Probiotics for gut health -
Speaking of Health. Topics in this Post. What are probiotics? Where are probiotics found? Probiotics can be found in multiple forms.
Bacteria-fermented foods are good sources of probiotics, including: Active-culture yogurts Cheese Kefir Kimchi Kombucha Sauerkraut Probiotics also come in pill form with a variety of different strains or types, including acidophilus, lactobacillus or formulations targeted for different health benefits, such as gastrointestinal health or women's health.
Research on probiotics Probiotics are under active research for a variety of different conditions. Generally, there are a variety of areas of research for probiotics: Gastrointestinal health — especially for people with certain infections or chronic conditions, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and IBS, or for a serious infection called Clostridioides difficile C.
diff Vaginal health Allergies — including skin conditions like eczema What's the consensus? Are they beneficial? What should you do before taking probiotics? Besides probiotics, what can I do to benefit my digestive and overall health?
Synbiotic products usually combine friendly bacteria along with some food for the bacteria to eat the prebiotics , all in one supplement The most common probiotic bacteria are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria.
Other common kinds are Saccharomyces, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Escherichia, and Bacillus. Each genus comprises different species, and each species has many strains. Different probiotics have been found to address different health conditions. Therefore, choosing the right type — or types — of probiotics is essential.
Some supplements, known as broad-spectrum probiotics or multi-probiotics, combine different species in the same product. Although the evidence is promising, more research is needed on the health benefits of probiotics. Probiotics are living microorganisms that boost health when consumed in adequate amounts.
There are many different types, and you can obtain them from foods or supplements. The complex community of microorganisms in your gut is called the gut flora, gut microbiota, or gut microbiome 14 , The gut microbiota includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea, and helminths — with bacteria comprising the vast majority.
Your gut is home to a complex eco-system of — bacterial species Most of the gut flora is found in your colon, or large intestine, which is the last part of your digestive tract. Surprisingly, the metabolic activities of your gut flora resemble those of an organ.
Your gut flora performs many important health functions. It manufactures vitamins, including vitamin K and some of the B vitamins It also turns fibers into short-chain fats like butyrate, propionate, and acetate, which feed your gut wall and perform many metabolic functions 19 , These fats also stimulate your immune system and strengthen your gut wall.
This can help prevent unwanted substances from entering your body and provoking an immune response 21 , Your gut flora is highly sensitive to your diet, and studies show that an unbalanced gut flora is linked to numerous diseases 23 , Your gut flora consists of hundreds of types of microorganisms.
These microorganisms perform numerous important bodily functions. Probiotics are widely researched for their effects on digestive health Evidence suggests that probiotic supplements can help cure antibiotic-associated diarrhea When people take antibiotics , especially for long periods of time, they often experience diarrhea — even long after the infection has been eradicated.
This is because the antibiotics kill many of the natural bacteria in your gut, which shifts the gut balance and allows harmful bacteria to thrive. Probiotics may also help combat irritable bowel syndrome IBS , a common digestive disorder, reducing gas, bloating , constipation, diarrhea, and other symptoms.
Research regarding the effectiveness of probiotics supplementation for the treatment of IBS is mixed. A recent review reported that seven of the studies indicated IBS improvement with probiotic supplementation, but four did not Research indicates that multi-strain probiotic supplements seem to bring most IBS improvement, especially when taken for longer than 8 weeks.
However, much remains unknown about probiotic treatment for IBS. Questions like the following have yet to be answered 33 :. Researchers find early results of IBS probiotic treatment promising but say additional large trials are necessary before healthcare providers can confidently prescribe probiotic treatments consistently for IBS Again, researchers say further research is needed before the treatment is confirmed to be effective Probiotics may also help fight Helicobacter pylori infections, which are one of the main drivers of ulcers and stomach cancer 36 , 37 , However, be sure to consult your healthcare provider first.
Probiotics may be effective against various digestive problems, including antibiotic-associated diarrhea and IBS. Some research indicates that people with obesity have different gut bacteria than those who are lean Research shows a connection between gut microbes and obesity in both infants and adults.
It also shows that microbial changes in the gut are a factor in developing obesity as an adult Therefore, many scientists believe that your gut bacteria are important in determining body weight 41 , While more research is needed, some probiotic strains appear to aid weight loss Nevertheless, researchers advise caution in rushing to this conclusion, noting that there are still many unknowns.
These unknowns include 44 :. In one study, people with central obesity, which is characterized by excess belly fat , took the probiotic Lactobacillus gasseri daily.
Participants lost an average of approximately 8. Evidence also suggests that Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium lactis can aid weight loss and help prevent obesity — though more research is needed Though more research is necessary, some evidence suggests that certain probiotic strains can aid weight loss.
In the past decade, research has shown that the gut and brain are connected in a system called the gut-brain axis. Some research shows that certain microbes in the gut can affect your brain via this axis in both health and disease. Which microbes these are and how they interact with the brain is the subject of much current research Some researchers suggest that, for some people, supplementing with certain strains of probiotics may be preferable to taking psychotropic drugs to cope with the mental stress, loneliness, and grief accompanying the current COVID pandemic In addition to their potential effects on weight loss, digestion, and neurological disorders, probiotics may improve heart health, immune function, and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Probiotics are thought to help restore the natural balance of bacteria in your gut including your stomach and intestines when it's been disrupted by an illness or treatment.
There's some evidence that probiotics may be helpful in some cases, such as helping to ease some symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome IBS. But there's little evidence to support many health claims made about them. For example, there's no evidence to suggest that probiotics can help treat eczema.
But for most people, probiotics appear to be safe. If you want to try them, and you have a healthy immune system, they shouldn't cause any unpleasant side effects. If you're considering trying probiotics, there are a few issues you need to be aware of.
Skip Detoxifying the liver content. To restore the intestinal balance they are Prrobiotics Meal replacements and shakes do not have, guy people turn Meal replacements and shakes probiotics. But what exactly are probiotics? Do they work? How do you know if you need one? We posed these questions and more to Columbia gastroenterologist Daniel Freedberg, MDwho studies probiotics and their effectiveness. New research Meal replacements and shakes little risk of infection from prostate Meal replacements and shakes. Discrimination at gt is B vitamins for vegetarians to high blood Probiottics. Icy fingers and toes: Poor circulation or Raynaud's phenomenon? What are the heatlh of taking probiotics? Bacteria have a reputation for causing disease, so the idea of tossing down a few billion a day for your health might seem — literally and figuratively — hard to swallow. But a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that you can treat and even prevent some illnesses with foods and supplements containing certain kinds of live bacteria.
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