Gut Health And Bloating
The gut is made up of trillions of live organisms, collectively known as the microbiome. This ecosystem of bacteria plays a huge role in keeping us healthy and happy. You can learn more about these fascinating bacteria by reading: The microbiome – all you need to know. If youve done some reading about the gut, you might also have heard about probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms that have co-evolved alongside humans. They have been shown in research to help with gut related issues such as bloating1, anxiety2, and immune health3.
To learn more on how probiotics may help with other aspects of health, including immune health, gut health, women’s health, children’s health and during pregnancy head over to our article Benefits of probiotics.
Bacteria are no longer the enemy. Research shows that by restoring balance in your microbiome with probiotics, you may be one step closer to getting to the root cause of your bloating and other related symptoms, such as gas and constipation.
What Are The Signs You Need Probiotics
There are many different types of probiotics on the market, and they can vary greatly in quality. So how do you know if you need probiotics? Here are some signs that indicate you may need to take a supplement:
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You have been taking antibiotics recently
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You have a history of digestive issues
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You frequently experience bloating, gas, or constipation
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You have a weakened immune system
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You are under a lot of stress
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You frequently get vaginal yeast infections or urinary tract infections
Do Probiotics Make You Poop
The short answer to this question is yes, probiotics make you poop.
There are a lot of misconceptions about what probiotics actually do for your body. In reality, they help maintain the balance between good and bad bacteria in your system which helps keep everything moving through your digestive tract normally.
As a result, people who take daily probiotics may find that they go to the bathroom more often than normal.
This is a good sign and means that your body is getting rid of extra waste and toxins that have built up over time. Going to the bathroom more often can be uncomfortable for some people, but it should not cause any pain or discomfort in most cases.
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Avoid Rapid Weight Gain
Rapid weight gain is linked to bloating for several reasons.
First, a buildup of fat in your stomach area may constrain your bowels, increasing tension and contributing to bloating. Additionally, fat may have inflammatory effects, contributing to hypersensitivity in your gut .
Finally, unwanted weight gain may cause you to focus attention on your stomach area, which may increase your perception of bloating .
If you have overweight or obesity and are experiencing bloating, trying some healthy strategies for weight loss such as exercise and limiting portion sizes may be beneficial.
Summary
Rapid weight gain may contribute to bloating by increasing bowel tension, inflammation, and mental focus on your stomach area. Conversely, weight loss may help reduce these effects.
Other Tips To Help With Bloating
Taking probiotics may not work for everyone depending on lifestyle factors so to give probiotics the best chance of helping with bloating it’s important to make sure that you do the following.
- Test for allergies and cut out triggers foods.
- Increase fiber and water intake into your daily diet.
- Cut out sugary, processed fried food that are bad for gut health.
- Exercise daily and walk after meals to help digestion.
- Be mindful of the gut & brain connection too limit stress.
- Add in other supplements like digestive enzymes or magnesium capsule to help digestion.
Once you start following these tips, you can then introduce a probiotic with Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium into your diet. I recommend taking a probiotic capsule 1 – 2 hours before meals and doing this for at least 30-days.
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What Causes Bloating In The Stomach
Bloating is the result of a build up of gas in the digestive system and can lead to pain and that uncomfortable, heavy feeling after eating. Some people experience this occasionally, or for some this can be a daily occurrence.
The gut microbiome is made up of many different strains of bacteria, and is influenced daily by our individual environmental and lifestyle exposures. We play host to this army of bacteria, including beneficial probiotics, which are essential for our health and wellbeing. You may like to read: Are all types of friendly bacteria the same?
Add Probiotics To Your Diet
Probiotics help maintain a balance of beneficial bacteria, or intestinal flora, in your gut and that can lead to feeling more comfortable in your belly with fewer digestive symptoms like gas, bloating and abdominal cramps. Learn more about how probiotics can help your gut health.
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Are Probiotics Good For A Bloated Stomach
Some kinds of probiotics can help relieve bloating. These good bacteria support a healthy digestive system, which can reduce bloating in your belly. Beneficial bacteria also help with the digestion of food and breakdown of nutrients, leading to less bloating and more regular bowel movements .
If your gas and bloating are due to a lack of good bacteria, probiotics may be able to help reduce bloating. Some probiotic strains may be more helpful. Look for a probiotic supplement that contains one or more of the following:
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Infections such as H. pylori
Bloating is a broad symptom thats associated with dozens of different issuesmost harmlessbut some require the attention and expertise of a qualified holistic physician. If you think you have any of the above issues, you should contact your doctor before trying a probiotic to reduce bloating.
Emuaid First Defense Probiotic Dietary Supplement
Image courtesy Emuaid
The Emuaid First Defense Probiotic Supplement is a daily probiotic supplement that helps to keep the right kinds of bacteria in your stomach. It also boosts your immune function.
The strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG aids in the proper function of the digestive system and helps to prevent bloating. This probiotic supplement maintains healthy bacteria levels while also reducing stomach stress. This probiotic is mild enough for everyone, including children, to consume, yet potent enough to restore and reform your gut.
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Can Probiotics Make You Bloat
Probiotics are great for your gut health and overall health. But some people experience uncomfortable side effects when taking probiotics for the first time. The most common side effect of probiotics is gas, followed by bloating.
People bloating for several reasons like:
- Eating too much
- Constipation and
- Food intolerance such as lactose intolerance
However, bloating can also be a side effect of introducing probiotics into your diet. These new bacteria strains take time to adapt to living in your digestive tract.
The good news is that most people adapt to the microflora in their gut with time. After some days, the bloat symptoms will eventually subside. If you find yourself bloated for too long, try taking smaller doses of your probiotics throughout the day.
Experts also advise reducing some food types when taking probiotics.
Carbonated drinks, high-carbohydrate foods, and sugars can make these symptoms worse if you take probiotic supplements with them at the same time. Such foods ferment quickly to cause gas in your intestine.
Bacteria from probiotics digest what you eat, producing gas as a byproduct.
The gas you burp up is the byproduct of food fermentation inside you.
Other underlying conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome also increase your guts chance to produce gas that can cause bloating.
Prebiotics And Bloating: Why It Happens And How To Avoid It
Prebiotics, which are the fiber that probiotics eat, have been around for millenia, but theyve only come into our collective consciousness in the last decade or so. Prebiotics are vital to our gut health, but they can have the unpleasant side effects of gas and bloating. Heres everything you need to know about taking them.
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Best Probiotics For Bloating Worth Having For A Healthy Gut Environment
Bloating can be a lot to deal with and can make you feel uneasy. The Physicians Choice probiotic for bloating is high-quality and provides instant relief. It has a fiber blend that would naturally make you feel healthier. It consists of 10 different probiotic strains and 60 billion CFUs concentration. Some of the strains for instance are lactobacillus casei, lactobacillus paracasei, lactobacillus salivarius, and bifidobacterium. Other ingredients infused in the product are organic such as artichoke root, gum arabica tree, and bio chicory root powder. The formula has 4 strains of bifidobacterium, so say bye to bloating when you take these!
Pros
This probiotic for bloating is concocted for digestion and immunity and is easy to swallow. Let us bid adieu to stomach distress and discomfort as the supplement will benefit you immediately. It is made with 100% raw probiotics, 7 vegetables and fruits, and 9 types of digestive enzymes to promote good health. It creates a natural stomach balance so it leads to weight loss, better immunity, and better sleep. It is made with 34 strains that have high potencies such as lactobacillus acidophilus, casei, paracasei, and bifidobacterium. It is shelf-stable so no refrigeration is needed. The formula is perfect to support digestive health!
Pros
Some Strains Can Increase Histamine Levels
Some bacterial strains used in probiotic supplements can produce histamine inside the digestive tract of humans .
Histamine is a molecule that is normally produced by your immune system when it detects a threat.
When histamine levels rise, blood vessels dilate to bring more blood to the affected area. The vessels also become more permeable so that immune cells can easily get into the relevant tissue to combat any pathogens .
This process creates redness and swelling in the affected area, and can also trigger allergy symptoms such as itching, watery eyes, runny nose or trouble breathing.
Normally, histamine that is produced in your digestive tract is naturally degraded by an enzyme called diamine oxidase . This enzyme inhibits histamine levels from rising enough to cause symptoms .
However, some people with histamine intolerance have trouble properly breaking down the histamine in their bodies, seeing as they do not produce enough DAO .
The excess histamine is then absorbed through the lining of the intestinal tract and into the bloodstream, causing symptoms similar to an allergic reaction (
Theoretically, they may want to select probiotic supplements that do not contain histamine-producing bacteria, but to date, there has been no research on this specific area.
Some histamine-producing probiotic strains include Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus hilgardii and Streptococcus thermophilus .
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Your Sleep And Stress Management
Surprise, theres a link between stress and your gut microbiome health! Stress reduction is an important lifestyle factor to consider because increased stress can alter our GI motility and the composition of our gut microbiome and this can lead or contribute to chronic GI symptoms, Dr. Singh says. Plus, much of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin is created in the gut, so good gut health can mean a good mood.
Zibdeh recommends deep breathing exercises as a good stress management form to help the nervous system shift into rest and digest modewhich allows the gut to produce more enzymes and stimulates gut motility. This relaxation technique leads right into your sleep hygiene. You should aim for at least seven to eight hours of regular sleep, with the same bedtime and wake-up time each morning. Changes in your circadian rhythms, or your bodys sleep-wake schedule, might alter your microbiome, says Dr. Singh. Thats one more good reason to keep your sleep schedule in check.
Poor Diet And Food Allergies
Poor diet and food allergies are also the culprits of your bloating issues.
If you think you could eat literally anything and can live with a HAPPY GUT, you are dreaming.
Eating more of a high-carb diet and fermentable fiber along with starches and sugar can make you feel bloated.
Adding to this, certain foods like milk and cheese can also trigger bloating.
Not to mention, certain allergies like lactose and gluten intolerance also make up the list of what causes bloating.
If you want to get rid of bloating for real, stop stuffing yourself all the time.
- The reason being, empty bowel will help prevent the fermentation of food.
As result, there will less chance of you getting SIBO. This will help with reducing the occurrence of bloating.
2. Phillips Colon Health Daily Probiotic
3. Digestive Advantage Daily Probiotics
4. DrFormulas Nexabiotic Advanced Multi Probiotic
5. Align Probiotic Digestive Support
6. Natures Bounty Probiotic GX
7. Stonehenge Health Dynamic Biotics
8. 1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum
9. 60 Billion Probiotics by Physicians Choice
10. Culturelle Digestive Daily Probiotic
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Can I Use Probiotics To Help With Medical Conditions
There is currently a large amount of research happening around the idea of what probiotics can do for your body. Even though there are a lot of possibly positive outcomes, researchers are still working to find definitive answers about how probiotics can help with various conditions.
However, there are some medical conditions where probiotics may help. This can vary between people meaning that what works for one person may not work for another. These can also vary based on the certain probiotic that is taken.
Some of the conditions that might be helped by increasing the amount of probiotics in your body include:
- Upper respiratory infections .
What Can Cause Gas And Bloating In The Stomach And Digestive System
Gas and bloating can happen for more reasons than you might think. Excess gas is the primary cause of flatulence and a distended belly.
This gas can result from an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut, your diet and ability to digest the food you eat, and even how you eat. Certain health conditions like IBS and inflammatory bowel disease may lead to bloat. Weak abdominal muscles, slow digestion, stress, anxiety, and hormones can also play a role.
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How Long Does It Take For Probiotics To Work
The effects of probiotics can vary depending on the individual. In most cases, it takes a few days to a week for the bacteria to start colonizing the gut. However, some people may not notice any effects for several weeks or even months.
If you are looking for a probiotic supplement that can help relieve bloating, then be sure to check out our list of the 20 best probiotics for bloating in 2022.
Which Probiotics Species Are Best
Its difficult for IBS researchers to pinpoint just how effective probiotics are.
This is due to differences in study design, patient populations, probiotics strains and dosages used of previous clinical trials.
Generally speaking, there is emerging evidence that probiotics help to improve overall symptom response and quality of life compared to taking a dummy pill over an 8-10 week period. This goes for all type of IBS .
However, they appear less effective for specifically treating abdominal pain, excessive gas and bloating .
At the 2015 Yale University workshop, two particular probiotic varieties were identified as the best options for IBS :
- Bifantis : a group of bacteria that normally live in the intestines, but specifically the strain 35624. Its reported many people are missing this strain from their gut
- VSL#3: a probiotic mixture of eight strains .
As you can see in the the table here, the strains Lactobacillus plantarum 299V and Bifidobacterium animalis were also rated, although not as highly.
A list of probiotic strains rated for effectiveness in IBS at the 2011 and 2015 Yale University Workshops. Click to enlarge.
Note that recommendations are given as A, B or C ratings. None of the probiotic recommendations for IBS are rated A because more studies are needed first.
Summary: In 2011 Yale university rated Bifidobacterium infantis and VSL#3 as the best probiotics for IBS. Lactobacillus plantarum andBifidobacterium animalis may also be useful.
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How Do Probiotics Help Bloating
Probiotics are live bacteria supplements that are available in the form of capsules or powders. You can find them in the health food aisle at your local pharmacy, pharmacy, or supermarket.
Probiotics are found naturally in our bodies, but when taken as a supplement they help to improve digestion by breaking down food and getting rid of excess gas. Studies have shown that taking probiotics can improve digestive symptoms like bloating, flatulence, and abdominal pain.
Meanwhile, prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates that act as the food source for probiotics. They nourish good bacteria in your gut to help them thrive. Prebiotics can improve digestion by feeding friendly bacteria like Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus. They can also reduce digestive symptoms like bloating, stomach pain and discomfort, and flatulence.
The Relationship Between Gut Health And Obesity
We have already mentioned there is a relationship between gut health and obesity. As you may have now realized, when your good and bad bacteria in your digestive system becomes unbalanced, it has the potential to tip the scales in favor of obesity in several ways.
Firstly, it can cause you to overeat by initiating cravings for sugar and carbs. This unfortunate turn of events comes about when your gut bacteria become unstable and cause fluctuations in insulin and blood sugar.
When the disruption is severe enough to cause a blood sugar crash, your brain senses low blood sugar and initiates cravings for sugar and carbs.
Foods that are high in sugar and carbs can bring blood sugar levels back up again quickly. However, sugar and carb cravings are not like genuine hunger. They can put in an appearance when your stomach is full causing you to eat when there is no biological need to do so.
The second way poor gut health can cause weight gain is by slowing metabolism. In addition to making you more prone to store fat, a slow metabolism can make weight loss much harder.
Human metabolism is very complex. It incorporates all the biological and chemical processes your body uses to maintain life including extracting energy from food and using it to fuel biological activity.
During periods of intense activity, metabolism increases and the body uses more energy. During periods of non-activity, metabolism slows, and energy usage decreases.
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