If you’ve heard of probiotics, you’re probably aware that these living bacteria (found in kefir, yogurt, and kombucha) are essential for gut health. And, because your microbiome—all of the bacteria in your body—is a mix of good and bad bacteria (such the ones that make you sick), having enough of the good guys is critical to your body’s correct functioning. probioticseverything.comq probiotics
The trouble is that getting enough from food alone is difficult, so a supplement—such as one that combines enzymes and other substances, such as ginger to aid digestion—is a smart bet. probioticseverything.comq probiotics
Plus, probiotics do a lot more than only help with gastrointestinal issues.
“Probiotics have been around for a long time, but there’s been a lot more research on them in the last five years,” says Kristina Secinaro, R.D., a research dietician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. “And, while most people associate probiotics with digestive health, your gut is linked to the rest of your body.” probioticseverything.comq probiotics
As a result of this? According to new research, they can help prevent a wide range of illnesses, including these five. probioticseverything.comq probiotics
1. Loss of weight
According to a new meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, probiotics can help you lose weight and lower your BMI. This is proof that has previously been absent. The findings of 25 randomized studies involving over 1,900 healthy adults were combined by the researchers. Surprisingly, consuming multiple types of probiotics and taking them for at least 8 weeks results in the most weight loss. However, it is still quite modest. Weight loss was 0.59 kg (1.3 pounds) for both men and women, and BMI was 0.49 kg/m2 (your BMI is weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in meters). probioticseverything.comq probiotics
2. Skin problems
Skin conditions including psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea can be aggravating, but some research suggests that the correct probiotic strains can assist, according to Kimball. It all comes back to the concept of inflammation. Because some skin diseases, like other health problems, are caused by inflammation, reducing it can save your skin. probioticseverything.comq probiotics
3. Immune system health
Are you fed up with being fed up with being fed up with being fed up with being fed up with being fed up with being fed “Probiotics have been found to reduce the incidence of upper respiratory infection in athletes,” explains Secinaro. And it’s easy to see why: probiotics are a better sort of bacteria, therefore they can help prevent infection from more dangerous bacteria, according to her. “Having a healthy balance of bacteria can also help you avoid illnesses like colds and flu.” probioticseverything.comq probiotics
4. Are Your Allergies Getting the Best of You? According to a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, allergy sufferers who took a probiotic called B. lactis once a day for 8 weeks were significantly less sniffly two months later than those who didn’t. According to the study, persons who took probiotics had lower levels of pro-inflammatory markers. According to dietitian Molly Kimball, R.D., this could be because probiotics affect the permeability of the gut wall, preventing pro-inflammatory substances from entering the bloodstream. probioticseverything.comq probiotics
5. Mood disturbances
In a tiny research of 40 persons without mood disorders, those who took a powdered probiotic supplement every night for a month reported feeling happier and less influenced by life’s negative events than those who took a placebo. According to other research, probiotics can aid in the reduction of sadness, stress, and anxiety. Experts aren’t sure why the gut-brain axis—signaling between your GI tract and your nervous system—exists, but they believe it has something to do with it, according to Secinaro. probioticseverything.com