All About Probiotics: Do You Really Need These? (Probiotics)

You've probably seen yogurts and drinks labeled "contain probiotics" when you go to the store. Maybe you've heard a friend say, "I drink a probiotic every day, it's very easy on my stomach." What exactly are probiotics? Is it true that they are good for our bodies? Or is this just another advertising ploy? Today, we'll talk about this topic of probiotics in a simple way that you can understand.

Simply put, what are probiotics?

Probiotics are a type of living microorganism that is beneficial to our body. Think of our body as a big city. This city is home to trillions of tiny organisms (microorganisms). Just as there are good people and bad people in our village, there are good microbes inside our body that help us, as well as bad microbes (germs) that make us sick.

Probiotics are a group of good, beneficial microbes that live inside our bodies and help control and reduce the power of those bad microbes. It's like having a few good friends by our side.

When we eat a food, drink, or supplement that contains probiotics, we are essentially adding more soldiers to our army of good microbes. These are mainly sent to our digestive system (intestines). However, some probiotics are also available in the form of creams that are applied to the skin, as well as in the form of ointments that are applied to the nose or genitals. Because these are all places where good microbes live that help us.

Okay, so what exactly happens with these probiotics?

The main thing that probiotics do is help maintain the balance of the microbial community in our body. Sometimes, due to various reasons (e.g., medications we take, changes in our diet, stress), the number of good microbes in our body can decrease and the number of bad microbes can increase. In medicine, we call this condition `dysbiosis`.

What probiotics do is restore those lost good microbes to our bodies and correct that disturbed balance.

But here is something important to understand. Not all probiotics are the same. Different types of microorganisms have different benefits for our bodies. Therefore, it is important to know which type of probiotic is right for your problem. The best thing to do is to talk to your doctor . Because sometimes not all products on the market are of the same quality.

When should you use probiotics?

There are several situations in which your doctor may recommend probiotics:

• After taking a course of antibiotics: Imagine that you have a fever and you take a course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. Antibiotics kill the bacteria in your body. However, these drugs cannot distinguish between good bacteria and bad bacteria. Therefore, they kill the good bacteria that help us along with the bad bacteria that cause illness. That is when many people experience diarrhea. Your doctor may recommend probiotics to help replenish the good bacteria that have been lost.
• For digestive system problems: If you are constantly feeling full, have constipation or diarrhea, or have a condition like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), probiotics can help restore the microbial balance in your gut.
• Boost Immunity: Some people take a daily probiotic supplement to help prevent frequent illnesses and strengthen their immune systems. The health of our gut has a big impact on our overall immunity.
• Maintain general well-being: Things like the stress we face in our daily lives and certain foods we eat can damage the good microbes in our gut. Probiotics help restore them.

Types of Probiotics That Work and How to Take Them

For a probiotic to be truly beneficial, several things need to be met.

• It should contain a type of microorganism that has been scientifically proven to be beneficial to our bodies.
• The microorganisms in it must be alive throughout the production process and still be alive when we consume it.
• After we take it, it needs to be able to travel through the intestines alive without being destroyed by the harsh acids in our stomach.

The two main types of probiotics on the market and the most researched are:

1. Lactobacillus genus: This includes species like `L. acidophilus` and `L. rhamnosus`.

2. Bifidobacterium genus: This includes species like `Bifidobacterium longum` and `Bifidobacterium breve`.

We can obtain these in two main ways.

What are the health benefits of probiotics?

Research has found that probiotics can provide various benefits to different parts of our body.

Benefits for the digestive system

This is the main and most well-proven benefit of probiotics.

• It helps the body digest and absorb certain nutrients and medications.
• Helps prevent and treat diarrhea caused by antibiotics.
• It may help treat chronic bacterial infections such as H. pylori and C. difficile.
• It can help with conditions such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
• It can help relieve symptoms of conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases (e.g., ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease).
• Helps reduce common discomforts such as constipation, bloating, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Other health benefits

Research suggests that probiotics may have effects on many other things besides the digestive system, but much of this research is still ongoing.

• Skin health: May be beneficial for skin conditions such as acne and atopic dermatitis (a condition similar to eczema).
• Oral health: Can help prevent cavities and gum disease.
• Women's Health: May help prevent vaginal and urinary tract infections (UTIs).
• Mental health: There is a direct connection between our gut and brain (the `gut-brain axis`). Some researchers believe that maintaining good gut health can also affect mood, stress, and the ability to tolerate pain.

Are there any risks or side effects from probiotics?

Probiotics are generally very safe for healthy adults to take. People around the world have been using them for years.

However, people with weakened immune systems may be at a slight risk. For example:

• People taking immunosuppressant drugs.
• People who are seriously ill.
• Premature babies.

The risk for people like this is that if a harmful microorganism is accidentally mixed in with the good microbes in the probiotic product they take, their weakened immune system may not be able to fight it off. But this is a very rare occurrence .

Minor side effects

Some people may experience some minor discomfort in the first few days after starting to take probiotics.

• Bloating
• Gas
• Slight stomach ache

This happens as our gut gets used to the new microbes. It's like feeling a little strange in your stomach after eating a new food. These symptoms usually go away on their own within a few days .

How do I know if the probiotic I take is right for me?

If you are taking a probiotic for a specific reason (e.g. constipation), if it is working, your symptoms should gradually decrease and you should feel relief. Someone who has been constipated may start to have regular bowel movements. Someone who has been having diarrhea may have diarrhea that is controlled.

It is important to take the recommended dosage of the product consistently for the recommended period of time. Only then will you be able to fully understand its effects.