Signs You Need Probiotics
Thinking of loading up on kefir, yogurt, and;kombucha?
While this is all well and dandy, chances are that one cup of yogurt a day wont be able to satisfy the concentrations you need.
Youll really have to supplement when your gut flora has been heavily compromised.;
And how would you know that?;
Well, heres a quick list for you to check out the signs that might indicate the need for a probiotic.
#1. If youve been suffering from a digestive tract issue
These can include diarrhea, IBS, gas, constipation, and indigestion.
#2. If youve skin conditions like eczema, acne, psoriasis, or rashes
These can indicate pre-existing gut issues.
Take note to check for hormonal issues for acne as well before you take probiotics.
#3. Youve daily stress, anxiety, and a depressive mood without any other known cause
Your brain behavior is most likely out of sorts due to unbalanced gut flora.;
#4. If youre having a sweet tooth lately
The kind of food you crave might be a good indicator of the kind of bacteria youre hosting.
#5. If you were on antibiotic medication
Antibiotics do not discriminate good from bad bacteria. So, if youve just finished a round of antibiotics, think about rebalancing the gut flora with a probiotic.
#6. Your metabolism is out of whack
Interestingly, obese people are found to have a limited diversity of gut bacteria.
#7. Food poisoning
There can be two scenarios.
If you recently ate something that had gone bad. Or youve had an episode of food poisoning.
How Is Bowtrol Different From Other Probiotic Products
These are the reasons to select Bowtrol Probiotic among other options:
- Restore your digestive health in just;10-14 days!
- The largest concentration of CFUs.
- One capsule has 10 times more probiotics than in a gallon of yogurt.
- Identical constituents verified for effectiveness in 90% of research and studies done with probiotics.
- Bowtrol has the potent strain DDS-1 and Bifidobacterium, 2. They are super strains that are 10 times more powerful than other probiotics altogether.
- Each batch of Bowtrol probiotics gets tested for potency by a 3rd party laboratory.
- 100% Natural and Vegetarian.
- 100% Gluten Free and Dairy Free.
- Replenish Good Bacteria.
- Supports the immune system.
How Often Should I Take Probiotics
The tricky thing about probiotics is that they don’t stay in your gut for very long. You poop them out, so in order for them to be effective, you need to take them daily until you feel better, says Tamara Freuman, RD, author of The Bloated Belly Whisperer. Any benefits from a probiotic only happen as it passes through your body, she says. Because of that, taking your probiotics at a certain time can actually make them more effective.
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What To Know About Prebiotics
What are alternatives to both probiotic and fecal transplants to get the gut back to health? Meyer, of the IFIC Foundation, wrote that if you are planning on taking probiotics, you should make sure to incorporate prebiotics in your regimen.
Prebiotics are defined as a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit, which means these foods cant be broken down by the human digestive system, she added. Simply stated, prebiotics are food for probiotics. Fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, cereals are all prebiotics. Specifically, artichokes, asparagus, bananas, berries, chicory, garlic, green vegetables, legumes, onions, tomatoes, as well as grains like barley, oat, and wheat prebiotics. In addition, other fibers like inulin are also prebiotics that are added to foods like granola bars, cereal, and yogurt.
She said the jury is out on what the ideal amount is for daily prebiotic or probiotic intake.
Id recommend incorporating prebiotics and probiotics predominately from food. Think yogurt topped with fruit and an oat-based cereal or an Asian-inspired veggie stir-fry with kimchi, she wrote.
Mayer said that even though there is no scientific evidence for support, consuming a variety of naturally fermented food products could be helpful for your gut.
Again, without scientific evidence, I would suggest not to increase fiber intake drastically, as it may result in gas and bloating type symptoms, he added.
What You Should Eat During And After Antibiotics
Antibiotics are a powerful line of defense against bacterial infections.
However, they can sometimes cause side effects, such as diarrhea and liver damage.
Some foods can reduce these side effects, while others may make them worse.
This article explains what you should and shouldnt eat during and after antibiotics.
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Probiotics Instead Of Antibiotics
As the field of microbial research continues to expand, we expect the future of medicine will include targeted probiotic prescriptions in lieu of antibiotics, and that antibiotics will be reserved for specific or emergency scenarios.
In fact, probiotics are already proving to be more effective than antibiotics at treating and preventing certain diseases and infections, such as mastitis.
In one study, researchers analyzed 352 women suffering from mastitis, a painful breast infection often associated with breastfeeding. After 21 days, women who took probiotics saw more improvement and fewer recurrences than those taking antibiotics .
When Might Other Probiotics Be Appropriate
Children
Children aged 1 year and over can also take;Lactobacillus acidophilus;Rosell-52;and;Lactobacillus rhamnosus;Rosell-11, which have been trialled in this young age group. However, parents may wish to seek a supplement especially formulated for childrens gut health.
Women with intimate health issues?
If you are a woman taking antibiotics for an intimate health issue, it might be worth considering probiotic strains which are well researched for women’s intimate health, such as Lactobacillus reuteri;RC-14®;and;Lactobacillus rhamnosus;GR-1®. Health professionals can visit the Probiotics Database to read more about the research using these strains;;Lactobacillus reuteri;RC-14®;and;Lactobacillus rhamnosus;GR-1®.These strains are often used alongside antibiotics for vaginal infections, but are best taken 2 hours away from the medication.
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About Urgent Care 24/7
Urgent Care 24/7 has 5 locations in Savannah, GA and will be opening in Centennial Park in Atlanta, GA in Spring of 2018. Urgent Care 24/7 also owns and operates Bulldog Urgent Care in Athens, GA. Open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, Urgent Care 24/7 Midtown is the only regional Urgent Care clinic open 24 hours a day. Urgent Care 24/7 is committed to keeping you and your family healthy and functioning your best. Providing complete medical care when you need it, where you need it, Urgent Care 24/7 has coastal Georgia locations in Historic Savannah, Whitemarsh Island, Southside Savannah, Midtown Savannah, and Pooler, GA, when you search Urgent Care Near Me, you are sure to find one close to home.
Urgent Care 24/7 also offers Occupational Health and Employer related services. D.O.T. and non-D.O.T. drug screens are always available. Employment, Sports, and D.O.T. physicals are available at any clinic on a walk-in basis as well. Full service lab testing is available with in-house and send-out labs. No referral or provider visit is needed for basis lab work. Urgent Care 24/7 also maintains an in-house dispensary so most prescribed medications can be obtained without a trip to the pharmacy, however all prescriptions may be called in to the patients pharmacy of choosing.
Are There Any Risks Related To Probiotics
Probiotics are generally considered safe. However, there are some risks linked to the supplements. These risks are increased if you have a medical condition that weakens your immune system, have recently had surgery or have other serious medical conditions.
Unlikely, but possible, risks can include:
- Developing an infection.
- Developing a resistance to antibiotics.
- Developing harmful byproducts from the probiotic supplement.
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The Lack Of Consistency In The Findings On Probiotics Comes In Part Because They Are Being Treated Like Conventional Drugs
This opens the door to developing personalised probiotic treatments based on someones genetic profile. Such a system is realistic and could be developed relatively soon, says Elinav, but at this stage it remains a proof of concept. To become a reality, it will need more research on probiotic tailoring and testing more bacterial strains in larger groups of people.
This kind of personalisation may release the full potential of probiotic treatments for gut health. At the moment, the lack of consistency in the findings on probiotics comes in part because they are being treated like conventional drugs. When you take a paracetamol tablet, you can be more or less sure that the active component will do its job and work on receptors in your brain, dulling your sensation of pain. This is because most peoples pain receptors are similar enough to react in the same way to the drug.
But the microbiome is not just a receptor it is closer to an ecosystem, and sometimes likened to a rainforest in its complexity.
As a result, finding and tailoring a probiotic treatment that will work on something as intricate and individual as your own internal ecosystem is no easy task. And with that in mind, its not so surprising that a dried-out pack of bacteria from a supermarket shelf may well not do the trick.
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When To Take Antibiotics Before Or After Food
When you are given them, it usually clearly states whether you need to take antibiotics with food. Taking them correctly is key to their effectiveness. You should take them with water because this doesnt interfere with their effectiveness as some fruit juices do.
Some types will need to be taken with food to reduce the risk of side effects like nausea and vomiting. After all, antibiotics are potent medicines, so its not really surprising that they can irritate your digestive system too.
If youre going to take probiotics with antibiotics, it is best to take them a few hours apart so this medication doesn’t affect the probiotic bacteria too.
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How Do Probiotics Restore Gut Flora
Probiotics contain the same beneficial organism as those in your gut.
After an antibiotic course, the gut flora takes time before it can resume normalcy.
This may put your health at risk, and instead of waiting for the gut to slowly restore itself, boosting it with a good probiotic comes a long way.
And even though probiotics may not restore the gut flora immediately, taking them will help prevent harmful bacteria from taking over during the course of antibiotics.
And if your timing is right, the good bacteria will begin to do their job until the next dose of antibiotics wipes them.
Taking a prebiotic 2 hours before or after probiotics will help you reap as many benefits as you can.
The Microbiome And The Importance Of Gut Replenishment
Our digestive tract really is a marvel of coordination and if you think about it, it really is a highway,, with the entrance being the mouth and the sinus tract, and then the exits being the anus and the urethra in the genitourinary area. There are several areas along that tract where there are substantial colonies of microorganisms devoted to different purposes to help protect and support our health.*
Our sinuses and mouth have various bacterial species that, when in good health, guard against colonization by pathogenic viruses and bacteria that could cause a variety of contagious illnesses . The delicate balance of these bacteria, however, can be disrupted by the food we eat, certain exposures to microbes or environmental toxins such as toxic molds, which can then increase our risk for various kinds of infections and other symptoms.
When we travel downstream into the stomach and eventually the intestines, eventually we reach what is called the microbiome, which is a collection of bacteria, yeast, viruses and fungi that perform many vital functions. These include digestion, production of vitamins, detoxification, protection against pathogenic organisms and facilitating elimination through the bowel.
Unfortunately, this collection of microorganisms can be damaged in many ways nowadays. This includes but is not limited to:
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How Long Should My Child Take Probiotics After Completing A Round Of Antibiotics
This is the big one!
If you dont regularly take probiotics , at the very least please please please give your gut a chance to bounce back after antibiotics by taking a probiotic supplement.
But for how long, minimum, if youre not going to continue taking them regularly?
I asked this question of Catherine Clinton, naturopath and founder of WellFuture and the WellBelly probiotic that our 2-year-old has been taking since he started food:
A disturbed flora from antibiotics can onset several weeks after completing a course of antibiotics, and the microbial ecosystem in your post-antibiotic gut is shifting dynamically for weeks, so a general guideline of continuing probiotic supplementation a week or two after completing the round of antibiotics is common.
I responded and said I was surprised to hear weeks, as I had always thought it was at least two months. Her reply:
Actually the advice does say weeks to months but I just hesitate because Im the lady who sells probiotics so it makes me uncomfortable if there is no hard research. It is certainly clear that the damage from antibiotics can be quite long term.
Thats great honesty and transparency from the lady who sells probiotics if you ask me!
Heres some research to back all this up:
WellBelly is allergen-free, designed especially for infants and children, and you can check out the ingredients for yourself right HERE.
Their Influence On Vaginal Microflora
Just like the gut, a healthy vagina has a microbiome that is filled with good bacteria and needs to be balanced for health.
Good bacteria like Lactobacilli in the vagina prevent pathogenic bacteria and yeasts from causing infections. These infections include bacterial vaginosis, Candida yeast infections, urinary tract infections, and even some sexually transmissible diseases .
The microbiome of the vagina is also responsible for maintaining the correct pH, a part of your immune system which also prevents a proliferation of bad bacteria.
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When Should You Take Probiotics With Antibiotics
Taking antibiotics gradually decreases the natural friendly bacteria gut which can result in less-than-ideal digestive issues, like not fully breaking down waste.;
This can cause you to have diarrhea, indigestion, abdominal pain and cause a rapid decline in energy levels. The goal is to maintain a healthy gut microbiome, where many trillions of bacteria live peacefully with each other.
Studies have shown that taking probiotics at the same time while youre taking antibiotics can act as a counterbalance in the gut microbiome. Probiotics increase the beneficial bacteria and lessen the side effects of taking antibiotics.
Many pharmacists are already recommending people to take it together;or eat more foods that replenish the good bacteria if they have been prescribed antibiotics.
Taking probiotics wont ruin the efficacy of your antibiotics, however you might want to make sure that your probiotics are suited to do the job.
Probiotics Are Good Bacteria
Your body is home to billions of organisms like bacteria, fungi and yeasts. Most of these organisms are harmless and many help your body work properly they form whats called the human microbiome.
Probiotics are some of the helpful good bacteria that make up your microbiome, explains Dr. Drass. They come in supplement form, but they also occur naturally in certain foods.
These fermented and aged foods are packed with probiotics:
Yogurt
Your kids likely get most of their probiotic intake from yogurt.
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Pros And Cons Of Probiotics
The assumption that there is little downside to taking probiotics was challenged in a recent Israeli study.
The participants were given antibiotics and split into two groups: the first group was given an 11-strain probiotic preparation for four weeks; the second was given a placebo, or dummy pill.
The researchers found the antibiotic damage to the gut bacteria of those in the first group allowed the probiotic strains to effectively colonise the gut. But this colonisation delayed the normal recovery of the microbiota, which remained perturbed for the entire six month study period.
In contrast, the microbiota of the second group returned to normal within three weeks of finishing antibiotics.
This research exposes a perhaps unexpected truth: we still don’t know what types of bacteria are truly beneficial or even what constitutes a healthy microbiome.
The answer is unlikely to be that individual bacterial strains are particularly helpful.
It’s more likely a diverse community of thousands of different types of microbes working together can provide health benefits. This microbial community is as individual as each one of us, meaning there is not just one configuration that will result in health or illness.
So, it’s unlikely that the addition of one or even 11 strains of bacteria in a probiotic could somehow balance this complex system.
What Is The Best Prebiotic To Take With Antibiotics
Most probiotic strains are considered safe for most people, but if youre allergic, avoid strains with high histamine-producing tendencies, such as Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Lactobacillus Casei, and Lactobacillus Reuters.
Choose a probiotic that improves digestion and reduces histamine levels while preventing inflammation, such as Bifidobacterium Lactis, Bifidobacterium Longum, Lactobacillus Plantarum, and Bifidobacterium Infantis.
Another great alternative is to use a yeast strain probiotic such as S. Boulardii. Since its not a bacteria, antibiotics wont even come near.
Studies are now showing that S.boulardii can prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea if taken with antibiotics.
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Is It Better To Take Probiotics On An Empty Stomach
Some probiotic manufacturers recommend taking the supplement on an empty stomach, while others advise taking it with food. Though its difficult to measure bacteria viability in humans, some research suggests that Saccharomyces boulardii microorganisms survive in equal numbers with or without a meal .
Tips For Taking Probiotics With Antibiotics
We know that taking probiotics with antibiotics can prevent and alleviate side effects, repopulate the gut microbiome, and minimize antibiotic resistance, but how do we mix probiotics and antibiotics without having them cancel each other out?
First and foremost, make sure your doctor has confirmed a bacterial infection that warrants an antibiotic intervention before rushing to fill your prescription.
If not, request a lab test to make sure youd hate to take a harsh, gut-damaging antibiotic for a viral infection that will clear up on its own.
If you and your doctor have decided that antibiotics are a necessity, including probiotics in your daily wellness routine will maximize your chances of staying healthy.
Here are our five tips for correctly taking probiotics with antibiotics:
1. Find a Multi-Strain Probiotic Formula
Taking a daily probiotic supplement is a smart idea even when you arent fighting an infection, but its especially important during and after a course of antibiotics.
Look for a high-quality formula with a variety of human-resident strains to repopulate your gut, including strains like L. rhamnoses proven to help during antibiotic treatment.
Also, choose a formula that guarantees the live bacteria will survive the acid-filled journey into your gut;;many probiotic products in standard veggie capsules only have a 4 percent survival rate.
2. Give the Antibiotics Some Space
Wait at least two hours after taking antibiotics before taking probiotics.
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