What Is Gut Microbiota
Our gut microbiota is the collection of trillions of microbes that live in your gastrointestinal tract. These microbes are mostly bacteria, but they also include viruses, fungi, and protozoa. The majority of your gut bacteria lives in your large intestine, where they outnumber human cells by a factor of 10 to 1.
The gut microbiota has a major impact on human health. It helps to digest food, synthesize vitamins, and protect against pathogens.
If you suffer from chronic constipation a healthy gut bacteria will contribute immeasurably towards regular stool frequency and healthy gut transit time.
It also plays a role in immunity, inflammation, and metabolism. In fact, the gut biome has been linked to a wide range of health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Probiotics May Cause Allergic Reactions Such As Rash Or Itchy Skin
Although probiotics can help to reduce symptoms of allergies, some people find that the type of probiotic they take causes skin itching or a rash.
The reason for some probiotic supplements causing side effects of itchy skin or a rash is usually down to other ingredients in the supplements. For example, in 2012 researchers found that probiotic supplements that contain dairy product can cause allergic reactions in some individuals.18
Some types of probiotics are also yeast based and if you have a yeast allergy, you should avoid these. For example, probiotics containing Saccharomyces boulardii can cause digestive upset in people who are allergic to yeast.19
So, if you suffer from pre-existing allergies, you should carefully check the ingredients in probiotic supplements. Remember that probiotics can contain a number of different strains of healthy bacteria and may also include yeast-based probiotics.
You Have Inflammatory Bowel Disease Or Celiac Disease
Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis, two forms of inflammatory bowel disease , cause inflammation in your gastrointestinal tractthe same goes for celiac disease . This inflammation, then, can cause diarrhea, which can make your poop look green due to a faster transit again .
If you have IBD or celiac, itâs important to maintain a close relationship with your doctor to help keep inflammationand as a result, symptomsunder control, says Rice.
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Boosts The Happy Hormone Serotonin
Changes in the gut microbiome can have a profound effect on hormone production and neurotransmission in the central nervous system.
But more importantly, the neurotransmitter Serotonin has an essential role in digestive health including the stimulation of the peristaltic reflex.
90% of serotonin is produced in the gut
Its also important to remember that 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut. Therefore, the more serotonin is made available the greater improvement in intestinal motility.
Studies suggest that microorganisms in the GI tract can increase the production of tryptophan an amino acid thatâs converted into serotonin.
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Balance The Gut Transit Time
Whole gut transit time, or as known as the time requiring for the food to move from the stomach to the small and large intestine, is different between people.
If the food substances pass through the guts too quickly, our body is unable to absorb the proper amount of nutrients. By contrast, if the food stays inside the guts for too long, the water contain may be drainage thus makes the substance become hard to pass through this is the initial cause of constipation.
So, which benefits do you receive if consuming probiotics? As for the result of a recently study, the Bifidobacterium lactis in yogurt has a remarkable ability to regulate the gut transit time, reduce constipation and abnormal bowel movements, thus make you poop easily.
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Do Not Mistake Common With Normal
If you ask most folks about their digestion, youll probably encounter a conversation that sounds something like this:
Me: How has your digestion been lately?Them: Its fine, as far as I can tell.Me: Well, do you ever have issues with bloating, flatulence, constipation, or changes in your stool composition?Them: I mean I always get gassy when I eat ice cream and bread makes my stomach feel weird. But Im sure thats pretty commonright?Me: Do not mistake common with normal.
As I referenced in a previous article: What does normal, healthy gut function look like? An ability and desire to eat a wide variety of foods without any GI symptomology before, during, or after the meal.
Gut dysfunction is common however, it is anything but normal. The next time youre considering your digestive health, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:
1. Can you recognize food in your stool?
Some vegetable matter may pass through the digestive tract without being dissolved due to its fibrous nature.
However, if you are seeing complete pieces of undigested food then you need to consider the current condition of your gastrointestinal tract. There may be issues with low stomach acid production, thyroid dysregulation, malabsorption, or poor eating habits .
2. Does your stool float?
Occasionally a stool may float if you eat something different or get a small GI bug. However, if you notice this regularly, its time to consult with a GI doc.
3. Are you regular?
Clinical Study Of Constipation
In a clinical trial of patients with moderate constipation, daily use of a unique probiotic for two weeks led to a:4
- 42% decrease in constipation,
- 52% decrease in abdominal pain, and
- 48% decrease in nausea.
In addition to restoring regularity, this probiotic could help prevent some of the long-term health effects associated with constipation.
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Produce More Short Chain Fatty Acids
Short chain fatty acids are produced as a result of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli breaking down and digesting carbohydrates in the large intestines.
Its believed SCFAs stimulate the neural receptors inside the lining of the gut wall that trigger peristalsisââwave-likeâ muscle contractions that move food along the intestinal tract.
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How Do Probiotics Help You Poop
Probiotics can make you poop more because they help you pass stool quicker and easier. Probiotics can also help soften your stool and used as a natural laxative to relieve constipation.
Research published in the journal SpringerPlus on the causes of constipation showed that intestinal microbiota affects how quickly food passes through the digestive system. An increase of certain pathogens in the gut can cause mild to severe constipation.2
The scientists found that the probiotics can help a person poop more frequently and easily. For example, probiotics of the Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus casei strains helped to relieve symptoms of chronic constipation. Probiotics made patients poop more because they positively altered the microflora in the gut.
Another strain of probiotic that researchers found helped people to poop more was B. longum. Scientists concluded that probiotics restore intestinal microbial balance and help treat constipation.2
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Should You Take Probiotics If You Have Ibs
Most scientists agree that it is too early to recommend the use of probiotics as a primary treatment for IBS. Its likely that certain strains may significantly improve one or two digestive symptoms, but the majority of probiotics are unlikely to cause tangible improvements. On the other hand, probiotics are safe, widely available and relatively cheap. In the absence of effective medications, these supplements can bring some relief to many with IBS.
There are a few things to remember when choosing your probiotic supplement. First, make sure that its composition is evidence-based, meaning that good-quality research supports its role in alleviating IBS. Secondly, never exceed the dose recommended by the manufacturer, and take them according to the instructions on the label. Give them time to work and be prepared for potential side effects.
I would suggest starting any probiotic or fermented food slowly, especially for those with a sensitive gut, says Plaza. Any sudden increase of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system could potentially cause symptoms, such as bloating, as they interact with unwanted strains, but should subside within a few days once your body becomes accustomed to increased dosage.
Starting slowly could prevent those with IBS from being put off continuing with their probiotic. Probiotic companies generally recommend taking them with food as the food buffers the acidic pH of the stomach that is designed to destroy bacteria.
How Do Probiotics Affect Your Bowel Movements
The good bacteria from probiotics can help you poop more often and give your turds a healthy, sausage-like consistency. The catch is that it can take weeks to see results in the bathroom.
A 2014 meta-analysis of constipated adults found that probiotics increased stool frequency by 1.3 bowel movements per week, improved stool consistency, and reduced gut transit time .
The health benefits of probiotics are especially promising for folks with IBS. This 2015 study involving 1,793 IBS patients found that probiotics reduced the severity of bloating, gas, and abdominal pain compared to a placebo.
Researchers have also found the use of probiotics to treat constipation in pregnant women, cancer patients, and people with iron deficiencies.
Again, probiotics dont work like Drain-O for your colonbut they set the stage for a healthy gut, which translates to healthy bowel habits.
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Prebiotics And Probiotics: Eating For Your Gut
Prebiotics and probiotics are two types of nutrition boosters that can benefit your digestive system. Most people can get the benefits of prebiotics and probiotics through a healthy diet, rather than needing to take supplements,
Prebiotics are natural, non-digestible food components that promote the growth of helpful bacteria in the gut. Theyre found in high-fiber, whole-grain foods, as well as foods you might not expect, like bananas, onions, asparagus, artichokes and garlic.
Prebiotics promote the formation of probiotics, which are the good bacteria or live cultures found in your gut. Probiotics can restore and improve gastrointestinal health.
Some types of yogurt are marketed as having added probiotics. Youd have to eat quite a bit of yogurt to get the benefits of the additional probiotics. For most people, eating a healthy diet thats high-fiber, with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, will provide enough prebiotics to help your body naturally produce its own probiotics.
Do You Need a Probiotic Supplement?
There are a few groups of patients that may benefit from probiotic supplements. These include patients with ulcerative colitis and people with diarrhea caused by antibiotics. Anyone with gastrointestinal issues should talk to their doctor before they take probiotic supplements.
How to Increase Your Fiber Intake
Heres how to increase the amount of fiber in your diet:
Eat brown rice instead of white rice.
Will Probiotics Make You Gain Weight
While it is believed that a connection exists between ones gut bacteria and obesity, the actual research just isnt there yet. Probiotics may show promise in regulating weight in mice, but again, the research is limited and no human trials exist.
The safest thing we can say is, dont overdo it. Eating too much of anything can become a bad thing and the same holds true for probiotics.
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Probiotics Help To Relieve Constipation And Its Symptoms
Apart from helping to soften stool and increase the number of times a week that you poop, probiotics can help with the complications of constipation.
Suffering from infrequent bowel movements can make going to the bathroom very difficult and it can cause varying accompanying symptoms. However, regularly taking high-quality probiotics can help to ease the pain while passing stool and resolve stomach bloating, gas, and stomach spasms .
The journal Minerva Gastroenterologica e Dietologica reported that probiotics helped patients to pass stool more frequently in the week. In addition, taking probiotics also helped to reduce bloating, abdominal cramping, and the sensation of incomplete emptying. The study found that probiotics with L. casei Shirota bacteria were the most beneficial for helping constipation.8
Research into easing constipation symptoms in the elderly has also shown that probiotics can treat constipation. The Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics published a systematic review of 9 studies into probiotics for treating constipation symptoms in older people.
The study concluded that probiotics improved constipation in elderly people by 1040% compared to placebo controls in which no probiotic was used.9
Selecting The Right Probiotic For You
When looking for a probiotic dietary supplement, we recommend looking for a product with the following features:
Multispecies and multistrain: The product should contain multiple species and strains of bacteria.
Clinical studies: The probiotic and its claims should be backed by clinical studies using the final product. This will ensure that you are buying a product whose effects have been studied and proven to work.
Free of allergens and fillers: It is recommended to choose a probiotic product that is free of gluten, dairy, soy and yeast to ensure you are taking a clean product.
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How Long Does It Take Probiotics To Work
The short answer is: It depends on the specific outcome youre hoping to achieve, the current condition of your gut and overall health, and the quality of the probiotic you are taking.
If you are taking a high quality, multispecies and multistrain supplement, you can expect to notice initial improvements and health benefits of probiotics in your digestion as early as the first 1-2 weeks after starting your probiotic.
Depending on how sensitive you are, many people feel a difference after a few days. More fundamental effects of the probiotics such as improvements to mood, weight loss or a reduction in inflammation of your gut barrier might set in after 4-8 weeks.
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Is Pooping A Sign That Probiotics Are Working
If you are an avid user of probiotics, you want to know if it is working or not. Tracking your poop habits is a good way to find out if your supplement is providing any results.
If you begin to poop more after taking probiotics, it is a clear sign that there have been changes made to your gut bacteria. However, this will not confirm that probiotics are working.
If you track your symptoms closely after taking probiotics, you will start to get a better idea of if the medication is taking effect.
Do Probiotics Help You Poop
Constipation can be nasty business. You can feel stuffed up, full, bloated or even nauseous. The worst part is that there is so much information online telling you how to get rid of it.
Drink more water, exercise, drink coffee, or take laxativesit can leave you feeling fed up and not knowing what to do next.
Another suggestion for constipation treatment relief is probiotics. Probiotics are a type of good bacteria that can aid and heal the digestive system, so you may be wonderingwill probiotics help you poop?
This guide is going to look into all the facts to help you find out! But, first lets examine what constipation actually is, and what causes it.
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Increase In Histamine Levels
Some bacterial strains included in probiotic supplements will create histamine within the human digestive tract.
Histamine is a chemical that your immune system generally produces when it recognizes a threat.
Blood arteries dilate to deliver more blood to the affected region when histamine levels are rising. The vessels are also becoming more porous, allowing immune cells to enter the relevant tissue and attack any invaders.
This process causes redness and swelling in the area affected, in addition to allergy symptoms including itching, watery eyes, a runny nose, or difficulty breathing.
So, Do probiotics make you poop? Histamine generated in the digestive tract is generally destroyed by an enzyme called diamine oxidase . This enzyme prevents histamine levels from growing sufficiently to induce symptoms.
However, because they do not make enough DAO, some persons with histamine intolerance have difficulty adequately breaking down the histamine in their systems.
Excess histamine would then be absorbed via the intestinal lining and into the bloodstream, resulting in symptoms comparable to an allergic reaction.
Histamine sensitivity sufferers should avoid meals high in histamine.
In theory, they should choose probiotic supplements that dont include histamine-producing bacteria, even though there have been no studies on this topic to yet.
Why Do Probiotics Give Me Diarrhea
In a review of 14 separate studies researchers found that for people who were constipated, probiotics increased the number of weekly bowel movements by 1.3, and also helped soften stools. Probiotics are believed to help break down food and any excess caught in the intestine which leads to loose stools and, in some cases, diarrhea.
If probiotics tend to go right through you, try eating them before having a substantial or fibrous meal.
To decrease the likelihood of adverse reactions or stomach discomfort, try starting out at a low dose and slowly introduce more in order to really gauge how the probiotics are affecting you.
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