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Probiotics - Nature's Little Helpers
You may not know it but our bodies, and primarily our intestines, are home to a large number of different species of bacteria, and far from being bad for us, we couldn’t actually survive without them! In fact if they were all placed together they would comprise a mass of nearly 4lbs. Some of the more common types of bacteria that you might have heard of include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Bifidobacterium bifidum. We obtain these bacterial loads through exposure and natural colonisation early on in our lives, one of the first to colonise is Bifidobacterium infantis which occurs during suckling.
The bacteria serve a wide range of functions, some of which include: -
- Manufacture of some B vitamins and vitamin K
- Production of antibacterial and antifungal substances which protect against harmful organisms
- Reduction of cholesterol
- Deactivation of toxins
- Manufacture of some enzymes
- Production of chemicals that have been shown to be anti-carcinogenic
The natural balance of the body’s bacteria can be upset by several factors; this resulting imbalance is referred to as dysbiosis. For example, it can be caused by: -
- Prescribed medicines such as antibiotics and steroids
- Increased acidity in the digestive system caused by stress, lack of sleep and poor diet
- Constipation and diarrhoea, the former leading to a stagnant and toxic environment and the latter simply flushing out the bacteria
When dysbiosis occurs we can see a wide range of conditions and symptoms including Candida overgrowths, poor energy, IBS and other intestinal conditions, bloating and excessive wind, poor skin quality, bad breath and headaches.
The best way to combat dysbiosis is to first identify the reason for it and address this followed by supplementation with a high quality brand of probiotic that will provide several billion bacterial cells in each tablet. It is not advisable to supplement the bacteria via the use of popular yogurt/milk based drinks as these contain high levels of sugar which may inadvertently lead to further dysbiosis or even affect your blood sugar balances if drank regularly. As well as supplementing with the bacteria themselves you might be advised to take fructooligosaccharides (FOS), these are a group of naturally occurring chemicals which act as ‘food' encouraging the growth of ‘good' bacterial populations - some probiotic brands automatically include these.
When supplementation might be a good idea: -
- You are travelling abroad where they may help to protect against food poisoning
- After and during any period where antibiotics may be taken
- By anyone receiving radiation treatment
- By anyone having recurrent thrush or cystitis
- By anyone with chronic elevated cholesterol problems
- Under professional guidance by anybody suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other bowel problems
In short, if we are to remain healthy, we need to look after our population of ‘little helpers' after all the term probiotic does mean ‘for life'.
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