The digestive system greatly benefits from the use of probiotics supplements, which are tiny organisms that promote intestinal health. Probiotics create balance in the intestines. They are naturally occurring in foods such as yogurt, though taking them in supplemental form has become increasingly popular.
Like probiotics which are naturally occurring and contained in foods, probiotic supplements promote a cleansing of the body’s intestinal systems to help thwart the growth of harmful microorganisms such as Candida. These supplements come in capsule, powder, liquid, and tablet form. It is recommended to take probiotics on an empty stomach, from 20 minutes up to an hour before a meal, for maximum results. There are many pros to taking probiotics.
Various research studies have found links between ingesting probiotics and alleviating ailments such as chronic irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), stress, and Candida. To begin, an Irish study found that Bifidobacterium infantis was a probiotic that was very helpful with minimizing the effects of IBS. In fact, the dietary supplement was found to be just as effective if not more than the FDA-approved drugs on the market used to treat IBS, Zelnorm and Lotronex. Participants in the study ingested the probiotics in liquid form, and it was found that their symptoms of IBS lessened greatly due to their use of probiotic supplements.
It should be noted that another probiotic, Lactobacillus salivarius, was also tested for its effects on IBS, and it was found to not be helpful in treating the condition. With this said, it is important to note that different types of probiotics are available, and what may help one condition may not necessarily aid another.
The digestive symptoms of stress were also found to be effectively treated through the use of probiotic supplements. A strong probiotic that was meant to withstand the harsh effects of gastric acid found in the stomach was used in this study. Gastric acid tends to destroy bacteria which are beneficial before they have a chance to work in the body. This particular probiotic contained Lactobacillus acidophilus. The positive results of this study indicated that half of the participants reported a 50% decline in digestive symptoms of stress such as nausea and abdominal pain by taking the probiotics.
Probiotic supplements have also been proven to be effective with treating the ill effects of Candida, the harmful microorganism associated with yeast infections. Probiotic acidophilus supplements are recommended for this purpose. Such supplements replenish micro flora in the bowel which has the potential to be destroyed, for example, by antibiotics and vaginal creams. The beneficial supplements use up nutrients that would otherwise be ingested by harmful microorganisms.
Cons exist in addition to pros for taking probiotic supplements. There have been concerns that costly probiotic supplements may not be any more effective than the live probiotics found in foods like yogurt. Some foods are very effective as probiotic supplements in promoting digestive health. Then again two factors come into play. Type of strain and number of organisms present. Furthermore, naturally occurring probiotics are thought to be more likely to survive harsh stomach acids than those in supplemental form. In addition, probiotics can tend to be expensive if used on a long-term basis. Compare information on the bottle carefully to insure adequate number of micro-organisms and if refrigeration is needed.
There are overall many positive aspects to using probiotics in supplement form, namely that they can treat conditions such as IBS, stress-related digestive problems, and Candida. However, for all of their benefits, supplemental probiotics have been criticized for their cost over time and stating some don’t work as well as probiotics that are either naturally occurring or found in food. Cultured or cultivated probiotics are the best form of supplements containing SBO’s, soil based organisms. Body Biotics puts out a combined prebiotic and probiotic with a plankton substrate nourishing the organisms while still in the capsule. These do not need refrigeration and are self sustaining.
