Should You Be Taking Probiotics?

should you be taking probiotics

Are probiotics really as good as they are made out to be? Do they really work and are there any side effects that you should be aware of?  We know that nutritional supplements like Balance of Nature may help keep your body in good health but let’s explore probiotics. With such a vast amount of information available on the internet nowadays, it is difficult to know what dietary supplements to trust and which ones to stay clear of. Analyze That provides unbiased, comprehensive, honest product reviews so you can make informed decisions to help choose the right product for you click here to find out more.

What Exactly Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms with many health benefits and can be seen as ‘helpful’ or ‘good’ bacteria which helps to keep your gut healthy. They help to replace good bacteria after you have, for example, taking antibiotics. They also help to balance ‘bad’ and ‘good’ bacteria in your gut in order to keep your body functioning the way it should.

The Benefits Of Probiotics

Probiotics are definitely a highly studied area of interest with quite a lot of literature supporting their use for a wide variety of conditions and issues. The probiotic function can be affected by the gut microbiome, diet, and genetics. Probiotics can help with regulating the nervous system of the gut, inhibiting certain bad bacterias from sticking to the gut lining, help with improving the protective lining of the gut, and influence the immune system. Here are a few health benefits of using probiotics:

Immunity

There are more than 100 trillion microorganisms to be found in the ecosystem of the gut. This ecosystem regulates the immune system as almost 70% of our immune system is based on our gut.

This amazon probiotic supplement works with different immune cells in order to regulate the responses of the immune system. It could also modulate inflammation and maintain the balance in the gut microbiome.

Read more about natural and simple ways to improve your immune system.

Diarrhea

Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus rhamnosus can shorten the duration of diarrhea. Probiotics can also be used for treating gastroenteritis and help to keep the gut microbiome balanced.

Constipation

According to a study, Bifidobacterium lactis improves stool consistency and stool frequency. It is further also effective in treating irritable bowel syndrome even though the exact strains and species are not specified yet.

Longevity

It is quite fascinating that probiotics can even influence longevity and aging. This is because the resilience and equilibrium of the gut microbiome are quite important when considering aging and health in general. Find out more about how to age well with these nine scientific tips for healthy aging.

Animals

It seems that animals can also benefit from probiotics, as it has been proven to be successful in treating inflammatory bowel disease and gastroenteritis in cats and dogs. It seems that gut health is just as important to our pets as it is for us. It has also been shown that gut microbiomes become more stabilized when treating dogs that suffer from infectious diarrhea with probiotics.

Are There Any Downsides?

There isn’t yet a consensus on what type of probiotic should be used for what type of condition and what type of person. This means that what might work for someone else might not work for you. Before picking a probiotic, it is important to understand more about the status of your microbiome. As many people don’t necessarily choose the perfect type of probiotic for their specific situation – it might cause stomach cramps, stomach upset, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. If you do experience any of the above mentioned side effects, consider consulting your doctor or changing to another type of probiotic.

Also remember that there are wonderful probiotic food sources, such as kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, miso, and kimchi.

Different Types Of Probiotics

Even though there are many types of probiotics, they mostly come from two main groups:

  • Lactobacillus – This is one of the most common types of probiotics and can be found in yogurt and some other fermented foods. Different strains can help people who, for example, have lactose intolerance or diarrhea.
  • Bifidobacterium – This can also be found in some dairy products and may help to ease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

The Conclusion

As previously mentioned, there is a vast amount of research that has concluded that probiotics are beneficial to the immune system and gut health. While not all supplements are created equal it’s important to look for those that contain Lactobacillus as well as Bifidobacterium in order to provide the best results especially if you are not getting enough of these bacteria strains in your diet.

Both men and women will benefit from probiotics as it is generally safe and has little to no side effects provided that you do not suffer from any other medical condition such as an autoimmune disease or allergies as some strains do contain cow’s milk proteins and soy.

If you are a generally healthy individual, probiotics can be used with ease, and since unhealthy bacteria has a track record for causing disease, probiotics are a great way to fight harmful bacteria from colonizing and causing further problems. If you are considering using a probiotic be sure to speak to your doctor first and always check the label to rule out any possible allergens.

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