Probiotics can improve or worsen your gut health issues
Targeted probiotics
Many of us are aware of the importance of having a healthy gut. It's key to our overall physical and mental health, and importantly, to our immunity.
This is why more people take probiotics.
But, this can be a problem because if you have a gut infection or other issue, taking the wrong probiotic can exacerbate it.
For example, if you have a candida or yeast overgrowth, Saccharomyces Boulardi can improve it, but if you have a histamine issue, certain Lactobacillus strains can worsen it. Similarly, if you have the gut infection SIBO, you don’t want to take some strains of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, while others can be beneficial.
Strain, not just species matters
This is because there are not only species of probiotics but strains, and it matters which one you take. If you're suffering from viral gastroenteritis, for example, studies show the species Lactobacillus Rhamnosus can help, but only if you take the GG strain. When compared with another strain, Lactophilus, its benefits are significantly greater.
It’s not straight forward.
Another thing to be aware of is that like anything, quality and sourcing matter. Some non-practitioner brands are dead by the time they hit your chemist's shelves. There is no independent body that assess manufacturer claims about probiotics in Australia.
Doing gut stool testing can ensure that the probiotics you take are the most beneficial ones for you and don’t feed an existing infection. You can have high levels of good bacteria too that can cause inflammation.
Also, there are many misconceptions about probiotics. Here are a few key ones:
Some probiotic myths
Myth 1 – Probiotics survive digestion
Fact – Most probiotics do not survive stomach acid and bile, so which one you take matters.
Myth 2 – It’s harmful or pointless taking probiotics when you’re on antibiotics
Fact – Taking specific probiotics while on antibiotics not only significantly decreases side effects, but also reduces damage to your gut bacteria. But which one you take will depend on the antibiotic and your purpose e.g. to reduce diarrhea or cramping, or prevent constipation.
Myth 3 - You can undo the effects of antibiotics and other drugs simply by taking probiotics
Fact – It is not generally possible to permanently re-colonise your gut using supplemental probiotics. So protect your gut whenever you possibly can.
Myth 4 – Probiotics seed (implant) in your gut
Fact – Colonisation by probiotics is rare. Rather, they promote an environment that is conducive to the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
I did an in-depth a talk about pro-, pre- and post-biotics here, if you’re interested!
food sources of probiotics
Some food sources of natural probiotics include the following, but they may not have controlled levels in them but rather reflect their environment
Sauerkraut, Kim Chi, Yoghurts including especially medicinal ones, Kefir, Kombucha, Organic Natto, Miso, Kvass. If you have histamine issues, these are best avoided
Again, most do not survive the digestive tract, but they support a healthy environment for our good gut bacteria to flourish