You may have heard about probiotics — and may even be taking them or considering taking them. These beneficial bacteria have been shown in numerous studies to have benefits for the gut — and overall health.
But what exactly are probiotics or beneficial bacteria? These are live bacteria that have a health benefit. These live bacteria are commonly found in fermented foods like yogurt and kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi (Korean cabbage), kombucha (tea), refrigerated pickles (non-refrigerated ones don’t have probiotics), and sourdough bread. When in doubt, look for “with live and active cultures” on the label.
You can also find these beneficial bacteria in supplements like NBPure’s Poobiotics and Daily Multi-Fiber, an all-natural fiber blend with probiotics. We use the most proven strains of beneficial bacteria like:
✔️ Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1®
✔️ Bifidobacterium bifidum UABb-10™
✔️ Bifidobacterium adolescentis iVS-1®
✔️ Bifidobacterium longum iVE-15®
✔️ Bifidobacterium lactis UABIa-12™
All these are very scientific names for beneficial bacteria with proven health benefits.
6 benefits of probiotics
Here’s a closer look at how probiotics may be able to help your gut — and your health.
- 1. They may help you stay more regular. Getting enough fiber is important for staying regular but so are probiotics. Research shows that regular use of probiotics, particularly the beneficial bacteria Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus found in our Poobiotics and Daily Multi-Fiber, is useful in alleviating constipation long term.
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- 2. They may help you stay at a healthy weight. There is some reason that shows that regular use of probiotics—along with a healthy diet and regular exercise — may help keep you at a healthy weight. They seem to do so by helping to improve satiety.
One study found that this healthy weight effect occurs after 12 weeks (about 3 months) of daily use. And, researchers found, that including both prebiotics from fiber and probiotics — as we have in our Daily Multi-Fiber — may boost healthy weight maintenance even more.
- 3. They may help reduce inflammation. Beneficial bacteria in the gut help to improve the microbial, or bacterial, population in the gut. This has been shown to help support the immune system, helping to reduce inflammation in the gut — and in the body.
- 4. They may help prevent the overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut. You always want to have more good bacteria than bad in the gut. An overgrowth of bad bacteria, often referred to as dysbiosis, may cause symptoms like loose stools, nausea, and bloating. It may even cause longer-term health issues.
- 5. They may help boost nutrient absorption. When foods are digested, nutrients from those foods are either absorbed into the bloodstream from the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine or colon.
It’s in the colon that microorganisms (aka good-for-you bacteria) ferment what’s left of foods called prebiotics — an important part of the digestive process — to create byproducts. These byproducts are often referred to as short-chain fatty acids. These short-chain fatty acids nourish good-for-you gut bacteria and help them to thrive.
Some of these byproducts also move through the gut wall into the bloodstream for use by cells in the body. (Find prebiotics and probiotics in our Daily Multi-Fiber, our all-natural, better-for-you fiber blend.) Without enough healthy bacteria in the gut, much of this important waste would just get pooped out.
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- 6. They may help restore balance in the gut after taking antibiotics. When you take a round of antibiotics, even just a short-term 7-day prescription, all bacteria are reduced in the body, including good-for-you bacteria in the gut. This may result in digestive troubles like gas, digestive upset, and loose stools. Some research shows that it may also affect health in the long term.
The bottom line: getting enough probiotics on a regular basis can do the gut — and the body — good. Taking a daily supplement will help boost what you’re getting from fermented foods and ensure you’re getting enough of what your gut needs.
