Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Are More Strains In Probiotics Better

Probiotics For Males And Females

Good to Know: Can taking probiotics improve our health to help us lead better lives?

The effects of probiotics may be different in males and females.

In a 2014 study, researchers gave males and females with obesityLactobacillus rhamnosus. The results suggested that females lost weight and fat during the trial, and that they maintained the loss after study completion. The males in the study, however, did not.

A different study in people with Salmonella infection suggested that the effects of taking Lactobacillus plantarum varied according to sex. Although the study authors saw little evidence that this probiotic can treat Salmonella, they noted how males and females experienced the symptoms and clearance of the infection differently.

Scientists need to conduct more studies to establish whether or not probiotic therapy should be different depending on a persons sex.

shows that people with obesity have lower bacterial diversity.

A small 2019 study found that people following a low calorie diet for 15 weeks had changes in their gut bacteria. They also had a reduction in bacteria associated with atherosclerosis, which occurs when the arteries become clogged with plaque.

The links between weight and gut bacteria could indicate that probiotics may be able to support weight loss.

Some suggest that supplementation with synbiotics, using strains such as Lactobacillus gasseri, cause weight reduction in large independent studies. Adding certain fibers may increase these effects.

Vaginal Probiotics Encourage A Healthy Vaginal Microbiome

The two-strain probiotic containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1® and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14® was effective at reducing pathogenic load, modulating host immunity, and maintaining a normal healthy vaginal flora.The probiotic increased levels of Lactobacilli bacteria which are needed to maintain a healthy vaginal microbiome, and displaced less beneficial strains, thus reducing overall dysbiosis within the urinary tract. A good probiotic supplement will encourage other beneficial species and strains to thrive and influence the microbiome as a whole rather than just topping up existing bacterial populations or dominating the microbiome with one or two strains. Learn more about the research behind Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1®and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14® on the Probiotics Database.

It’s more important to have fewer high-quality strains that are specific to your condition, than lots of different strains

Probiotics May Not Always Colonize In Your Gut But That Doesnt Mean They Dont Work

Some studies suggest that probiotic strains that are able to survive the harsh conditions in your stomach and make it into your intestinal tract are the ones that convey the most benefit.

However, even when probiotics do not colonize in your gut, they still may have an impact on your gut and immune health.

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All Probiotics Are Not Created Equal

  • Clinical results are explicitly connected to a specific probiotic strain. For example, the clinically tested function associated with our Lactobacillus rhamnosus, LGG® does not extend to the use of a generic Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain as a probiotic.
  • Multiple probiotic strains in one product does not necessarily provide a greater number of health benefits. There should be clinical support for health benefits for specific probiotic strain combinations.1
  • The clinical results relating to a probiotic strain pertain to the specific target group tested.2
  • The clinical results relate to a probiotic strain pertain to the health area investigated.2

Want To Get Over A Flu Or Cold Faster Think Elderberry

Best Probiotics 50 Billion CFU  18 Strains Patented Delayed Release ...

Elderberries and elderflowers, products of the Black elder tree, have a long history of use in folk medicine for the treatment of colds and flu. They are also traditionally used as a diuretic, laxative, diaphoretic , and to stimulate your immune system. According to the Canadian Therapeutic Research Centre Natural Medicines database (focused on

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Helpful Considerations To Keep In Mind

Before taking probiotics, there are a few things that are helpful to keep in mind.

In general, probiotics are safe. However, they could be dangerous if you have a weakened immune system. Your doctor can help determine which probiotics will help you.

Sometimes it takes time to find a probiotic that is right for you. If you dont experience any benefits from using one product after a few weeks, try something different. Different probiotic products will carry different strains of bacteria, and theyll interact with your body in different ways. Its about finding whats best for you.

Some probiotics can cause gas and bloating and changes to your bowel movements. Those can all be signs that its working, but if you have concerns, dont hesitate to contact your doctor.

The Best Strains Of Probiotics

16 min. read

Dr. David Williams

Understanding the benefits of various strains of probiotics and how they affect digestive health is essential in order to properly evaluate which probiotic supplement is best for you.

This table identifies a number of common probiotic species and the benefits they confer. Refer to it as you weigh the pros and cons of different products.

Bacillus Species

Bacillus bacteria are rod-shaped, spore-bearing bacteria that produce lactic acid Because it is a spore-bearing bacterium, it is highly resistant to heat, moisture, and light, making it highly resistant to stomach acid, and readily colonizes in the small intestine. Bacillus also resides in the body longer than other bacteria and is excreted slowly.

Strain Name What Itâs Good For
B. coagulans B. coagulans, like other lactic acidâproducing bacteria, produces enzymes that assist in the digestion of lactose. It also improves the bodyâs ability to use calcium, phosphorus, and iron, and stimulates both gastric juices and gastric motility.This strain also supports vaginal health in women. One study shows that women who took B. coagulans daily saw improvements in their vaginal pH level, with 91 percent of reporting relief from vaginal discomfort.
  • Overall digestion

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When Does Your Body Need Probiotics

The human body contains more bacteria than cells, so maintaining healthy bacterial balance is important for overall health. Although probiotics can regularly support your overall health, there are certain occasions when they can be beneficial.

For example, when you are taking antibiotics, your doctor might also suggest you take probiotics. Regular probiotic supplementation can also help promote digestive health to help alleviate common gas, bloating, and indigestion, particularly after eating.

Myths Debunked: More Probiotic Strains The Better

What Are Probiotics & Why Do We Need Them? | Live Better

At So Good So You, the power of probiotics is a very important topic and one we discuss on a frequent basis. Although every single one of our shots has a unique hero ingredient, one constant is that they are all packed with 1 billion CFUs of probiotic to support a healthy immune and digestive system. As interest in probiotics continues to grow, we continue to receive questions from our community asking what they do and why they matter. While we are well-equipped to answer these questions , we turn to our trusted advisor, Dr. Terry Shirvani, when things get a bit more complex.

Image via Unsplash

Dr. Terry is a Naturopathic Physician that specializes in natural and preventative medicine, including Naturopathic modalities like Clinical Nutrition, Ayurveda, and Classical Chinese Medicine. With over 20 years of experience in the naturals industry, Dr. Terry has a close pulse on trending wellness theories and our go-to for any technical questions.

As a part of our Myths Debunked series, Dr. Terry is highlighting common misconceptions and myths to be aware of in the health and wellness space. Knowing probiotics are a hot topic among our community, we jumped at the opportunity to have Dr. Terry debunk this myth: The More Probiotic Strains, the Better. Keep reading to learn the science behind the theory and gain clarity on the subject straight from an expert.

Myth: The more probiotic strains, the better.

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Are Refrigerated Probiotic Supplements Better Do Specific Strains Matter

In a fabulous article brought to us by bonappetit.com, Research Microbiologist Kiran Krishnan, Renowned New York-based dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe, author of The Beauty of Dirty Skin, and Dr. Vincent Pedre, author of Happy Gut talk to us about “gut health.”

Dr. Pedre talks to us about Probiotics and our gut. He says,”Both probiotic-rich foods & probiotic supplements serve an important role in rebalancing the gut flora & creating equilibrium in terms of how the gut barrier and immune system function, with the ultimate goal of creating a well-functioning gut, or what he calls it.. a happy gut.

A huge amount of our immune system is based in the gut, and while clinical studies are still emerging, probiotics are thought to help regulate functions of some of these immune cells too.

According to Dr. Pedre, the HN019 strain of Bifidobacterium lactis is especially good at supporting healthy gastrointestinal and immune functions.

In addition to the good work they do in your gut, probiotics fight bad bacteria on our skin and work to support the skin barrier. If your skins microbiome is off balance, you will experience any number of skin issues including eczema, acne, dry skin, dull skin, and premature aging, Dr. Bowe says.On the other hand, if you nourish and strengthen your bodys good bacteria & keep them healthy as well as happy, they will keep your skin healthy in return.

Often we get asked the question Are Probiotics different from prebiotics? And do we need both?

A Few Things To Consider Before Taking Probiotics

Probiotics are generally considered safe, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says however, there havent been extensive studies on the frequency and severity of side effects. Additionally, people with severe illness or compromised immune systems are at greater risk for harmful side effects.

The NCCIH says that, while unlikely, probiotics can cause a slew of unwanted symptoms, including infections, production of harmful substances by the probiotic microorganisms, and transfer of antibiotic resistance genes from probiotic microorganisms to other microorganisms in the digestive tract. Additionally, most probiotics are considered dietary supplements, which means the FDA does not regulate them.

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Tolerance To New Flora

Studies have been done on the gut microbiome of people who travel extensively , and their variety of gut flora tends to be significantly more vast than non-travelers. If youve ever visited a foreign environment and consumed foods or beverages your body isnt accustomed to, it sometimes ends in unpleasant symptoms like gas or bloating. A robust, diverse baseline of gut flora will help you tolerate exposure to new bacterias, which is yet another benefit of a varied diet, and a multi-strain probiotic.*

Have Probiotic Strains Been Associated With Positive Health Benefits

DrFormulas Chewable Probiotics for Kids &  Adults

Yes, studies suggest that some probiotic strains can provide health benefitsThe health benefits of some probiotic strains have been studied in human clinical trials. It should be remembered that the proven benefits of one probiotic strain on a particular area of health cannot be generalized to other probiotic strains or other areas of health. It is important to consider these points when choosing a probiotic product.You can also read about the Chr. Hansen probiotic strains here.

BB-12®, LA-5®, L. CASEI 431®, LGG® GR-1® and UREX are trademarks of Chr. Hansen A/S.

The article is provided for informational purposes regarding probiotics and is not meant to suggest that any substance referenced in the article is intended to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent any disease.

At Chr. Hansen, our strains are backed by science. All of our probiotic strains are supported by clinical documentation. Learn more about the beneficial effects our strains have on different health areas.

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Experimental Design And Diet Treatments

A total of 160 one-day-old Cobb 500 broiler mixed-sex chicks were purchased from a commercial hatchery , weighed individually and randomly assigned to eight treatments with two replicates containing nine chicks each after they were allowed to acclimatize for 2 days. Birds in each treatment were housed in a floor pen containing sawdust litter. Twenty-three hours of light was provided during the first week and then reduced to 18 hours throughout the 35 days of the experiment. Basal diets designed in our laboratory were provided as pellets all through the trial and were based on wheat, soybean meal and corn . The eight treatments adopted in this trial included: negative control , antibiotic supplemented , positive control supplemented with commercial probiotic, P. acidilactici I5 supplemented, P. pentosaceus I13 supplemented, E. faecium C14 supplemented, L. plantarum C16 supplemented and multi-strains supplemented group. In all the treatments, feed and water were provided ad libitum. The treatment procedures adopted for this study are shown in Figure .

FIGURE 1Pediococcus acidilacticiP. pentosaceusEnterococcus faeciumLactobacillus plantarum

Which Probiotics Should You Add To Your Diet

Probiotics are commonly found in food. They are also available in dietary supplements.

Food. Many foods have good bacteria. However, these bacteria dont always survive strong stomach acids and may not be able to add to gut health. Other foods have probiotic strains that can survive the digestion process and successfully reach the gut.

Whether a food truly has beneficial probiotics depends on three things: the levels of good bacteria contained when eaten, whether the good bacteria can survive passage through the stomach, and whether those strains of bacteria are able to support your health.

These are a few foods that provide a good source of probiotics:

  • dried beans and other legumes
  • garlic
  • green bananas
  • wheat

Dietary supplements. Probiotics are also available as capsules, powders, liquids, and more. The wide variety of available products can make it difficult to determine which ones offer health benefits based on science.

Some of the best probiotic strains for health include:

Lactobacillus acidophilus. Lactobacillus acidophilus balances potentially harmful bacteria that can otherwise grow in your gut due to illness or antibiotics.

Lactobacillus fermentum. Lactobacillus fermentum strengthens your immune system and prevents gastrointestinal and upper respiratory infections.

Continued

Lactobacillus plantarum. Lactobacillus plantarum stimulates your digestive system, fights off disease-causing bacteria, and helps your body produce vitamins.

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Probiotics: Is More Better

Probiotics have far reaching health benefits. Everything from weight management to mental wellness to immune health can be improved utilizing the right probiotics. There are multiple studies showing the benefits for both single-strain probiotics as well as specific multi-strain combinations.

To that end, more than one strain of probiotic flora in one product can certainly be beneficial, but when the question is more better is asked, generally its in reference to the number of Colony Forming Units .

CFUs tend to be listed on the label of probiotic products as x billion active/viable cells. So, is 50 billion viable cells more beneficial than 10 billion?

The shortest answer is: not necessarily.

More colony forming units does not guarantee a more beneficial product. The best dose of a probiotic is one that has been successfully tested on humans and resulted in a positive outcome. Doses, therefore, can range from 100 million to over a trillion CFU per day.

Knowing this can make the answer to the is more better query a bit more elusive.

At Pharmasave Summerland we carry several probiotic products which have been formulated using the above mentioned testing method, as well as research into which probiotic multi-strains work in synergy without one strain reducing the effectiveness of another.

Speak to the Live Well Team at Pharmasave Summerland about how to choose the right probiotic for you.

Dan Cassidy Nutritional Product Advisor

Why Should You Care About Probiotics

Is probiotic yogurt effective? (Marketplace)

You have around 40 trillion bacterial cells in your body at any given moment .

Many of these bacterial organisms live in your gut, or microbiome. Your microbiome is now considered an organ that serves many important functions:

  • Stimulating the immune system
  • Breaking down potentially toxic food compounds
  • Synthesizing certain vitamins and amino acids
  • Providing protection from pathogenic organisms that enter the body
  • Controlling and/or producing neurotransmitters like serotonin

The exciting part is, were in the very early stages of research about the microbiome and its potential impact on your health. The evidence as a whole is promising but of course there are exceptions

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What Are Probiotics Exactly

Probiotics actually have a scientific definition. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics explains that they are “live microorganisms, that when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” In this case, you’re the host.

Probiotics may be more beneficial than just getting you to add more yogurt to your diet. They help your gut by protecting your body from bad bacteria that can make you sick, according to Harvard Health Publishing. If you get the good bacteria to outnumber the bad, you’ve won â it’s sort of like gut warfare.

Take yourself back to high school biology for a second and remember how organisms are classified. Probiotics work in the same manner â they are identified by genus, species and then strain. The specific type of strain will determine the health benefit from the probiotic.

It will probably be easier to just forget about the species for now and focus on the genus and strain. Two of the seven most studied genera of probiotics are lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, and these are the ones you have probably heard of, especially if you’re eating foods like yogurt for their probiotic benefit.

Make Sure They’re Safe For You

For most people in good health, experts say probiotics won’t cause any issues. If you do get side effects, they’re usually very mild, like a little more gas than usual.

But use caution if you have a serious health condition or your immune system — your body’s defense against germs — is weak. In those cases, it’s best to check with your doctor first to see if they’re safe.

Also talk to your doctor before giving probiotics to your infant, especially if they’re sick.

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