What is in your gut?
The nutrients for your body are absorbed in your gut to support a healthy digestive system which influences your overall health. Nearly 2kg of bacteria reside in your gut! Billions of micro-organisms live and grow in your gut which is known as the ‘microbiota’ or the ‘microbiome’. These beneficial bacteria encourage healthy digestion and support an efficient immune system, keeping any undesirable bacteria at minimal levels. If the numbers of undesirable bacteria begin to outweigh the beneficial bacteria this can lead to digestive symptoms such as constipation, wind and bloating or immune conditions such as recurrent infections, eczema and allergies. Rebalancing or maintaining a healthy microbiota in your gut can be achieved by supplementing with beneficial bacteria in the form of a ‘probiotic’. The term ‘probiotic’ means ‘for life’ so by looking after your gut microbiota you are looking after your overall health.
At ABee Health I can help you select the most appropriate probiotic for you by keeping the following criteria in mind:
- Different strains of probiotic bacteria perform very different tasks within the body; therefore it’s important to consider ‘strain specificity’ and select a strain that will be up to the task.
- Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM® and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 are particular strains that have been shown to promote the regrowth of many species of beneficial bacteria within the gut.
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG can assist with reducing eczema symptoms and diarrhoea.
- Lactobacillus plantarum 299v is a specific strain researched to treat inflammatory bowel conditions such as medically diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). By choosing a formula that features probiotic strains and doses based on clinical research you can be confident of getting great results.
Is less or more better?
Single strain formulas or those containing only a few strains do not promote a ‘monoculture’ of micro-organisms in the gut. Research has shown that strains such as L. acidophillus NCFM® and B. lactis Bi07 facilitate the regrowth of a diverse number of micro-organism colonies by altering the gastrointestinal environment to favour the proliferation of beneficial bacteria, which is what you want for a healthy gut. Therefore, it isn’t necessary to replace every strain of bacteria to achieve the best microbiota balance required for good health.
Get That Healthy Gut Feeling
Supporting an optimal balance of gut bacteria is key to achieving good digestive function along with overall health and wellbeing. At ABee Health I can advise you on the best probiotic formula to support your overall wellbeing based on your specific health needs, and can recommend high-quality, scientifically validated strains of probiotics.