When Will You Feel Benefits
This varies depending on each persons state of health and the quality of the probiotic supplement. Generally speaking, if you are taking a high-quality probiotic supplement, you will likely feel a positive impact on your digestion in the first few days of taking it. The additional health benefits should become apparent after a few weeks or months.
That said, given the external stressors we are confronted with on a daily basis, it is highly beneficial to add a probiotic supplement to your long term, daily wellness routine. This will rebuild and then maintain your health and vitality from your core.
Probiotics Offer Immune Support
We know boosting your immune system isnt really a thing, but that doesnt mean you cant give your body the best conditions to thrive. Probiotics can help keep your gut healthy, contributing to overall wellness.
These bad boys have also been linked to lower rates of respiratory infections and urinary tract infections. But that research is more than 10 years old, and we need more current studies to find out more about these effects.
Want the expert take from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services? Probiotics might influence your bodys immune response. But also, Possible harmful effects of probiotics include infections.
Bottom line: Talk with your doc before trying probiotic supplements to ward off illness. If you have an underlying medical condition, they *might* tell you to opt for probiotics from food instead.
People Who Are Too Young
While the microbiome is important for childrens health, enhancing the microbiome for children requires a deep level of scientific understanding that researchers do not yet have.
Scientists do know that the workings of the microbiome are very complex, and it is difficult to know which microbes a child needs, the amounts, and the duration of treatment. Because theres not a universal probiotic that improves everyone’s health in the same way, it is best to avoid giving them to children.
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Are There Any Storage Instructions For Probiotics
Several probiotic strains are very fragile and need to be protected from heat, oxygen, light and humidity. The probiotics might start to break down or die if they are exposed to these elements. Because of this, you may need to refrigerate your probiotics or store it in a particular place. Refrigerating certain probiotic strains ensures that theyre still viable when you go to use them and will still provide the full benefit of the probiotic. Always read the labels on any probiotic product you purchase to make sure you store it correctly and use it within the expiration date.
How Popular Are Probiotics
The 2012 National Health Interview Survey showed that about 4 million U.S. adults had used probiotics or prebiotics in the past 30 days. Among adults, probiotics or prebiotics were the third most commonly used dietary supplement other than vitamins and minerals. The use of probiotics by adults quadrupled between 2007 and 2012. The 2012 NHIS also showed that 300,000 children age 4 to 17 had used probiotics or prebiotics in the 30 days before the survey.
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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
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.
How Are Probiotics Regulated In The United States
Government regulation of probiotics in the United States is complex. Depending on a probiotic productâs intended use, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration might regulate it as a dietary supplement, a food ingredient, or a drug.
Many probiotics are sold as dietary supplements, which donât require FDA approval before they are marketed. Dietary supplement labels may make claims about how the product affects the structure or function of the body without FDA approval, but they arenât allowed to make health claims, such as saying the supplement lowers your risk of getting a disease, without the FDAâs consent.
If a probiotic is going to be marketed as a drug for treatment of a disease or disorder, it has to meet stricter requirements. It must be proven safe and effective for its intended use through clinical trials and be approved by the FDA before it can be sold.
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A Probiotic You Can Take Every Day
Looking for a probiotic that actually works?
Our probiotic uses time-release tablets to get its probiotic bacteria safely past your stomach acid.
Then it delivers its bacteria slowly over 8-10 hours, meaning that it’s both gentle and powerful.
Our customers have seen dramatic improvements in conditions like IBS, acid reflux, Candida, heartburn, and more.
Here are a few key features of our probiotic:
- Time-release tablets that deliver 15 times more bacteria past stomach acid, when compared to regular probiotic capsules.
- Probiotic bacteria are released slowly over 8-10 hours.
- 12 probiotic strains chosen for their effect on gut health and immunity.
- 15 billion CFUs of probiotic bacteria.
- 60 tablets per bottle .
- Free of nuts, dairy, gluten, soy. Non-GMO and vegan. Made in the USA.
You May Experience Less Constipation
According to Morgyn Clair, RD, a registered dietitian nutritionist with Sprint Kitchen, one of the top benefits of taking probiotics is that they help your body break down and metabolize nutrients in the intestines more efficiently. As a result, they may promote regular bowel movements and reduce unpleasant GI problems like constipation and diarrhea. Specifically, Dr. Axe says the species of Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium tend to be most helpful in this regard.
2017 research suggested that probiotic supplements can help cure antibiotic-associated diarrhea, while another study revealed that probiotics containing Bifidobacterium slowed “gut transit time,” thus increasing participants’ number of weekly bowel movements while softening stools, making them easier to pass.
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Maintain And Restore Bone Health
Our beneficial bacteria restore and maintain our intestinal health. This allows our gut with its billions of probiotics to properly sort through what we ingest and absorb all the nutrients we need and excrete any waste. Probiotics assist our body in getting the vitamins and minerals it needs to maintain bone health, also in old age.
Why Take Probiotic Supplements
There are many great reasons to add a probiotic supplement to a healthy diet. Depending on the person and the type of bacteria involved, taking a probiotic supplementor eating probiotic-rich foods like yogurt and kombuchamay help:
- Create a healthy balance of gut microorganisms after an illness
Research shows probiotics may also help treat digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome , and even aid with fat loss. But knowing when to take your probiotics is key to getting the most out of them.
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Do I Need To Take Probiotics After I Take Antibiotics
Antibiotic medications are often needed to fight an infection. However, while antibiotics are killing the bad bacteria, they are also knocking out the good bacteria in your body. Some people develop conditions like diarrhea after taking an antibiotic. In other people, this may allow for really bad bacteria to take over and populate the gut, such as with C. diff. Some research has shown a positive connection between taking probiotics after an antibiotic and relief from diarrhea. This hasnt been proven yet and doesnt work for everyone.
The thought behind adding probiotics back into your body after taking an antibiotic is that it can repopulate the good bacteria that was destroyed by the antibiotics and re-boot your system. The extra good bacteria helps repopulate your gut and fight off any remaining bad bacteria. Many people feel that adding in probiotics wont hurt, might help you feel better a little faster and prevent diarrhea.
Did You Know Probiotics Also Benefit Moms
Earlier we mentioned the microbiomethe unique collection of bacteria living in and around our bodies, mainly in the digestive tract . That microbiome is like a bacterial thumbprint, and some scientists believe it begins to form in the womb even before babies are born.
Within the microbiome are many different kinds of bacteria. Some are good, some are harmful, and some are neutral. Throughout life, it is important to maintain a balanced gutmeaning greater numbers of good bacteria to harmful or neutral microorganisms.
Taking additional good bacteria during pregnancy can help women in several ways. Because probiotics promote optimal digestive function, they can help moms-to-be support a healthier tummy.
Probiotics can also help to maintain a healthy immune system for mom. Because babies get their first good bacteria from their mothersin the womb as well as when they travel through the birth canalthat is how their immune systems begin to develop.
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Probiotics Can Boost Your Immune System
80% of the immune system lives in the intestines! Probiotics keep the gut healthy and with that promote a strong immune system.
Furthermore, intense, strenuous exercise without enough time to rest and recover creates oxidative stress in the body. This can manifest in inflammation in the gut and lead to leaky gut. Maintaining a strong gut flora via probiotics protects your gut, so that you can spend more time exercising and promoting your fitness.
Reasons You Should Consider Taking Probiotics Daily
Daily probiotic supplements, be it liquid, pill or from foods, are being used by many Americans, with varying results. At this point, chances are good that you have heard of the microbiome community that lives by the trillions within and on your body. What you may not know is that a healthy microbiome is one of the fundamental things to living a full and healthy life.
In fact, they are so important to your health that the microorganisms that make up your microbiome actually outnumber your bodys cells by about 10 to 1.
Our bodys microbiomes is full of all kinds of microbes both good and bad and when our microbiome is both healthy and balances, the healthy microbes are able to work hard and keep our bodies healthy and vibrant. However, if the unhealthy microorganisms manage to take over, the good bacteria can lose its footing and you can suffer the health consequences in more ways than one.
Luckily, there is a way that you can easily swing the balance of your microbiome back to favor the healthy germs over the unhealthy ones. The way to do that is to consume probiotics on a daily basis.
Probiotics work their wonders in a myriad of ways and can offer you some incredible health benefits.
If you are wondering if probiotics are right for you, here are some of the surprising things that probiotics can help you and your body with today!
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They Can Affect Emotional Health Too*
Probiotics seem to reduce the body’s stress response and positively affect cognitive function, several studies have found.* How? The mechanisms are complex, but good bacteria in the gut are capable of producing mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine.* And because these bugs have a direct link to the central nervous system, via a pathway called the vagus nerve, they play a key role in regulating mood.*
And that can have real effects: In one study, when women were shown pictures of angry faces, those who ate probiotic yogurt twice a day for four weeks before seeing the pictures felt calmer compared to those women who didn’t eat the yogurt.
How To Use Them Safely
The FDA regulates probiotics like foods, not like medications. Unlike drug companies, makers of probiotic supplements dont have to show their products are safe or that they work.
Ask your doctor if taking probiotics is a good idea for you. In general, probiotic foods and supplements are thought to be safe for most people, though some people with immune system problems or other serious health conditions shouldnt take them.
In some cases, mild side effects might include an upset stomach, diarrhea, gas, and bloating for the first couple of days after you start taking them. They may also trigger allergic reactions. Stop taking them and talk to your doctor if you have problems.
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What Is The Gut Microbiome
Our digestive tract is home to trillions of bacteria as well as fungi and viruses these are known as the gut microbiome.
The makeup of this biome is largely genetically determined however, it is heavily influenced by several factors such as whether we are born naturally or by cesarean section, if we were breastfed, our use of antibiotics, and our exposure to chemicals, pesticides, and other toxins.
Scientists now know that this microbiome is critical to our overall well-being. Some call it our second brain. Small imbalances can cause significant changes to our mental health and in the appearance of our skin and has been linked to almost every known condition such as Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Type 2 diabetes.
An imbalance may also cause constipation, diarrhea, skin rashes, yeast infections, and a suppressed immune system. Your likelihood of putting on weight also comes down to your microbiome and the influence it has on your response to insulin and thyroid gland function.
Reduce The Frequency Of Diarrhea
While there are many causes for diarrhea, a change in the guts bacteria can lead to loose stools. Antibiotics often disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome, leading to antibiotic-associated diarrhea and causing loss of good bacteria.
Probiotics may reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in adults aged 18-64. Omni-Biotic AB 10 contains ten carefully selected bacterial strains that restore the gut microbiome and reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
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Dosage Amounts Of Probiotic Drinks
Since you can usually find probiotics in drinks or supplements, you need to understand the dosage amounts. These probiotic drinks and supplements are measured in a supplement dosage known as colony-forming units, or CFUs.
What does that mean for your product? Colony-forming units are the number of viable and live bacteria in the product. An average probiotic drink should have about 1 billion CFUs per dose for an average adult. While it seems like a lot of bacteria, it is actually on the low end of the scale. Most probiotic supplements contain billions of CFUs per dose, and some even have 100 billion CFUs.
If you want to find the correct dose for your body, you might want to consult your nutritionist or doctor. These professionals can help you figure out what is the proper dosage for you. In some cases, you may need just one type of bacteria for optimal health. However, some drinks do contain multiple species of bacteria in the product.
Whatever you choose, these probiotics can help your digestive system get back on the right track for a healthy and happy gut.
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Learning About The Microbiome
The community of microorganisms that lives on us and in us is called the âmicrobiome,â and itâs a hot topic for research. The Human Microbiome Project, supported by the National Institutes of Health from 2007 to 2016, played a key role in this research by mapping the normal bacteria that live in and on the healthy human body. With this understanding of a normal microbiome as the basis, researchers around the world, including many supported by NIH, are now exploring the links between changes in the microbiome and various diseases. Theyâre also developing new therapeutic approaches designed to modify the microbiome to treat disease and support health.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health is among the many agencies funding research on the microbiome. Researchers supported by NCCIH are studying the interactions between components of food and microorganisms in the digestive tract. The focus is on the ways in which diet-microbiome interactions may lead to the production of substances with beneficial health effects.
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Probiotics And Vaginal Health
Probiotics may also be of use in maintaining urogenital health. Like the intestinal tract, the vagina is a finely balanced ecosystem. The dominant Lactobacilli strains normally make it too acidic for harmful microorganisms to survive. But the system can be thrown out of balance by a number of factors, including antibiotics, spermicides, and birth control pills. Probiotic treatment that restores the balance of microflora may be helpful for such common female urogenital problems as bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection, and urinary tract infection.
Many women eat yogurt or insert it into the vagina to treat recurring yeast infections, a “folk” remedy for which medical science offers limited support. Oral and vaginal administration of Lactobacilli may help in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, although there isn’t enough evidence yet to recommend it over conventional approaches. Probiotic treatment of urinary tract infections is under study.
Probiotics are generally considered safe they’re already present in a normal digestive system although there’s a theoretical risk for people with impaired immune function. Be sure the ingredients are clearly marked on the label and familiar to you or your health provider. There’s no way to judge the safety of unidentified mixtures.
