Improved Weight Loss Success
Another growing area of research on probiotics is weight loss.
Also, a systematic review and meta-analysis found that using a probiotic supplement was associated with decreases in body mass index , weight, and fat mass with a probiotic dose of at least 30 billion for greater than 12 weeks.
Your Immunity Gets Stronger
Negative bacteria is primarily responsible for a weak immune system. Probiotics help kill off all that bad bacteria, allowing you to be more protected against infections and illnesses. How does it do so? Here are some of the ways:
a) Antibodies
Certain types of probiotics have the ability to help facilitate the production of a variety of components, including antibodies completely natural, body-produced antibodies!
b) Gut Bacteria
Probiotics stifle bad gut bacteria growth. Well touch on more about this in our next point.
c) Immune Cells
Some kinds of probiotics may be capable of producing good immune cells that help your body fight against infections and viruses. These cells include T lymphocytes, cells that produce Immunoglobulin A, and killer cells.
You dont even have to take these theories at face value plenty of studies show how well probiotics can protect the body! Some of them include:
How To Know If A Probiotic Works For You
Probiotics work well for many medical conditions, but theyre not a panacea thats guaranteed to work for everyone.
I recommend a 3-4 week trial of probiotics to test their effectivenessfor you, even if youve tried probiotics before. But its important that youdo a full and complete trial and follow a few guidelines.
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Should I Try Probiotics
If you are interested in adding probiotics to your diet, its worth a conversation with your healthcare provider. Many providers may suggest giving them a try to see if they help with your general health. It is important to remember that not all probiotics behave the same way and have the same effects. Each has their own individual benefits. They generally dont cause harm. One easy way to start can be by simply introducing probiotic-rich foods into your diet, like yogurt.
Before you start any supplements, make sure you talk to your healthcare provider. Your provider may be able to point you in the right direction, helping you figure out the best probiotic to take, how much to take and when to take it. A conversation is always worth the time when it concerns your health.
Your Digestion Will Benefit In The Long Run
There’s a lot of promise around probiotics’ benefits for digestive health. “Probiotics can balance out intestinal microflora and potentially mediate bloat, diarrhea or constipation,” Monica Auslander Moreno, RD, LDN, nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition, tells LIVESTRONG.com.
Probiotics can help prevent diarrhea associated with antibiotics and periodontal disease and help induce or maintain ulcerative colitis remission, per the National Institutes of Health .
Tip
Itâs really important to be thoughtful about the kind of probiotic strain you take, Moreno stresses, as the wrong kind can potentially worsen your condition. Probiotics are not a one-size-fits-all remedy because everyoneâs microbiome is different. For this reason, she suggests talking with your gastroenterologist and dietitian to determine if fermented foods or supplements are appropriate for you.
Taking probiotics may provide the body with more good-for-you bacteria, which can help restore balance in the gut, per a June 2018 study in the âBMJâ. Probiotics may be especially helpful in preventing diarrhea for people taking antibiotics and those with Clostridioides difficile , according to the Cleveland Clinic.
What’s more, probiotics have the potential to ease constipation, per a January 2010 âWord Journal of Gastroenterologyâ study.
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Take Probiotics Before Bedtime
Taking probiotics immediately before bedtime on an empty stomach may help to reduce gas and bloating. Your gut is relatively inactive at night, but probiotics can produce gas when combined with certain foods. Taking food on an empty stomach ensures that the probiotics dont have any obstacles in the way, which also allows more of the live bacteria to reach your large intestines.14
You Might Have More Energy
Not only might your mood get a lift from taking probiotics, but Dr. Axe notes that you may also find you have increased energy and less fatigue.
“Probiotics play a role in neurotransmitter production, including serotonin, which has mood-boosting and calming/sleep-promoting effects,” he explains. “Some also contribute to cognitive health by helping to facilitate a healthy inflammation response and supporting nutrient absorption, which helps fuel normal brain activity.”
Research has revealed that chronic fatigue syndrome is linked to an imbalance in the microbiomewhich can cause “leaky gut syndrome.” Basically, this means that bacteria enter the blood, triggering an immune response. Fortunately, research has also proven that taking probiotics may be useful for restoring balance to the microbiome and thus, alleviating fatigue and other symptoms.
You can also get a good amount of probiotics in your diet when you incorporate these 14 Probiotic Foods for a Healthy Gut into your meals!
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Signs You Need A Probiotic
Supporting your gut health can be the key to fighting off skin conditions, boosting your immune system, improving mood disorders, and even losing weight. Eating foods high in probiotics and taking probiotic supplements can improve your gut health, and may reverse some health problems associated with bacterial imbalances in the GI tract.
The presence of good bacteria in the gut is necessary to keep harmful bacteria under control, promote good digestion, and keep the immune system strong. Probiotics help your body absorb essential vitamins and minerals more efficiently, and can even help balance neurotransmitters in your brain that are responsible for controlling your mood which is why a healthy gut can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
People who are lacking healthy gut bacteria often struggle with asthma, skin disorders, infections, irritable bowel syndrome, and many other problems that can stem from poor gut health. Could you benefit from probiotics? Here are six signs you may have an intestinal bacterial imbalance.
How To Determine Your Lowest Effective Dose Of Probiotics
Heres a step-by-step guide to determining whether you should continue probiotics once your health has improved.
As you work to determine your minimal effective dose, keep an eye out for whats known as the nocebo effect, or the expectation that you will need to continue probiotics .
Finding your minimal effective dose will allow you to continue to reap the benefits of probiotics at a lower cost, with more convenience, and ideally with less of a feeling of dependency.
Keep in mind that probiotic use doesnt have to be all or nothing, and maintaining a more relaxed attitude towards your supplementation can help to reduce dependency and anxiety. For example, taking probiotics some or most days rather than every day once youve reached your maintenance phase is completely fine.
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But Why Take Them On An Ongoing Basis
Many people choose to take probiotics every day, whilst some might just use them periodically or whenever they feel that they need a little support. Whichever way you find works best for you, it is worth remembering that many factors can negatively affect the probiotic colonies in our gut.
So, whilst you might think that once you have established good gut flora that it can then be left to its own devices, in reality our lifestyles are now so challenging for our microbiome that many of us need to nurture it on an ongoing basis. If you would like to learn more, read our article on the gut microbiome – all you need to know.
Most people know that antibiotics do not differentiate between the good and bad bacteria in our guts, and therefore negatively impact on our probiotic colonies, but even if we don’t take them ourselves, it’s possible there may be other sources of antibiotics in our food chain, such as in meat and other animal products. These have a similarly negative impact on our gut flora.
In addition, we are often exposed to chemicals such as chlorine in our drinking water. Chlorine is a strong anti-microbial agent, and whilst it helps to keep undesirable bacteria out of our water supply, it also damages our delicate gut flora.
How Often Should You Take Probiotics
Now that you know you want to try probiotics, youre probably wondering, when is the best timeto take probiotics? And whats the best way to take themwith or without food? On an empty stomach? In the morning or evening?
Unless otherwise instructed, you should take one probiotic capsule per day. Most people prefer to take their probiotics in the morning. In most instances, whether you take probiotics with food and what time you take them does not make a huge impact on their effectiveness. That said, the most important thing is consistency, and be sure to read the supplements label for any special instructions.
The best way to take your probiotics can vary by strain. Studies have found that probiotics make a positive impact on your gut health whether or not you take them with food .
That said, some strains, like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, are thought to work even better when taken just before eating . Whatever routine you develop around your probiotics, make sure you stay consistent. Whether you take them morning or night, with your favorite snack or without food at all, try to do things the same way each day.
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What Happens When You Stop Taking Probiotics
For many of our patients, probiotic therapy is a gamechanger for reducing or even eliminating gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating and constipation. But after a while, many people begin to wonder: If I consistently feel good now, do I need to continue taking probiotics?
There has not been much scientific research around what exactly happens to your microbiome or your general health after discontinuing probiotic therapy. However, a few studies in addition to clinical experience can give you an idea of what happens when you stop taking probiotics.
To help you make an informed decision about whether to discontinue probiotic supplements, well review some of the most common reasons for both taking and discontinuing probiotics, safety considerations, how to stop taking probiotics, possible side effects, and determining your minimal effective dose.
Signs Your Probiotics Arent Working And What To Do About It
The problem is that many existing probiotic products are ineffective. They maycontain strains that are dead or dont survive in your digestive tract, since anoverwhelmingly large percentage of probiotics die upon contact with stomach acid.Here are some signs that your probiotics arent working:
- The symptoms are not improving: If after 4 weeks of taking your probiotic
- regularly, you dont feel the therapeutic effects described above, or your symptoms have shown no improvement, it may mean that your probiotic is not working.
- You experience side effects: The most common side effects include bloating, gas, and headaches.
- You are getting sick more often: If after several weeks youre experiencing any of the above, it may be time to change your probiotic. Ideally, you want to purchase the highest quality, most potent probiotic you can afford, one which uses human-sourced strains of both lactobacilli and bifidobacteria and has been proven to survive the harsh conditions of the stomach.
If you want a probiotic supplement that is guaranteed to work, go ahead and try my Rebalance Formula. Years of research and testing went into creating a unique blend of 12 clinically-proven strains, to support the entire digestive process. Additionally, it is stored in our climate-controlled facility to make sure that it stays alive and effective so that you can see the best possible results.
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Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth
The small and large intestines usually contain different types of bacteria. SIBO occurs when bacteria from the large intestine start growing in the small intestine.
The large intestine predominantly contains anaerobic bacteria, which do not require oxygen and live by fermenting indigestible carbohydrates from plant-based foods as they pass through the gut.
Symptoms of SIBO are similar to those of IBS, including gas, bloating, and diarrhea. SIBO can also cause brain fogginess and short-term memory problems.
Not everyone with IBS has SIBO, but the overgrowth is more common in people with IBS. SIBO also frequently develops in older females.
Experts do not fully understand what causes the overgrowth, but it may result from reduced gut motility, which slows the passage of food through the gut. This can cause fermentable carbohydrates to remain in the small intestine for longer.
Results of a indicate a possible link between SIBO and probiotic supplementation in people with brain fogginess. The researchers found that symptoms improved when participants stopped taking probiotics and started taking antibiotics.
Anyone with SIBO symptoms should consult a doctor.
Your Kids Are Less Likely To Have Allergies
Infants and children who consume certain types of probiotics tend to have less severe eczema and allergy symptoms. Similarly, pregnant parents who consume probiotics during pregnancy tend to have children with an 83% lower chance of winding up with eczema in their first few years of life.
Some studies also somewhat suggest that probiotics can ease the typical inflammatory responses experienced by those allergic to milk and dairy. However, in both this case and in the case of eczema in children, more research is needed to draw any firm conclusion.
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Your Mental Health Gets Better
Probiotics cant get into your brain, but they can aid your gut health, as weve discussed and many studies actually link digestive health to the state of ones mental health. Studies have shown that regular probiotic consumption has great effects on mental health, mood, and positive thinking. Some studies that have indicated these results are:
a) Chemical Workers
Over 6 weeks, 70 workers consumed 100 grams of yogurt containing probiotics on a daily basis or probiotic capsules. In both cases, there were notable benefits shown for a variety of disorders, including:
- Memory-related conditions
Sign 8 Improved Immunity
Last but not least, probiotics strengthen the immune system. As much as 70-80% ofimmune cells are located in the gut, so the health of your gut and your immunesystem are closely related.The gut plays a key role in the digestion of food and subsequent absorption ofvitamins, minerals and other nutrients including those that are vital for theimmune system. Beneficial bacteria provide a barrier against harmful bacteria,where ingested pathogens are fought off.The gut microbiota protects us by strengthening the gut wall, competing with harmful bacteria for both space and food and regulating inflammation and the inflammatory immune response.Therefore, a sure sign that your probiotic is working is being sick less often fewercolds, flus, and seasonal allergies!
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How Do Probiotics Work
The main job of probiotics, or good bacteria, is to maintain a healthy balance in your body. Think of it as keeping your body in neutral. When you are sick, bad bacteria enters your body and increases in number. This knocks your body out of balance. Good bacteria works to fight off the bad bacteria and restore the balance within your body, making you feel better.
Good bacteria keeps you healthy by supporting your immune function and controlling inflammation. Certain types of good bacteria can also:
- Help your body digest food.
- Keep bad bacteria from getting out of control and making you sick.
- Create vitamins.
- Help support the cells that line your gut to prevent bad bacteria that you may have consumed from entering your blood.
- Breakdown and absorb medications.
This balancing act is naturally happening in your body all of the time. You dont actually need to take probiotic supplements to make it happen. Good bacteria is just a natural part of your body. Eating a well-balanced diet rich in fiber every day helps to keep the number of good bacteria at proper levels.
Probiotics And Gut Health
The best case for probiotic therapy has been in the treatment of diarrhea. Controlled trials have shown that Lactobacillus GG can shorten the course of infectious diarrhea in infants and children . Although studies are limited and data are inconsistent, two large reviews, taken together, suggest that probiotics reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhea by 60%, when compared with a placebo.
More common than diarrhea is the opposite problem constipation. In a search for studies on the benefits of probiotics in treating constipation, researchers found that probiotics slowed “gut transit time” by 12.4 hours, increases the number of weekly bowel movements by 1.3, and helped to soften stools, making them easier to pass. But the jury is still out on specific recommendations when it comes to the benefits of probiotics for constipation.
Probiotic therapy may also help people with Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Clinical trial results are mixed, but several small studies suggest that certain probiotics may help maintain remission of ulcerative colitis and prevent relapse of Crohn’s disease and the recurrence of pouchitis . Because these disorders are so frustrating to treat, many people are giving probiotics a try before all the evidence is in for the particular strains they’re using. More research is needed to find out which strains work best for what conditions.
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