pharmacist at King’s College London.

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 24 April 2026