Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Do Probiotics Make Your Poop Stink

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How Prebiotics Can Impact Gi Symptoms

Does Your Dog Have Stinky Poo | How to Eliminate The Stink

Prebiotics are certainly not appropriate for everyone and can actually worsen symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome since rapid fermentation can cause gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation in patients who are sensitive. If you have Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth or FODMAPs intolerance, prebiotics are also not recommended.

The Dosage The Method And Potential Side Effects

According to Consumer Lab, a probiotic should provide at least 1 billion CFUs , with doses typically ranging between 1 billion and 10 billion CFUs daily for adults . Natural Wellnesss Super Probiotics contains 10 billion viable cells in each serving.

If youre looking for a stronger probiotic, Natural Wellness also offers Ultra Probiotic Formula, which has 35 billion living cells per capsule. Both probioitc supplements are developed to withstand the acids in your stomach so they reach their intended destinations.

But what are the side effects of taking too much probiotics, you ask? While most people experience no side effects, some people unfortunately do, and among them the most commonly reported is digestion discomfort. Bloating or diarrhea may also result, so pull the reins if you feel the onset of an upset stomach.

In terms of the time it takes for a high-quality probiotic to start working, granted it survives your stomach acid, is roughly 30-60 minutes. That means you should be patient and wait for probiotics to do their thing before taking any more.

And, according to the Mayo Clinic, probiotics should not be combined with any of the following:

  • Any prescription drug that affects your immune system
  • Any sort of fungal infection treatment
  • Having pancreatitis

Take extra precaution if you get infections often or have a weakened immune system as well, and always consult your physician or dietitian before introducing probiotics into your diet .

What Kind Of Probiotics Are For Dogs

The probiotics in food and health supplements are typically the same or very similar to the probiotics that are naturally-occurring in your body and your dogs body.

So, you can find some of the same probiotic strains used in both human and dog probiotic products.

For example, here at SmartyPaws, we include the probiotic strain Bacillus coagulans in our SmartyPaws health supplements for dogs. SmartyPaws was created by the humans at SmartyPants Vitamins, and they include the same strain in many of their premium supplements for humans.

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Can You Only Have Bloating And Diarrhea In Your Body If You Take Antibiotics

Most people think they can only have diarrhea when they take antibiotics. Itâs common thinking that antibiotics are the only way to treat this condition.

The truth is that when you use probiotics to treat these conditions, they will make you poop a lot more frequently. This article will let you know if you need to take antibiotics to treat your conditions.

Probiotics are bacteria that live in the GI tract. They help to regulate the proper function of bowel movements.

They also play an important role in digestion. If you have digestive issues, it is important that you get the proper amount of bacteria in your body.

How To Choose The Right Probiotic

Different Color Stool

When looking for probiotic products, look for a supplement with the following features

Multispecies and multistrain probiotic: The product should contain different bacterial species and multiple strains of bacteria.

Differentiated products tailored to your needs: Different digestive issues warrant different probiotic strains. Therefore, for optimal benefits, try to seek out a probiotic that is tailored to the specific health outcomes you are trying to achieve.

Clinical studies: The probiotic and its claims should be backed by clinical studies using the final product. This will ensure that you are buying a product whose effects have been studied and proven.

Human strains: Only human bacterial strains can colonize your gut . Other bacteria, such as bacteria found in fermented foods such as yogurt and in soil-based probiotics, cannot colonize the gut and usually pass through your body within a few days. For lasting positive effects, you want to make sure that you have human strains that can colonize.

Free of animal proteins, allergens and fillers: It is recommended to choose a probiotic that is free of dairy and other animal proteins, gluten, soy and yeast to ensure you are taking a clean product.

Delivery mechanism: When you ingest your probiotic, the probiotic travels through the harsh, very acidic environment of the stomach before it reaches the small and large intestine.

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They May Cause Unpleasant Digestive Symptoms

10 ).

It is not known exactly why some people experience these side effects, but they typically subside after a few weeks of continued use .

To reduce the likelihood of side effects, start with a low dose of probiotics and slowly increase to the full dosage over a few weeks. This can help your body adjust to them.

If the gas, bloating or any other side effects continue for more than a few weeks, stop taking the probiotic and consult a medical professional.

Summary

Some people experience an increase in gas, bloating, constipation or thirst when they start taking probiotics. These side effects should go away within a few weeks.

How Probiotics Might Be Bad For You

Because these good bacteria already exist in the body, theyâre considered safe for most people. But there are some things to consider.

They can trigger an allergic reaction. They might cause mild stomach problems, especially the first few days you start taking them. You might have stomach upset, gas, diarrhea, or bloating. Those symptoms usually go away after your body gets used to them.

If you have an immune system problem or another serious health condition, you may have a greater chance of issues. Some reports have linked probiotics to serious infections and other side effects. The people most likely to have trouble are those with immune system problems, people who’ve had surgery, and others who are critically ill. Don’t take probiotics if you have any of those issues.

Always talk to your pediatrician before giving probiotic supplements to your child. If you’re pregnant or nursing, you should also talk to your doctor before you try one.

Most probiotics in the U.S. are sold as dietary supplements. That means the companies that make them don’t have to test their products and show that they work or that they are safe. More research is needed to confirm that probiotics are safe and effective.

Ask your doctor which probiotics are the right ones for you. Be sure to stop taking them if you have any problems.

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Antibiotics And Other Medications

If youve recently been prescribed antibiotics, especially a strong one, the medication can kill off large parts of your guts normal bacteria. This decreases the population of the brown-staining bacteria in your lower intestine. Probiotics, such as yogurt or kombucha, can help restore balance to your intestinal flora.

Several other medications and supplements can also cause a breakdown in pigments that turns your stool green. One example is iron supplements.

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Always Remember The 4 Ss

How Should A Healthy Poop Smell?

This simple rule is our final takeaway but its an important one to remember. Always consider the following 4 Ss:

  • Shape
  • Shade
  • Size

Generally, if you find 2 or more of these have changed, your microbiome is trying to tell you something. Take some time to consider your lifestyle, hydration, nutrition, and training before considering supplementation.

References

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Cat Probiotics Vs Dog Probiotics: Whats The Difference

Cats and dogs have very different digestive systems. For instance, a cats small intestine is shorter than that of a canines, which results in a quicker transit time for digesting food. The WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition also notes that a cat has a much smaller cecum than a dogs and the gastric mucosa differs between the two species.

Mahaney notes that cats are carnivorous in nature, whereas dogs are omnivores. Cats are meant to survive off of protein and fat, where dogs are meant to eat more of a variety including meat and protein and vegetables and fruits, he explains. Digestion starts in the mouth and if you look at the teeth of dogs and cats, the dentition of the dog includes molars meant for chopping up plant material, whereas cats lack these types of teeth. These differences in anatomy, physiology and diet are why some veterinarians believe that cats may benefit from probiotics even more than dogs.

Probiotics For Gut And Immune Health

A huge portion of your immune system is in your gastrointestinal tract. The same is true for your dog.

Viruses and bacteria can enter your dogs body through their mouth. By helping to maintain a healthy balance of probiotics in their gut, you can help support both your dogs immune system and a healthy intestinal tract, among other things.

Wondering how to incorporate probiotics into your dogs healthcare?

First, lets start with the basics.

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Benefits Of Probiotics For Cats

Dr. Patrick Mahaney, a Los Angeles area veterinarian and certified veterinary journalist, is definitely an advocate for feline probiotics. Im a big fan of probiotics as a means of hopefully helping to maintain normal gut health, not only so there are less clinical signs of digestive upset like decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, or stool changes but also in terms of helping to promote immune system health as well, he says.

Mahaney adds that immunity for cats is closely linked to the health of the digestive tract and when the digestive tract is thrown off track, a cats immunity may suffer. Disorders that can cause such digestive system upset include ailments like inflammatory bowel disease , infections, or a cat simply ingesting something she shouldnt.

That could certainly be cats that are grooming themselves excessively and ingesting too much hair or ingesting things from the environment, says Mahaney. So for cats, probiotics can help with a variety of conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease. The veterinarian adds that IBD is a common condition that many cats develop throughout their lifetime, especially during their adult and senior years.

How Fragrant Poop And Color

Light Brown Feces In Adults

What if you could tell you were getting sick because your poop suddenly smelled like bananas? What if your skin instantly changed color if it touched something toxic? Or if certain bacteria dwelling on your skin and in your gut pumped out medicine to help control medical conditions ranging from diabetes to depression?

Such medical advances sound fanciful, but they may soon be in the offing. Scientists working in the nascent field of synthetic biology are exploring ways to coax the tens of trillions of bacteria that live on and in the typical human body known collectively as the human microbiota to bring us better health.

We as an organism are not just human cellsand part of our biology is dictated by our resident microbes, says Justin Sonnenburg, a microbiologist at Stanford University and a microbiota expert. These microbes really have their little fingers on the knobs of all of our biological dials theyre tuning our immune system, theyre tuning our metabolism, they can influence our central nervous system.

Some bacteria make enzymes that aid digestion. Others train our immune cells to recognize pathogens. Still others influence our mood. But synthetic biologists are exploring ways to use gene-editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9 to create probiotics that have the ability to secrete medicines or odor-causing chemicals. One day, these engineered bacteria may be available as pills and skin creams.

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Increased Risk Of Infection

review from 2017 suggest that children and adults with severe illnesses or compromised immune systems should avoid using probiotics. Some people with these conditions have experienced bacterial or fungal infections as a result of probiotic use.

If a person has a condition that affects their immune system, they should speak with their doctor before taking probiotics.

Also, anyone using antifungal medication should wait until the infection has cleared up before taking probiotics.

Not All Probiotics Are Equal

If youre planning to take a probiotic supplement to manage constipation, its important to remember that all probiotic bacteria do not have the same effects. For instance, if Bifidobacterium lactis is able to increase the frequency of bowel movements, its not necessary that other probiotic bacteria would have a similar effect. So check the strain of probiotic bacteria that youre consuming to make sure that itll be beneficial in your case. And as always, when in doubt, speak to your doctor. It is also a good idea to increase your intake of probiotic foods like yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut which boost your digestive health and the number of good bacteria in your stomach.

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Advantages Of Probiotics For Dogs Clearly Outweigh The Minimal Risks

In addition to antibiotics causing GI tract disorders, chronic diarrhea, flatulence and appetite loss, other factors such as poor diet, stress, environmental changes and non-antibiotic prescription drugs can also deplete beneficial bacteria in the dogs intestines. Probiotics not only promote growth of good bacteria in your dogs intestines but will also:

  • Improve digestive processes by facilitating breakdown of consumed food, absorption of vitamins and minerals and removal of toxic waste products
  • May help reduce minor food intolerances and their side effects
  • Reduces inflammation in the GI tract to relieve diarrhea or constipation
  • Increases energy levels by eliminating some chronic health conditions
  • Promotes manufacturing of folic acid, biotin and B vitamins
  • Stimulates and regulates all components of the canine immune system
  • Helps degrade and neutralize food toxins and carcinogens
  • Keeps hormone levels balanced and regulated
  • May reduce the risk of female dogs suffering urinary tract infections

Eliminating chronic health conditions through probiotics help increase energy levels in dogs.

Youre Eating A Ton Of Green Veggies

Why Does Your Poop Smell Like That!?

The food you eat may also cause your food, of the natural or artificial variety, may also cause your poop to turn green, Emily Haller, RDN, a registered dietician at Michigan Medicineâs Taubman GI Clinic, tells Health. âGreen vegetables and fruits contain chlorophyll, which is the pigment that gives plants and algae their green color,â she says. âGenerally, a small serving of green vegetables wonât change stool color, but larger servings of green vegetables such as spinach, kale, broccoli, bok choy, green peppers, etc. could contribute to green stool.â

Haller says itâs âcompletely normal and healthyâ to have green poop as the result of eating your veggiesso definitely keep doing it. âNot only are these vegetables tasty, but they are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber,â she says.

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Do Probiotics Make You Fart Or Feel Gassy

While most people who take probiotics do so without encountering any negative side effects, some people DO experience a minor increase in flatulence. Its just a byproduct of the GI tract undergoing changes and adjustments. The good news, though, is that, unless you have a sensitivity or allergy to one of the ingredients in the supplement, any increased gassiness should stop within a few weeks of consistent use.

They Can Increase Infection Risk For Some

Probiotics are safe for the vast majority of the population, but may not be the best fit for everyone.

In rare cases, the bacteria or yeasts found in probiotics can enter the bloodstream and cause infections in susceptible individuals .

Those at greatest risk for infection from probiotics include people with suppressed immune systems, prolonged hospitalizations, venous catheters or those who have undergone recent surgeries .

However, the risk of developing an infection is very low, and no serious infections have been reported in clinical studies of the general population.

It is estimated that only about one in one million people who take probiotics containing Lactobacilli bacteria will develop an infection. The risk is even smaller for yeast-based probiotics, with only about one in 5.6 million users getting infected .

When infections do occur, they typically respond well to traditional antibiotics or antifungals. However, in rare cases, deaths have occurred .

Research also suggests that people with severe acute pancreatitis should not take probiotics, as this may increase the risk of death .

Summary

People with compromised immune systems, venous catheters, recent surgery, acute pancreatitis or prolonged hospitalizations should avoid taking probiotics.

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Do Not Mistake Common With Normal

If you ask most folks about their digestion, youll probably encounter a conversation that sounds something like this:

Me: How has your digestion been lately?Them: Its fine, as far as I can tell.Me: Well, do you ever have issues with bloating, flatulence, constipation, or changes in your stool composition?Them: I mean I always get gassy when I eat ice cream and bread makes my stomach feel weird. But Im sure thats pretty commonright?Me: Do not mistake common with normal.

As I referenced in a previous article: What does normal, healthy gut function look like? An ability and desire to eat a wide variety of foods without any GI symptomology before, during, or after the meal.

Gut dysfunction is common however, it is anything but normal. The next time youre considering your digestive health, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Can you recognize food in your stool?

Some vegetable matter may pass through the digestive tract without being dissolved due to its fibrous nature.

However, if you are seeing complete pieces of undigested food then you need to consider the current condition of your gastrointestinal tract. There may be issues with low stomach acid production, thyroid dysregulation, malabsorption, or poor eating habits .

2. Does your stool float?

Occasionally a stool may float if you eat something different or get a small GI bug. However, if you notice this regularly, its time to consult with a GI doc.

3. Are you regular?

How Long Does It Take Probiotics To Work

My Cat Has Diarrhea And Gas

The short answer is: It depends on the specific outcome youre hoping to achieve, the current condition of your gut and overall health, and the quality of the probiotic you are taking.

If you are taking a high quality, multispecies and multistrain supplement, you can expect to notice initial improvements and health benefits of probiotics in your digestion as early as the first 1-2 weeks after starting your probiotic.

Depending on how sensitive you are, many people feel a difference after a few days. More fundamental effects of the probiotics such as improvements to mood, weight loss or a reduction in inflammation of your gut barrier might set in after 4-8 weeks.

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