September 9, 2016
Did you know that taking antibiotics can kill off both good AND bad bacteria in your gut? It is especially important to take a probiotic during antibiotic treatment to maintain healthy levels of good bacteria. These “good” bacteria help to accelerate treatment of certain intestinal infections, ease diarrhea, treat and prevent UTIs, and can help to relieve IBS.
What do probiotics do?
- Boost the immune system
- Balance out bad bacteria in your gut with good bacteria to maintain healthy digestion
- Helps to produce vitamin K1 and K2
Infants start to pick up their first probiotics from mom on their way out of the birth canal. C-section babies are more susceptible to allergies and tend to have lower functioning immune systems and lower levels of gut microflora.
Do I need to take a probiotic?
Currently, there is no test available for checking bacteria levels, so it is not possible to determine who will benefit most from taking a daily probiotic. However, it is widely agreed that most people can benefit from taking a probiotic supplement, even if you are in great shape and have no stomach problems. As always, check with your doctor before adding anything new to your health regimen.
Researchers have studied probiotics to see if they can help to treat and/or prevent certain health problems such as:
- Digestive disorders (IBS, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease)
- Allergic disorders (eczema, hay fever)
- Common cold
- Oral health problems (tooth decay, periodontal disease)
- Liver disease
- Colic in infants
- Prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants
Where can I get probiotics without taking a pill?
- Kefir
- Yogurt (avoid sugar/preservatives)
- Kombucha Tea
- Kimchi
- Miso
- Olives
- Lassi
- Natto
- Tempeh
- Pickles
If I am going to take a pill, what should I look for?
- High CFU count (Colony-Forming Units)
- Multiple strains (look for something with 9 or more individual strains)
- Substrains listed (this is a good indicator that the main strains listed have been studied and are credible)
- Prebiotics (increase the effectiveness of the probiotics themselves to flourish in your gut)
- Non-refrigerated(this is suggested because there is no way to control the temperature during shipment, but can sometimes be tough to find)
What are prebiotics and synbiotics?
A prebiotic is a non-digestible carbohydrate that acts as food for the probiotic to proliferate.
Synbiotics refers to the healthy, working relationship between the prebiotic and probiotic.
Possible side effects of taking a probiotic:
The only real side effects that have been linked to probiotics are mild digestive symptoms such as gas.
However, it is important to note, that people with immune deficiency disorders, critically ill patients, very sick infants, and people with serious underlying medical problems, can have more serious adverse responses.
*This information is being provided with the intention of sharing information only. It is not designed to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or professional opinion in any way. Talk to your doctor before making any changes to your personal health regime.
REFERENCES:
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics/introduction.htm
https://thrivemarket.com/blog/probiotics-and-weightloss
http://www.medicinenet.com/probiotics/article.htm
http://www.health.harvard.edu/vitamins-and-supplements/health-benefits-of-taking-probiotics