Mistake #: Youre Not Taking The Right Dose
Like mentioned previously, the dose must be proven effective to make a claim on package in Canada. A dose is measured in colony-forming units . Look for a product with at least 10 billion CFU, because that appears to be a minimum dosage across the scientific literature, and take as directed, says Nielsen.
The best way to ensure youre getting the most out of your probiotics, experts say, is to follow a balanced high-fibre food plan, understand the type of probiotic youre taking, review its clinical research, take the appropriate dose and store them according to the package directions. And if you have any concerns talk to your health care provider. Then youll have no worries that your probiotics are failing you.
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Probiotics Dosage With Antibiotics And After Taking Antibiotics
Antibiotics when ingested target to kill the harmful bacteria in the body. Unfortunately, this also leads to the death of the good bacteria.
When this happens, the ratio of the good to bad bacteria is tilted and can result in diarrhea. You may use probiotics to aid in the restoration of the bacteria in the gut.
However, this needs some caution. For instance, there is need to take the probiotics at least 2 hours after ingesting the antibacterial.
Secondly, you need to follow the manufacturers advice on the number of capsules for instance to take per day so as to lead to a good gut re-colonization.
Mistake #: You Think All Probiotics Are Equal
Its not good to assume that all probiotics will provide the same benefits, says Millette. There are a variety of probiotic strains and not all strains have the same health benefits. The human body houses more than 500 different strains of bacteria. Some are for immune support. Some are for digestive issues. Some are for weight maintenance. And there are even strains for heart health.
Examples include: Lactobacillus Acidophilus has been shown to help blood pressure, cholesterol, allergies and digestion, while Lactobacillus Rhamnosus can help with blood glucose, immune function and cholesterol, and Lactobacillus helveticus reduces blood pressure, improves sleep quality and bone health.
Check the packaging, talk to your health care provider or even double-check with a pharmacist to make sure what youre buying is what you need. Thankfully in Canada, foods with probiotic claims must be truthful and not misleading , and supplements must meet requirements for its claims as well as science to support its efficacy, safety and quality.
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What Is The Right Amount Of Probiotics To Take On A Daily Basis
There is no one size fits it all solution when it comes to the right amount of probiotics to take as it depends on every individuals gut microbiome. Everyone has a different amount and ideally, you should take medical advice as to how much of probiotics youll need.
Of course, there is a standard recommended dosage which is about 106 to 109 CFUs . This will be written down on your probiotic supplement as different probiotic supplements have different amount of CFUs.
However, the CFUs found in probiotics have a certain expiration date as not all of them tend to live forever. Hence, even if the amount of CFUs are written on the label, it may not be accurate because on a general note, half of the CFUs will be alive while the other half would be dead just before the written expiry date.
Therefore, it is best to consume the probiotics with the right bacteria strain catered to your needs and requirements. This is because the right amount of CFUs in each probiotic supplements are hard to estimate so you will never get an accurate number.
You should consider how effective the probiotics are and whether it is working for you or not, rather than putting importance on the right amount of probiotics to take.
Are There Any Risks Related To Probiotics
Probiotics are generally considered safe. However, there are some risks linked to the supplements. These risks are increased if you have a medical condition that weakens your immune system, have recently had surgery or have other serious medical conditions.
Unlikely, but possible, risks can include:
- Developing an infection.
- Developing a resistance to antibiotics.
- Developing harmful byproducts from the probiotic supplement.
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My Fourth Experiment: Ingesting 2 Trillion Probiotics
I decided to get into the trillions of species. I decided to take 20 pills of this probiotic, and it was stronger, but I didnt notice that much of a difference than from 660 billion.
Overall, it had some good effects on mood and I thought it would be good for going out and socializing, as I felt more social.
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What Are Probiotics And How Are They Supposed To Work
“Probiotics are essentially friendly bacteria that can help support both your digestive system and immune system,” says Amber Pankonin, MS, RD, registered dietitian and owner of Stirlist.
They boost “good” bacteria by fighting off “bad” gut bacteria.
” help fight off ‘bad’ and harmful bacteria that may lead to chronic disease and illnesses,” says Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Bucket List Tummy. “We have research showing they can be helpful for immunity, digestion, and GI diseases. They may even reduce the risk of chronic disease, like heart disease.”
Pankonin adds, “Research suggests that probiotics might be helpful when treating diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and could even influence your weight and mood.”
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How Much Fermented Food Should You Take To Get Your Recommended Dosage Of Probiotics Per Day
Luckily for you, there is already some research out there that has quantified the number of probiotics found in foods that we eat daily.
Several studies have found that commercial yogurts do contain enough probiotics to confer potential health benefits.15, 16 These amounts, of course, differ between brands. Similar numbers of good bacteria could also be found in frozen yogurts.17
For example, the commercial brand Activia® contained between 107 and 108 CFU/ml.18This means that we would need to eat around 100 g of yogurt a day in order to meet the recommended dose of 109 – 1010 CFU/day. These numbers are pretty easy to achieve since usually there is already 125g in an individual yogurt container.
Microbial counts for sauerkraut generally range from 103 to 108 CFU/g, while Korean kimchi often contains 107 to 108 CFU/g of probiotics. Other fermented foods were found to contain somewhere between 106 and 109 CFU/g or mL.19
This means that in general, taking 100 g/mL would be sufficient to meet the recommended dose of probiotics.
Should You Take Probiotics As Often As Daily
Yes you should be able to. Aside from How often should you take a probiotic? another common question in regards to probiotics is whether or not it is ok to take probiotics every day.
With some probiotics there may be a few exceptions to this rule, but generally the answer is yes, its safe, and often recommended to take them daily. The first point to mention here is that probiotics are a natural supplement and not a medicine.
Theyre natural so theyre less likely to cause harm, with a medication, you should be more reluctant about taking it often without a doctors supervision.
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Tips To Maximize The Health Benefits Of Probiotics
- Take your probiotics in the morning, 15-30 minutes before food. You want to take them before food so they dont get stuck in the stomach behind the food as they make their way down to your intestines where they do their best work.
- Drink a glass of filtered water first. Your stomach will be highly acidic first thing in the morning, so the water helps to dilute the acid and help the good bugs survive.
Why You Should Eat Probiotic Food On An Empty Stomach
For the beneficial bacteria in probiotic foods to make it to your large intestinethe gut of your gut microbiomeit must first pass through your harsh stomach acids. Your stomach is designed to break down food, drink, and any other particles. Unfortunately, that includes probiotics.
When you eat, the production of gastric acid in your stomach is increased to aid the digestion process. But while this acid is crucial for digestion, it can be greatly detrimental to probiotic foods. In fact, when eaten at the wrong time, a whopping 60% of the beneficial bacteria could be killed by gastric acids!
You want to give the beneficial bacteria in your food the chance to make it through that hostile acidic environment relatively unscathed. That means consuming probiotic-friendly food when your stomach isnt in digestion mode, to minimize the amount of gastric acid that might attack the probiotics.
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But Why Take Them On An Ongoing Basis
Many people choose to take probiotics every day, whilst some might just use them periodically or whenever they feel that they need a little support. Whichever way you find works best for you, it is worth remembering that many factors can negatively affect the probiotic colonies in our gut.
So, whilst you might think that once you have established good gut flora that it can then be left to its own devices, in reality our lifestyles are now so challenging for our microbiome that many of us need to nurture it on an ongoing basis. If you would like to learn more, read our article on the gut microbiome – all you need to know.
Most people know that antibiotics do not differentiate between the good and bad bacteria in our guts, and therefore negatively impact on our probiotic colonies, but even if we don’t take them ourselves, it’s possible there may be other sources of antibiotics in our food chain, such as in meat and other animal products. These have a similarly negative impact on our gut flora.
In addition, we are often exposed to chemicals such as chlorine in our drinking water. Chlorine is a strong anti-microbial agent, and whilst it helps to keep undesirable bacteria out of our water supply, it also damages our delicate gut flora.
Should I Eat Before Taking A Probiotic
Taking a probiotic after or during your meal may negate some of the benefits of the supplement due to busy digestion efforts in your gut. But Dr. Asike explains that some bacterial strains are naturally more resistant to stomach acid, and can be taken with meals safely in some cases, multiple times a day. You’ll likely see printed language on your chosen probiotic packaging that indicates it’s safe to take with meals.
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How Can Probiotics Benefit Our Immune System
When you ask most people what protects their body from getting sick, the first response will likely be their immune system.
This is the correct answer, but have you ever wondered what protects your immune system?
Research suggests it may be probiotics.,
These contributions can encourage:
- More Comprehensive Ranges of Protection Against Illness
Probiotics May Help Boost Your Immune System
Probiotics may help give your immune system a boost and inhibit the growth of harmful gut bacteria .
Also, some probiotics have been shown to promote the production of natural antibodies in the body. They may also boost immune cells like the IgA-producing cells, T lymphocytes and natural killer cells (
Bottom Line:
Certain probiotics may help you lose weight and belly fat. However, other strains have been linked to weight gain.
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How Much Should You Take Daily
The gut microbiome is unique to every person, so the amount of probiotics needed daily likely varies widely between individuals. Many factors influence the environment of your gut, such as your genes, health conditions, medications, including antibiotics, stress and diet. In addition, many different strains of probiotics are linked to different health benefits, and the amount of probiotics necessary to achieve a health benefit varies.
The dosage of probiotic supplements is listed in colony-forming units . Were still learning about the optimal amount of CFUs needed, but research shows that probiotics with between 1 million and 1 billion CFUs are adequate to produce health benefits. However, some probiotics have been shown to provide benefits at much lower amounts, and others need much higher doses.
The delivery mechanism is also important as it can offer probiotics protection against deterioration during manufacturing, storage and digestion. Techniques like freeze drying the good bacteria and rehydrating them in water prior to intake are used to help CFUs arrive as viable, live cultures to your large intestine, where they will be most impactful.
Best Probiotic Drinks For Gut Health
In recent years, gut health has become one of the trendiest health words in wellness. And for good reason. Links between the gut and our overall health have been studied and proven time and time again. While there are many ways to improve your gut health, one proven method is through probiotic supplements. But does that mean that probiotic drinks are an equally good way to get your probiotics? We asked experts to find out.
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Will Taking Probiotics Reduce The Bodys Natural Production
Some people have expressed concerns that if they take probiotics for prolonged periods that it would eventually inhibit their bodys ability to produce probiotics of its own. We understand why some people would get this idea. Think about testosterone as an example. Testosterone replacement therapy, after all, is known to diminish the bodys ability to produce its own testosterone hence why you need to cycle on and off.
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Is the same true with probiotics? There is no evidence suggesting that such a thing happens when you consume probiotics from food or supplement. Heres another way of looking at it: the body produces some vitamins naturally, including vitamins D and K. Does this mean you should limit your intake of these vitamins from food? We have never heard of doctors suggesting to anyone to reduce foods naturally rich in these beneficial vitamins.
To be more precise, the human body doesnt even actually produce probiotics. Gut microflora is formed in your body as a baby. From there, the bacteria self-regulate its population by reproducing and dying. This means there is no chance of probiotic supplements hampering your bodys natural production because it doesnt create probiotics to begin with.
Youre Having A Cuppa With Your Supplement
Throwing hot water on your probiotics is a no-no according to Rob:
Dont take a probiotic supplement with hot food and drinks such as tea or coffee as this can lessen the chance of the bacteria getting to your gut unharmed. Give it 30 minutes after taking them before you reach for the teapot.
Which brings us to the next beverage/probiotic partnership to avoid
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Excessive Bloating Nauseous Gas Or Diarrhea
Whenever you eat food, the microorganisms will rush to make sure it gets digested, hence making you feel bloated and nauseous. The main reason why you experience bloating is due to the excessive gas in your abdomen. Gas also occurs during the breakdown of undigested food by bacteria found in your large intestine .
Consuming probiotics are supposed to supply good bacteria in your gut, and if you take too much of it, then it would lead to excess gas.
Diarrhea also can occur when you take too much probiotics because it happens when the food or drink that you consume are contaminated by bad bacteria. Though certain probiotics such as Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus acidophilus tend to prevent diarrhea, taking too much of it can lead to loosening your stools and cause irritation.
Probiotics Dosage For Weight Loss
There has been studies that have been investigating the role of probiotics in weight loss. A study conducted by Peter Jones, University of Manitoba in Canada indicated that probiotics can have an impact in the loss of weight. It is more targeted to the belly fat.
The findings indicated that the probiotics interfered with the normal absorption of all calories by the body and led to the calories going out of the tailpipe. This leaves the body with less calories that could be deposited in the abdomen as fat deposits. The net effect is weight loss.
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Can Too Much Probiotic Cause Diarrhea
Yes, one of the major signs of too much probiotics is when you suddenly get diarrhea continuously. This happens due to the fact that an overdose of good bacteria will loosen the stools in your colon, which makes it watery and cause diarrhea.
Although diarrhea is common when you first start taking probiotics because your body is still adjusting, but if youve been having diarrhea for several weeks continuously, you may be taking too much probiotics.
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 .
- .
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