One health related topic in particular that I always blab on about to my friends, family and colleagues is the benefit of probiotics, so I thought it was worth sharing here! (Also so I can now just link this to them rather than repeating myself). Gut health in general, is also a huge topic in the health world (and rightly so).

We are more bacteria than we are “us”

An amazing fact I discovered a while ago is that, on average, the human body houses the same amount and even potentially twice as many bacteria than our own cells. The original number was actually thought to be a staggering 10:1 ratio but has since been disproved.  This is based on the number of cells, rather than the weight, with around 1.5kg of our weight coming from these microbes. Our digestive system houses most of these, and in turn for free accommodation and food most of them repay the favour by helping us out in various ways.

When you realise that our bodies are actually less “us” than most of us think, it really helps to show the importance of understanding gut health and the roles that these tiny little co-inhabitants play!

The role of our gut bacteria

Our friendly gut microbes help us to digest our food, and can digest food that we wouldn’t be able to ourselves as some strains contain up to 4 times the amount of digestive enzymes that we have ourselves. They help to produce vitamin K, B6 and folate, increase the amount of energy available to us from our food by 10-30%, help make cells which line the gut and product the tiny capillaries outside of the gut which absorb protein and carbohydrates, and aid our immune system. 80% of our immune system is contained in our gut, which is why a healthy gut is so crucial for our overall health. Our “good” bacteria also defend us from the “bad guys” by either attacking them or not allowing them to reside there.

So basically, we’re all our own individual walking ecosystems and, as with most things in life, it’s important to maintain the right balance. A number of factors such as antibiotics, stress and infections can disturb our digestive balance and when our digestive system suffers so do we. Antibiotics work by killing off the harmful bacteria in your gut, but in doing so can also reduce most of the population, both good and bad, as well as changing the diversity of your gut microbiome. While they are still beneficial in some cases, it’s important to only take antibiotics when you really need them.

Why probiotics are so important

This is where probiotics come in. Back in 1907 Russian Scientist Elie Metchnikoff observed the long lifespan of Bulgarian peasants, and suggested this was due to the high consumption of fermented yoghurt which had an important influence on intestinal health. Then later in the 1930’s, Japanese Dr. Minoru isolated the strain of lactobacillus bacteria, which is now used in Yakult.

Supplementing with probiotics has a range of benefits by replacing helpful gut bacteria and restoring gut balance. They assist in making an unwelcome environment for salmonella and other harmful bugs, aiding digestion, preventing ‘leaky gut’, stimulating the immune system, regulating hormones, lowering cholesterol, regulating bowel movements, reducing infections (especially sore throats, candida and bladder infections), inducing anticancer activity (especially stomach and bowel), deactivating harmful enzymes in digestive system, easing IBS, Chron’s Disease and colitis as well as easing food poisioning and traveller’s diarrhea.

While live bacteria can be found in a range of fermented foods such as kefir, lassi, yoghurt, sauerkraut, tofu, tempeh, miso, mouldy cheese and sourdough bread, most don’t contain certain beneficial strains or enough to assist with repopulating your gut when needed. In order for a product to be sold as a probiotic, it needs to contain a sufficient number of bacteria and also be able to survive gastic juices and bile. Many also contain prebiotics. Prebiotics are basically food for your good bacteria, and stimulate the growth and activity of probiotics. Naturally prebiotic foods include onions, garlic, legumes, asparagus, whole-grains and artichokes.

Supplementing with probiotics is recommended around 2 to 3 times per week for general health, and up to 2 times per day if you have just finished a course of antibiotics, are recovering from gastro, need to decontaminate your bowel before surgery, are stressed or are travelling somewhere where the water or food may not be safe. To get the most out of probiotics, use one which has at least 100 million viable organisms, have prebiotics, supplement on an empty stomach (I have mine just before bed) and use enteric coated supplements. I prefer to use capsules (found in fridges at the chemists – make sure you keep them stored in the fridge too) as probiotic drinks can be high in sugar. Yay for good gut bacteria!

What health benefits do probiotics provide?

  1. Re-populate the gut with good bacteria following a course of antibiotics, for those with a generally poor diet, or after suffering from food poisoning or travellers diarrhoea
  2. Help maintain the balance of bacteria and defending us from the “bad guys” by either attacking them or not allowing them to reside there
  3. Aid digsestion by helping to make cells which line the gut, protecting the tiny capillaries outside of it which absorb protein and carbohydrates as well as generally increasing the amount of energy available from food by around 10-30%
  4. Eases the systems of digestive disorders such as IBS, Chron’s Disease and Colitis as well as helping to protect against ‘leaky gut’ syndrome
  5. Assist in a variety of functions essential for optimum health such as  aiding our immune system, regulating hormones, lowering cholesterol, regulating bowel movements, reducing infections (especially sore throats, candida and bladder infections) and  inducing anticancer activity (especially stomach and bowel)

Where can I get probiotics?

  • Probiotic capsules
  • Fermented foods such as kefir, lassi, yoghurt, sauerkraut, tofu, tempeh, miso, mouldy cheese and sourdough bread
  • Also consider prebiotics (food for our probiotic friends) such as onions, garlic, legumes, asparagus, wholegrains and artichokes

 

Author

Sophie is the owner and creator of The Beautiful Existence. A Melbourne based self proclaimed nerd, gym junkie and lover of all things creative, tasty and well designed!

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