Why Take Probiotics? 10 Reasons to Take Probiotics Did you know that trillions of bacteria live inside of your gut? While you may not like to think about your body as a home to these microscopic bugs, they actually do a lot for your health. Your gut microbiota impacts everything from your digestion and nutrient absorption to your immune system and mental health. With such far-reaching impacts, it’s important to treat your gut right. Otherwise, you could develop a host of health problems. If you want to nurture a healthy gut, there are many proactive steps you can take. One of the easiest steps is adding probiotics to your daily intake. Below, we’ll review ten compelling reasons why you should consider adding a probiotic supplement to your ongoing self-care routine. Why Should I Take Probiotics? Probiotics are live and active, beneficial bacteria that can support the health of your gut by maintaining internal balance. Biology aside, there are plenty of noticeable benefits that often come with these health-promoting supplements. So, why take probiotics? Here are eight research-backed reasons why you should take a daily probiotic supplement. #1 Probiotics May Improve Your Digestion: As many as one in five Americans deal with digestive problems on a daily basis. Some of these issues include: Bloating Constipation Gas Diarrhea Indigestion Tummy troubles like these can be frustrating and uncomfortable. An imbalanced gut, overrun by bad bacteria, is a common culprit behind many of these digestive difficulties. Gut microbiota imbalances can arise in response to a poor diet, stress, illness, or medication use. Probiotics can help turn these problems around by restoring balance in the gut. Why are probiotics important exactly? Research shows that probiotic supplementation can reduce digestive disorders ranging from acute diarrhea to irritable bowel syndrome. Our IBS Pro probiotic capsules are designed to help normalize stool consistency and frequency to the extent that people report a significant improvement in their quality of life. #2 Probiotics May Enhance Your Nutrient Absorption Many health-conscious people put a lot of time, effort, and money into perfecting their diet. If you’re one of them, you may follow a specialized diet, buy organic produce, and load up your plate with superfoods. There’s no real downside to eating healthy food for most people. However, some of that carefully curated nutrition may go to waste if you haven’t optimized your gut microbiota. That’s because your gut bacteria play a vital role in helping you break down and absorb nutrients during digestion. Depending on the health of your gut, you may absorb more or less nutrients. Here’s what you can expect based on your gut composition: If your gut has an abundance of healthy bacteria, they can help your body break down your meals into easily absorbable vitamins and minerals. Once absorbed, these nutrients travel to your bloodstream. If your gut is inflamed and you have more harmful bacteria than beneficial bacteria, you may not be able to absorb as many nutrients from your food. This may lead to nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, and some more serious malabsorption conditions. Fortunately, taking a probiotic is a simple way you can extract more of that nutritious goodness from your food and establish a healthy gut. #3 Probiotics Support a Healthy Immune System Looking to strengthen your immune system? A growing body of research has shown that probiotics can help support a strong immune system. This is, at least in part, because most of your immune cells live within your intestinal tract. In fact, 70% to 80% of your entire immune system is in your gut’s lymphatic tissue. Some types of probiotics can promote the production of natural antibodies and increase the number of immune cells, such as: IgA-producing cells, which protect against infections T lymphocytes, which play a notable role in immunity against infectious diseases Killer cells, which prevent the spread of tumors and microbial infections They may also lessen the severity of certain illnesses if you happen to come down with one. #4 Probiotics Can Replenish Your Gut Microbiota After Antibiotics If you’re diagnosed with a bacterial infection, you may be prescribed a round of antibiotics. While antibiotics are an incredible feat of modern medicine, they’re also quite a disruptive force for your gut. That’s because antibiotics wipe out all of the bacteria in your gut, including the friendly ones your gut needs to thrive. Some people develop diarrhea during a round of antibiotics for this very reason. Fortunately, some studies suggest that taking a probiotic may reduce your chances of developing antibiotic-induced diarrhea. Bio-K+ is one of those probiotics with good quality evidence supporting its use while taking antibiotics. Probiotics may also help you regain your gut microbiota balance after you’ve completed a round of antibiotics. #5 Probiotics May Strengthen Your Intestinal Walls Poor gut health is sometimes associated with chronically inflamed intestinal walls. This inflammation can lead to a condition known as “leaky gut syndrome,” which causes the cells of your intestinal lining to become more permeable, allowing substances to pass through much more easily. A leaky gut may allow harmful bacterial toxins to enter your bloodstream. When this happens, your body can trigger an immune response. Some research has linked leaky gut syndrome to the following conditions: Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis Arthritis Chronic fatigue Fibromyalgia Asthma Allergies Food sensitivities Celiac disease Crohn’s disease Ulcerative colitis Inflammatory bowel disease Digestive issues, such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain Probiotics have been shown to reduce the intestinal inflammation that can cause leaky gut syndrome. In some studies, patients who took a course of probiotics showed lower markers of pass-through in the intestine. By taking probiotics regularly, you may be able to strengthen your gut lining and resolve the conditions linked to your leaky gut. #6 Probiotics Promote Mental Wellness Thanks to a communication highway known as the gut-brain axis, your body and brain communicate in fascinating ways. Most notably, your gut produces an abundance of mood-regulating neurotransmitters, including an impressive 95% of your body’s serotonin. This neurotransmitter is responsible for stabilizing your mood and instilling a sense of happiness and wellbeing. If your gut health is out of whack, your mental health can bear the consequences. You may become more prone to depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. Taking probiotics is one way to set yourself up for better mental health. #7 Probiotics May Help You Maintain a Healthy Weight As a general rule, you should be wary of diet pills. But anyone who tries to convince you that probiotics are a mere diet pill doesn’t know the first thing about gut microbiota or the inherent health benefits. Probiotic capsules may be able to naturally support healthy weight management when paired with the right diet and exercise regimen. They’ve been shown to support weight loss through the following mechanisms: Some probiotics prevent the absorption of dietary fat, which allows you to excrete rather than store it in the body. Other probiotics can increase your levels of hunger-regulating hormones. In turn, they may help you feel fuller for longer and burn more calories, supporting your weight loss efforts. One study even showed that women who took certain probiotics for three months lost 50% more weight on their diet than those who didn’t. Whether you want to lose a few pounds or maintain your current weight, a probiotic may be able to help you in the process. #8 Probiotics May Improve Your Heart Health With heart disease as such a major health concern in America, it’s never too early to focus on mitigating some of the stress and negative impact on your heart. 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