Written by: Dr. Robert Neposlan
We are constantly waging war against bacteria. We battle them with all we’ve got – a slew of weapons such as antibiotics and anti-bacterial soaps and cleaning agents. But there’s another arsenal that scientists have found appears to stave off a range of infections along with a variety of different ailments. Believe it or not, it involves using other bacteria…
Introducing the Superstar: Probiotics
Probiotics are the introduction of healthy bacteria into your body’s gastrointestinal tract. In our practice this is not a new idea. We have been speaking about this for the last 15 years, successfully treating thousands of patients through supplementation.
Probiotics’ health perks are many, and span the human lifecycle. Immune system functioning, allergies and bowel disorders, diabetes, obesity and bone health are just a few areas scientists have found that probiotics can help to treat.
The whole matter is about the balance of bacteria in your gut, where your body’s first line of defense against infection is located. In fact, 80 per cent of your entire immune system is traced back to your digestive system. When harmful bacteria predominate over beneficial types, illnesses such as food allergies/sensitivities, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome and even constipation may result. But introducing various strains of bacteria may tip that balance towards good health.
How do Probiotics Help?
Scientists have found that certain strains stimulate various cells in the immune system to fight off a wide range of infections including some of those responsible for food poisoning. Others may counter the effects of stress on the gastrointestinal tract.
Research is also showing that certain bacteria in the gut may even play a role in promoting weight gain as they produce hormones that direct the body to store fat. Changing the balance of bacteria, in these cases, may even improve elimination/constipation.
While there is a growing list of benefits for adults including better absorption of some nutrients such as calcium, scientists are now finding that these benefits also extend to children. A recent study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at pregnant women and found that probiotics may even improve pregnancy outcomes including decreasing the risk for premature delivery as well as improving the health of premature infants.
What You Need to Consider Before Purchasing Probiotics
Before you rush out and purchase the first probiotic products you see, there are some considerations to keep in mind. Firstly, probiotic products are not regulated which means that while bacteria may be added to foods or be available in supplement form; it doesn’t mean that they work.
In addition, studies on human subjects should have been carried out to test the product. Unfortunately, not all companies do their due diligence in testing their products through this manner. This is where the lack of regulation can make selecting a probiotic a tough issue for consumers. Just because a food or supplement company calls their product a probiotic, doesn’t make it one. In some instances, various bacterial strains are simply added to products with no testing done at all. The bacteria may not even survive human digestion or the quantity of bacteria may be too low to provide any benefit. In some products, the type of bacteria contained may not even be identified on the label.
Luckily, our practice has done countless hours of research over the years on good-quality probiotics products. For years, we have recommended only one product to our patients. That is, the GENESTRA BRANDS Human MicroFlora (HMF) probiotics. These probiotics incorporate safe and effective strains reflecting the latest evidence-based research from human trials, and provide physicians and healthcare professionals a comprehensive range for condition-specific treatment. At our practice, we carry seven different types of probiotics from this line to meet your individualized needs.
The Best Time to Take Probiotics is… NOW
In addition to incorporating probiotics into your daily supplement regimen, one of the best times to consider probiotics is following the use of antibiotics. These medications tend to wipe out both the harmful and beneficial bacteria at the same time.
As suggested, we have been using probiotic supplementation for over 15 years. Our success treating chiropractic patients, and previously, allergy wellness patients, improved dramatically when proper balance to the digestive flora was restored.
We would be happy to recommend a probiotic product that is right for you, available in our office!