The gut is the epicenter of our health. That’s because a significant percentage of our immune system is in our gastrointestinal tract. This is where we accumulate billions of microbes known as the gut microbiome. These microbes play a pivotal role in ensuring our bodies are healthy and functioning correctly. This is where probiotics come in. Probiotics are a type of beneficial bacteria that live in the gut, and numerous studies have shown that they can boost our immune system. Here are five surprising ways that probiotics positively affect our immune system.
Suitable for People with Allergies
A study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that children with high levels of certain bacteria in their stool in their first year of life had a lower risk of developing allergies later in life. Another study showed that infants that received probiotics in their first six months experienced less skin sensitivity and had fewer allergic reactions. The microbiome plays a crucial role in regulating the immune response. When harmful bacteria overrun the beneficial, it triggers allergy symptoms. By rebalancing the microbiome through the consumption of probiotics, the harmful bacteria reduce, and the good bacteria thrive, leading to better-regulated immune responses.
Probiotics Help to Fight Cold and Ongoing Respiratory Infections
If you are susceptible to frequent cold and respiratory infections, probiotics could provide a solution. In a study carried out on children who were given probiotics, the researchers found out they suffered lesser respiratory tract infections than the control group. Another study showed that consuming Lactobacillus casei could reduce the duration of respiratory infections by 30%.
Probiotics Increase Vaccine Effectiveness
The effectiveness of vaccines could be increased through the use of probiotics. When taking probiotics, the immune system is in better working condition, meaning that the body can respond better to vaccine efforts. Children who take probiotics can develop almost twice as many antibodies as children who don’t, according to research.
Probiotics Protect from Some Types of Cancer
Studies have shown that considerable variation in the gut microbiome is tied to an increase in colon cancer, colon cancer cells, and colon inflammation. By consuming probiotics, the microbiome is better regulated, meaning that the incidence of this type of cancer is decreased. Researchers found that people consuming Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains tend to have a lower prevalence of cancer. They attribute this to the high anti-inflammatory properties of these strains.
Probiotics Could Help Reduce Depression and Anxiety Symptoms
Mental health conditions like depression and anxiety have been associated with a poor gut health and an imbalance in the gut microbiome. Several studies have now been conducted on the connection between anxiety, depression and gut health. The studies have shown that frequent intake of probiotics – particularly Lactobacillus strains – can considerably help reduce depression and anxiety-related symptoms in patients. Researchers attribute this to the anti-inflammatory effect of probiotics.
The benefits of probiotics are enormous. Apart from the benefits of consuming food with probiotics, supplementation also provides a way of getting extra probiotics into your system. Probiotics have beneficial effects on various aspects of health, and they play a crucial role in immune system health. With increasing evidence, it’s safe to say that adding probiotics to your diet is a good idea.
