Everyone thinks of bacteria as things that cause diseases that make us ill. But do you know that not all bacteria are bad as there are some bacteria that are good for your body? Probiotics are live bacteria that are good for your body, especially the digestive system as they promote a healthy gut. They are the right bacteria in the right place. Apart from promoting a healthy gut, probiotics have also been proven to be effective in supporting immune functions.
According to researchers, probiotics help to keep your body working as it should by balancing between your “good” and “bad” bacteria. Your gut’s flora should be balanced in such a way that it contains 85% good bacteria and 15% bad ones.
Your body will be affected negatively if the ratio gets out of balance. You can ensure that you benefit from probiotics by consuming probiotic-rich foods or by taking probiotic supplements. Taking supplements is the most effective way as supplements contain at least ten strains of probiotics and at least 10 billion CFU’s. I would recommend megaspore probiotic, since it is the best probiotic. Here are what probiotics do to ensure that your gut stays healthy:
- They are responsible for the production of vitamin B12, vitamin K2 and butyrate.
- They help to crowd out bad bacteria and fungi.They help the body to create enzymes that will destroy the bad bacteria.
- Probiotics stimulate the body to secrete IgA and regulatory T-cells.
What are some of the probiotic strains that are beneficial?
Bifidobacterium bifidum
They are one of the most dominant probiotics and are mostly found in the large intestines. They help the body to produce vitamins, prevents diarrhea and supports the immune system.
Lactobacillus acidophilus
These probiotics are very important in the digestive track as they help to relieve gas and bloating to prevent constipation. They have also been shown to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the body’s lactose intolerance.
Saccharomyces bourlardii
It is a yeast probiotic strain. It improves intestinal growth and helps to restore the natural flora in the gut. It also helps in treating inflammatory bowel diseases.
Are there side-effects of probiotics?
Probiotics too have side-effects, although they are mild. These side effects may sometimes include diarrhea, but only if you take too many probiotics too fast. You should, therefore, start-off with smaller amounts then work your way up.
