Ever wondered how your digestive system works so efficiently that you don’t even have to think about anything else after your meal? Your stomach and intestines take care of everything, from dissolving the food to supplying nutrition to all your body parts. And, if you have intolerances or indigestion, the reason behind it is your affect gut health and reduced numbers of those healthy bacteria. Then a question arises: What should we do about it?
Well, you can always take probiotics for a healthy gut. So, know about the probiotics that can help you in your distress of an upset stomach or intestinal disease here.
A Context On Probiotics
Probiotics are one of the most healthy bacteria or microorganisms you need for a healthy gut. People usually refer to them as they can cause disease, but they are essential for your digestion and guts. When you look into the anatomy of the human digestive system, you’ll find that there are millions of bacteria living inside. Some of them are bad, but the majority are healthy and useful ones. The collection of those bacteria is called your microbiome and is referred to as healthy gut bacteria as well.
Research and studies are still going on to find out exactly how probiotics work and affect your gut health. However, according to proven data, probiotics replace the existing bacteria in your guts with new ones, improve your digestion, and can even help you prevent intestinal conditions like ulcers and cancer.
Different Types Of Probiotics For Gut Health
In general, thousands of probiotic species are effective for your gut health. However, according to many doctors and pediatricians, all probiotics can be classified into only three types. When you take any probiotic, either from a supplement or from a food item, you can take all three types altogether and not worry about a single thing.
All three types just make your gut healthier, even if taken together. The three types of probiotics essential for your gut health are:
- Soil-based types: These types of probiotics are highly effective in regulating your bacterial balance and lowering all types of inflammation in your intestines. Soil-based probiotics are usually found in soil and fermented foods.
- Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium blend: This particular blend of probiotics has proven to be effective in reducing the effects of IBS-related symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, and cramps. These types of probiotics are mostly found in yogurt and other fermented foods.
- Saccharomyces Boulardii types: Saccharomyces probiotics are highly beneficial in preventing and relieving symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases and are mostly found in fruits like lychee, mangosteen, and some dairy products.
When it comes to the classification of probiotics according to your gut-related issues, you shouldn’t focus on them; just make sure you are getting all the probiotics as possible. These will only improve your gut health and reduce symptoms of IBS and gastrointestinal conditions.
How Do Probiotics Improve Your Gut Health?
One of the main components of your gut is the community of living microorganisms called the microbiome; probiotics help them improve your gut health. As you provide these probiotics to your microbiome, they help your intestine in proper digestion and prevent gut-related diseases in the long run. Some of the main functions and benefits that probiotics provide to your gut are:
1. Enhanced Bacterial Exchange
Your gut is a complex organ and has tons of functions, from digestion to nutrition supply and excretion, and probiotics help with all of them. When you take probiotics, they start to replace existing bacteria in your gut with new and strong ones, leading to stronger metabolism and better immunity. Now, if you’re wondering if probiotics can replace all the bacteria in your gut, it is highly unlikely that it’ll ever happen.
2. Improved Microbiome
Your microbiome is a crucial part of your intestines and makes it easier for you to get by with the harsh foods and drinks you ingest. The microbiome dissolves all and provides nutrients from them to your body organs. Now, when you take probiotics, it becomes much more convenient for your microbiome to function and improve your gut health.
3. Prevention From Intestinal Issues
Probiotics are one of the first choices for people with intestinal issues like constipation and loss of motion. Any of the three types of probiotics you take will help prevent many intestinal issues like diarrhea and gastrointestinal diseases like IBS, so make sure you are eating your fair share of fermented foods for your probiotics.
What Are The Best Foods With Probiotics?
When it comes to proper nutrition, most of the probiotics you get are from fermented foods and fruits. Eating probiotics-rich food can complete your essential and regular need for healthy gut bacteria. Make sure you are eating foods like yogurt, cottage cheese, and fruits like lychee and mangosteen.
These food items will provide you with enough probiotics to keep a healthy gut and prevent any gut issues like diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain. And, if you have a busy schedule and can’t focus on your diet, you can simply get probiotic supplements and get effective results in no time.
Usage Limitations And Precaution Of Probiotics
When you are taking probiotics regularly, it is crucial to know that there is always a healthy level of probiotics for you through your food intake. However, if you are completing your probiotics needs from supplements, make sure you are taking a range of 10 to 50 billion CFU of probiotics per day. Any more than that can cause complications and induce drug resistance in your body.
Summing Up
Probiotics are one of the safest and most efficient types of bacteria, which you can use daily and get a healthy gut. When you are taking probiotic supplements, make sure you are getting a trusted brand with proven benefits. In addition to that, make sure to take probiotics in limited amounts for long-lasting and effective results.
Eat your fair share of fermented foods like yogurt and fruits like lychee and mangosteen as a natural source of probiotics.
References
- Artis D. (2008) Epithelial-cell recognition of commensal bacteria and maintenance of immune homeostasis in the gut. Nat Rev Immunol 8: 411–420 [PubMed]
- Abubucker S., Segata N., Goll J., Schubert A., Izard J., Cantarel B., et al. (2012) Metabolic reconstruction for metagenomic data and its application to the human microbiome. PLoS Comput Biol 8: e1002358. [PMC free article]
