Here's a fun fact: The bacteria in your body alone outnumber the cells in your body 10-to-1, and most of those are in your gut. Don't panic; most of them are harmless and actually help your body every day! Why should you care? Well, these ''good'' bacteria help keep you healthy by treating current issues and preventing future problems. There have been tons of studies on probiotics, but we're still learning about them every day. So, what do you need to know about probiotics before you start taking them?
Keep in mind that probiotics cannot replace your daily medication, and some people cannot use them. Speak to your doctor before beginning any probiotic regimen.
Fiction: Probiotics are Only for Digestion
A vast majority of Americans live with gastrointestinal issues, and many others deal with problems such as chronic constipation, hence why we usually associate probiotics with digestion issues. The digestive tract acts as the middle of your complex body, so while gastrointestinal improvements are typically the first results you see, they are definitely not the only ones.
Thanks to the digestive tract’s central location, it's connected to and influences things like your immunity, cardiovascular functions, dermatological health, and so much more. Basically this means that probiotics can have significant positive effects on a lot of different parts of your body, not just your gut.
Fact: Probiotics Can Help with Mental Health
Research has shown that there is a strong connection between your gut and your brain. In order to help keep your mind happy, you have to keep your digestive system happy, too. It's theorized that when you have gastrointestinal problems, it could lead to depression and anxiety. Thankfully, probiotics help your gastrointestinal tract regulate itself and could help your mental state, in addition to your gut. There are still ongoing studies on this topic, but people who were dealing with sadness and were given probiotics. They reportedly responded positively and saw an increase in their moods. Of course, probiotics don't replace medicine, so if you are dealing with mental health issues, seek medical treatment from a doctor.
Fiction: Probiotics are all the Same
Okay, so no one is ever really going to remember a name like Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 or Lactobacillus acidophilus. Also, dumping all the different types of probiotics under one, broad umbrella term definitely doesn't work well. Different probiotics and their respective strains do different things. Just one class of probiotic could have hundreds of branching strains, each one just a little bit different from the others.
For example, Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 is a member of the infamous E. coli family (the bacteria that causes diarrhea and stomach problems), but this specific strain of the E. coli family is safe enough to be used as a probiotic because of its effects on various gastrointestinal disorders.
Not only are probiotics all different from each other, but their effects can vary from person to person. No two people are the same, and the way your body reacts to a specific strain of a probiotic could be very different from the way someone else's reacts. Yes, there will probably be some similarities, but sometimes, you have to play around with the various kinds and find the best fit for you.
Fact: Multiple Strains Are Not Always Good
There are over a thousand different species of probiotics, but a person usually only has between 150 and 170 species that have enough of a colony to make a difference in your body. Yes, that's a kind of small number compared to over a thousand possibilities, but the specific mix of probiotics in your body is very important to you as an individual. Every different type does something different for your body and adding too many new probiotics into that mix could upset the balance in your gastrointestinal tract.
Fiction: Probiotics Can Replace Medicine
This is absolutely 100% false. If anyone ever says this, don't believe them. Studies have shown that probiotics should be used in conjunction with your medication, not as a substitute for it. Probiotics are to be used more like dietary supplements rather than actual medicines for illnesses. Keep in mind that the Food and Drug Administration regulates probiotics like food than medicine, so the creators of the probiotics don't have to show that their products are safe or that they even work.
Make sure you also talk to your doctor before you start on probiotics, especially if you have an immune deficiency or are being treated for cancer.
Fact: Probiotics Can Help with Weight Loss
First thing's first. Overweight and lean people have very different gut bacteria, and many scientists believe that probiotics are important in determining body weight. More research is needed, but some probiotic strains appear to help with weight loss.
In one study, the probiotic Lactobacillus gasseri was found to have resulted in an almost 10% loss in stomach fat over 12 weeks. Evidence suggests that there are definitely others out there that help with weight loss and obesity prevention (though as I stated earlier, there are still tests being performed on this specific subject).
Fiction: Probiotics Work Instantly
Just like everything else in nature and in life, probiotics will take some time to work. Probiotics start to colonize in your gastrointestinal tract once they enter your body. Because everyone is so different, it can vary on how long it will actually take for them to take effect, if they do at all. It all depends on how much you're taking, how often you're taking them, what you're eating, how much you're exercising, and the makeup of your gut bacteria when you first started taking it. So, be patient and let your body adapt to the new help—it'll be worth the wait.
Fact: You Don't Have to Take Probiotics Daily
You've probably heard that probiotics are like vitamins, and you should take them every day. The reality is that if you don't have a reason to think something's wrong with your digestive system, then you probably don't have to take them daily. For those struggling with gastrointestinal problems, it makes more sense to take probiotics on a daily basis.
The main argument for taking probiotics daily is because we supposedly don't get enough probiotics through our normal day-to-day lives through food, interaction with dirt, and a lack of fiber. Couple that with the idea that probiotic supplements only last in the gut for less than two weeks, it makes people think that the probiotics in your gut should be replenished every day.
Ultimately, it's a personal decision on whether or not you want to take probiotics daily, but it's basically unnecessary if you don't have any reason to think that your gut needs the extra bacteria.
Fiction: Probiotics are a Miracle Cure
Probiotics are 100% not a replacement for actual medicine. Yes, probiotics are helpful and can help you with the upkeep of good health, but they are meant to be used in tandem with other things to keep you healthy. Focusing on a healthy lifestyle full of exercise and a proper diet will help keep your probiotics working effectively. Probiotics are just one little piece to the complex puzzle of keeping your body healthy.
Fact: Probiotics Could Help Reduce Cancer Risks
I'm going to preface this: as I've said before, probiotics do not replace medicine or trips to the doctor. Studies have shown that some bacterial members of the gastrointestinal tract can, in fact, influence the creation of carcinogenic cells by creating specific enzymes that turn pre-carcinogenic cells into active carcinogens. They create a kind of enzyme that can change the nature of carcinogens (keep in mind, not all carcinogens cause cancer, but some can). To be fair, the effects of probiotics are still being tested, but they have found less potentially dangerous carcinogenic cells in test patients who have taken probiotics.
