In recent years, there's been a tremendous amount of information and research regarding gut health, the connection with overall improved health, and even how it can increase your results.
The gut health conversation doesn’t happen without bringing up probiotics as well.
Which is great, because of how beneficial probiotics are ... whether they are coming from the foods you eat, or if you choose to supplement them.
That said, some people may be thinking, “What are probiotics?” or even “Are probiotic supplements good for you?” Shoot, I used to wonder the same things myself, so now I'm going to dive in and answer a few of the most common questions we get about probiotics.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are living microorganisms (bacteria) that can be consumed, and have been shown to have health benefits. They're often referred to as “healthy gut bacteria”.
Now I know that when I say “living”, you may be curious about ingesting a living organism ... but that's where it's helpful to understand that our gut houses trillions of living bacteria at any given time, both good and bad, called our “gut flora”.
The goal of consuming probiotics is to reestablish a positive balance of good vs bad bacteria in your gut flora.
These bacteria can play a huge role in digestion, strengthening immune function, and promoting a healthy overall metabolism, allowing your body to absorb the nutrients that you're consuming more effectively.
For some people, the old saying “you are what you eat” is changing to “you are what you absorb”.
If you can utilize the nutrients in your food more effectively, then your progress overall can improve as well!
The Benefits Of Probiotics
Probiotics can help you take more control of your gut—and your immune system as a whole.
Here are six great benefits of regular probiotic pills:
Digestive Health
Probiotics introduce good bacteria into your digestive system, and experts think that actually helps balance your whole system.
By adding the right bacteria, you can boost your digestive health.
Immune System Support
Gut probiotics have been linked with improved immune system support.
While more research is needed to solidify this connection, there’s very positive evidence.
For example, the probiotic Lactobacillus crispatus has also been shown to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women by 50%.
Gut Bacteria Balance
On top of helping your digestive system, you’re just generally balancing the bacteria in your gut.
Your gut is full of about 100 trillion microbes, and striking the wrong balance can have downsides.
The right balance can help boost your overall health because your gut bacteria affects your whole body.
I’ll dive into the consequences of imbalanced gut flora shortly.
Diarrhea and Constipation Relief
Probiotic pills also have powerful diarrhea and constipation relief—and they can lessen the severity of those symptoms as well.
There are a lot of causes of diarrhea, and probiotics can reduce most of those.
For example, they can help with antibiotics related diarrhea, C. difficile infection, and travelers’ diarrhea.
On top of that, probiotics can reduce the duration of diarrhea by 25 hours.
For the reverse problem, research suggests probiotics can keep you regular.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Management
It’s estimated that 15% of the American population have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The good news is that probiotics can help manage symptoms, as early research suggests.
Women’s Health
As I mentioned earlier, probiotics can help with the urinary tract—which is highly beneficial for women’s health.
Probiotic pills also help support vaginal health.
What can cause imbalances in Gut Flora?
There can be a few negative outcomes of an unbalanced gut. Things such as: a weakened immune system, inflammation, insulin resistance, and even hormonal imbalances, along with possible changes to mood, appetite, and complexion.
That's why it's important to get ahead of it and understand what the possible causes are.
The most common factors that can lead to an imbalanced gut are: a lack of diversity and key micronutrients in our diets, stress, toxins in our daily environment, consumption of processed foods/alcohol, and taking antibiotics/some medications. Even genetics and aging can contribute to an imbalance in the gut.
Is MY Gut Unbalanced?
Since I would be wondering the exact same thing myself after reading all of that, I want to lay out some signs and symptoms that may be indicators of less than ideal gut health.
The main thing you may be experiencing if you have a poor balance of your gut flora is chronic digestive issues - including things like, bloating, diarrhea, and gas.
Some may also notice depression, anxiety, sugar cravings, food sensitivities, and noticeable skin problems such as eczema.
For the most part, there are short-term signs ... and if the gut is the issue, they can be helped.
However, without changing nutrition and lifestyle habits, we can suffer long-term issues. Poor gut health can lead to diabetes, obesity, and autoimmune disorders.
This is exactly why I want to make sure you are aware of the positive benefits of getting your gut health in a good place!
Ways to Eat Probiotics
Since I have laid out what probiotics are, and the fact that they can help with gut health, especially if you are dealing with any issues above ... I want to talk about where to find them.
Typically, you will find them in fermented foods, which is a process where carbs and starches are broken down by bacteria. Actually, this is a way of preserving foods.
Foods with probiotics include:
1. Yogurt
2. Kefir
3. Sauerkraut
4. Kimchi
5. Miso
6. Kombucha
7. Tempeh
Many of these foods above are not a consistent daily choice for very many of us. Yogurt is about the only one that I have seen the people I work with consume semi-regularly.
Knowing that, and knowing how hectic someone’s life may get, we wanted to provide a solution that is much more convenient.
This is exactly why we have made multiple products that contain probiotics, including a standalone probiotic supplement or probiotic pill.
Can You Take A Probiotic Every Day?
Can you take probiotics every day?
Yes! In fact, it’s recommended to take them daily for maximum effectiveness.
Pick a specific one probiotic pill that you like and stick with the same brand for at least four weeks in order to feel the effects.
Try not to switch until you’ve stuck it out for four weeks. That way you can really test if it’s effective.
If you don’t like the It's best not to switch brands until you've tried the same one for at least four weeks. If you're unhappy with the brand at that time, you can always switch to another one.
When Should I Take Probiotics?
When you’re taking your probiotic pill every day, what time should you take it?
For maximum effectiveness, it’s recommended to take your probiotics on an empty stomach.
That way the probiotics can pass through your stomach acid as quickly as possible, so the bacteria can get to work.
To make it happen, consider taking your probiotics around two or three hours after your most recent meal and about 30 minutes before your next meal.
Are There Any Risks To Taking Probiotics?
There’s little research on the safety of probiotics, but they seem to be safe for healthy people to take regularly.
That being said, some people could experience some side effects, like gas or bloating.
Here are some things to consider:
- Immunocompromised. Taking immunosuppressants can interact with probiotics. On top of that, there is a small risk that a bad microbe is mixed into the batch. A healthy immune system would filter it out, but someone with a weakened immune system could have a risk of infection. Talk to a medical professional before choosing a probiotic.
- Pre-existing health conditions. Some health conditions could increase side effects.
- Quality of supplements. High quality supplements are less likely to have side effects or risks.
- Medication interactions. Check with your doctor if your medication could interact with probiotics.
What Are The Best Probiotic Pills & Supplements?
As I mentioned above, we have multiple products that contain probiotics, That said, we do have one that is specifically just probiotics, and I'm going to start with that one.
1st Phorm Probiotic contains 8 billion shelf-stable CFUs of living and healthy bacteria. These are mainly from the strain Lactobacillus acidophilus, which is one of the most common “healthy” bacteria found in the gut.
I know, 8 billion sounds like quite a bit, but remember that there are TRILLIONS of living microorganisms in the body.
Also, it's important to note that CFU is the measuring unit used for probiotics ... while "shelf-stable" simply means they are able to stay alive while being stored on a shelf before being purchased and consumed.
The second product I want to discuss is our Daily Essential Nutrient Pack, called Micro Factor. This is a supplement to help fill all known and unknown gaps in our diets.
Containing 6 different products in one quick and convenient little packet, Micro Factor contains the probiotic supplement mentioned above.
That way, you're not only taking care of your gut health, but also getting in much of your daily micronutrient needs.
Last, but definitely not least, is our green superfood powder, Opti-Greens 50. Opti-Greens 50 contains 1 billion CFUs of a powerful probiotic called “DDS-1”.
Not only do you get the probiotic, but you also get a blend of 8 organic greens and grasses, phytonutrients from a wide variety of fruits/veggies, and so much more.
Which One Do I Use?
Technically, you CAN use all of them! However, that is not my suggestion, and I want to help you prioritize to see the most benefit.
Since Micro Factor delivers a broad spectrum of nutrients, and fills daily gaps in our diets ... it could be a good place to start. It can help establish a solid foundation for any healthy lifestyle and supplement regiment to build off of.
Opti Greens 50 would be my next suggestion for many people. This is because with Opti-Greens 50, you're able to get such a wide variety of nutrients that are difficult to consume through food.
Heck, when was the last time you ate Spirulina, Wheatgrass, Alfalfa, and Oat Grass all in one day? If you're like me, it's probably been a while.
Probiotic could be a great tool if you are battling some of the symptoms I mentioned above, and want to kick that probiotic number even higher than one of the two previous options above.
It's a great choice to help alleviate any issues that may be arising from poor gut flora balance, or if you were recently taking an antibiotic, due to the fact that it targets all bacteria in the gut, not just the bad ones.
Elevate Your Fitness Journey With 1st Phorm
I'm going to wrap it up here, so if you have any questions at all or need any help, please let us know!
1st Phorm is happy to help support you through your journey.
In fact, we’ve created an app specifically designed to provide you with the resources you need to achieve your health goals.
It has workouts, recipes, and plans for you.
Download the 1st Phorm app to get started.
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