5 research-based reasons to try probiotics

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Image courtesy of Pixabay/Geralt

When I was a kid I used to get a lot of colds and ear infections.  As you can imagine I was prescribed antibiotics as a treatment many of the times.  

I still remember how hesitant my mom was each time about giving me these medications. A great respect (or fear) for this group of drugs was deeply planted into my mind.

Later in my life I began learning about the microbiome (all those friendly bacteria living in your belly) and its’ importance.

Now I clearly appreciate why too many courses of antibiotics are not good for you.

Your gut is a home of trillions of microbes.  Combined all the bacteria can weigh up to 3 pounds. You develop a very strong relationship with your microbiome.  You feed the bacteria and in response they produce many protective functions on your body.   

In the past several decades there has been an explosion of discoveries explaining just how truly symbiotic your existence is with all that bacteria in your gut.

When you are born with a sterile gut, initially you get a lot of microbes from your mom (through birth canal), then some more every time you are breastfeeding.  I always imagine new colonies forming and blooming like flowers in desert eventually taking over your gut.

Each time a baby gets a course of antibiotics all those lovely colonies are killed off and the whole entire process needs to begin again. I remember reading some time ago that a single course of antibiotics can set you back as much as 10 months when you are young.

When you were a baby you started primarily with Bifidobacteria in your gut.  Some of the species (specific bacteria) include bifidum and lactis.  As you grow up (and specifically when you lose your baby teeth), your gut flora switches predominantly to Lactobacillus species.  Some of the examples of Lactobacillus that you can find studied or sold include acidophilus, casei, GG, rhamnosus, reuteri, johnsonii, plantarum, salivarius and other.

So what are some of the specific reasons why your microbiome is so important?

These are five areas with the most established research about probiotics:

1. Digestive health

There is quite a bit of research looking at the use of probiotics for traveler’s diarrhea and rotaviral diarrhea in kids.  In most reports, patients recovered faster and had less severe symptoms.  When taken with antibiotics and chemotherapy, the use of probiotics decreased the risk of diarrhea and discomfort.  Patients undergoing chemotherapy who received probiotics lozenges seem to have fewer instances of inflammation of the mouth (oral mucositis.) Even though the findings aren’t always consistent, it appears that taking probiotics is beneficial to patients with Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome and Ulcerative colitis. Patients who suffer from ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori seem to have better chance of getting rid off this infection when they take probiotics. Some research (although not consistent) suggests that babies with colic that get probiotics seem to cry less.

2. Immune health

Researchers discovered that taking probiotics helps to prevent or decrease symptoms for patients with eczema and allergies.  Additionally, pregnant women who take probiotics seem to have babies with fewer allergies. At last, toddlers that go to daycare have fewer colds when they drink milk with probiotics.

3. Women’s health

Even though there is some controversy, women who use vaginal suppositories with probiotics get better quicker and might have bacterial vaginal infections less frequently than those who do not use this treatment.

4. Heart health

Patients who eat probiotics rich foods or take capsules appear to have better total cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.

5. Joint Health

Patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis who take probiotics have fewer swollen joints and fewer symptoms of discomfort.

There are a lot of recent fascinating findings related to microbiome and diabetes, obesity, nervous system and neurological disorders, mental health in teens, and behavior, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, colorectal cancer, bone health, hair health and so much more.

If you are looking for an interesting book about the importance of microbiome for your brain health, here is a good one by Dr. David Pearlmutter to add to your reading list Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain – For Life.

Next time, I’d like to talk to you about good dietary sources of probiotics and prebiotics.Questions: Which of these 5 research-based reasons to try probiotics resonates the most with you? If you’ve tried probiotics, what source did you use – capsules, foods?