A Complete Guide to Probiotics and What They Do
Do you know there are trillions of good microorganisms in your digestive system to help you work properly every day? These microorganisms are known as probiotics that help you digest foods while fending off diseases.
The following is a quick guide to probiotics, including how they work and which are the best probiotics to include in your diet.
What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are nothing but the “live microorganisms” that live in your gut to ensure normal functioning of the body and digestive system. When food containing probiotics is consumed in an adequate amount, it offers you amazing health benefits.
All thanks to these gut bacteria or probiotics, an individual’s “microbiome” is formed. The microbiome is unique in each person. As per studies, it is noticed that the microbiome is present in the human body since birth. One trusted source mentions that the microbiome may keep changing during an individual’s life depending on their lifestyle, diet and exposure to various environmental factors.
Probiotics can increase the number of good bacteria in your gut. Hence, it plays an important part in an individual’s immune system. These good bacteria have many important functions in the human body, such as affecting one’s weight, inflammation, and mood.
In the past few years, there’s increasing interest among people to know how Probiotic Health can reduce the risk and symptoms of various health conditions.
What Do Probiotics Do Exactly?
While many scientists are still not able to figure out about probiotics, many studies show that they have many health benefits, including:
- Supporting immune system
- Promoting the health of our digestive tract and its lining
- Managing inflammation
With such observations, researchers are conducting more studies on this microbiome. They think that if probiotics have a vital role in improving certain body functions, they can also help in controlling diseases and medical conditions affecting immunity, the digestive system and systemic inflammation.
Best Sources of Probiotics
You can take probiotics as a supplement or in the form of beverages or foods like drinks and yoghurt with live cultures present in them. Even fermented foods contain good bacteria. Some examples of fermented foods are:
- Natto
- Miso
- Tempeh
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Yakult
- Kombucha
Probiotics for Certain Health Conditions
In 2018, a study was found stating that probiotics can help in preventing various conditions like:
- Acute infectious diarrhoea
- Infant colic
- Antibiotic-related diarrhoea
- Acute respiratory tract infections
- Necrotizing enterocolitis — It is an inflammation affecting the bowel, particularly in the case of premature infants
Probiotics for Gut Health
As mentioned before, probiotics help improve one’s gut health by relieving gut issues. The gut lining may get damaged if a proper diet is not followed. In such a case, there will be an issue of leaky gut or intestinal permeability. It may enable molecules to get into the bloodstream and lead to various immune reactions and inflammation.
But some antibiotics can kill both bad and good bacteria. It means an individual will experience some symptoms of diarrhoea while taking them. Meanwhile, probiotics intake is important at the same time. It is because probiotics can repopulate one’s gut with good bacteria while easing out diarrhoea symptoms.
Conclusion
In recent years, many studies are conducted on probiotics proving their health benefits. With the mentioned probiotic sources, one can improve their gut health, immunity and lead a long-lasting healthy life.
Probiotics are also helpful in improving healthy weight while relieving gut issues, mental health and constipation. If you are not sure which probiotic source to include in your diet, you may consult a physician to guide you about the right probiotic for your system.
Also, read this: 5 Tips to Boost Your Immune System
