What are Probiotics? Probiotics are microorganisms that can help to promote a balance of bacteria in your gut. Typically, they come as a strain of bacteria or yeast. There have been many up and coming studies on the pros and cons to probiotics and taking them as a supplement, or through fermented foods, like yogurt. Balancing the bacteria in your gut is important and linked to a person’s overall health. There are also some unknowns with probiotics that are still being studied as we speak. We are here to give you a quick summary of the benefits and bewares of this bacteria.
THE POSITIVES:
Probiotics help balance the good bacteria in your body, specifically your digestive system and heart. They can lower “bad” cholesterol and blood pressure. Probiotics help the body return to, or maintain, a strong community of microorganisms to keep your gut healthy too!
Improve some mental health conditions. Your gut health has been proven to directly correlate with your mood and mental health. Taking a probiotic supplement for a couple months can improve conditions such as anxiety, depression, OCD and memory.
Improve your body’s immune system. This supplement can promote the production of antibodies and immune cells. While living in a COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital to keep your immune system strong.
Lose weight and belly fat. Some probiotics absorb dietary fat into the intestine. They can also help you feel fuller longer and burn more calories. While, other probiotics can lead to weight gain depending on the strain.
THE UNKNOWNS:
Those with compromised immune systems may want to avoid them. Many researchers are still studying which probiotics are helpful. Everyone is different and we do not know who is most likely to benefit from probiotics and how much an individual should take.
Sometimes they can take awhile to work. The more balanced the bacteria in your intestinal tract is, the less inflammation it
will cause and your digestive health will improve. This could take weeks for your gut to adjust to the probiotic, making it less of an instant fix and more of a lifestyle change to benefit your well-being. Some types of probiotics can be destroyed by stomach acid before they reach your gut, resulting in minimal to no benefit.
Not closely regulated in the US by the FDA. Probiotics that are sold as dietary supplements do not necessarily require FDA approval before they go on the market