PROBIOTICS…ARE THEY DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD?

You've likely heard of probiotics before that they are the good bacteria which are found in certain foods and supplements that support our gut health and immune system. Many people use probiotics when they are experiencing issues with digestion, when using antibiotics, or want to promote overall health of the digestive tract.

Today, I would like to emphasize on:

1. Do we really need to have a probiotic supplement?

2. When is it necessary to pop in a supplement?

3. What is the good time to take it?

4. Are there any side effects of taking a probiotic?

5. Who should avoid taking a probiotic?

6. How long one should be supplementing a probiotic?

PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

PROBIOTICS are the “good” bacteria (live cultures) which can colonize in our gut and reduce the bad bacteria and fungi by stealing their resources like food and space, and help balance our gut ecosystem. Sources include, fermented dairy products such as yogurt, buttermilk, kefir and non-dairy sources like sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi, kombucha, miso soup and pickled vegetables. However, probiotics do not work in isolation. They need prebiotics to boost their effects.

PREBIOTICS are natural, non-digestible carbohydrates that act as food for probiotics promoting growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Consuming prebiotics like bananas, onion, garlic, leeks, asparagus, artichokes, flaxseed, walnuts, sweet potatoes regularly improve gastrointestinal health and enhance nutrient absorption.

Foods that combine these two are known as SYNBIOTICS. For example, enjoying a small cup of yogurt (Probiotic), topped off with slices of bananas (Prebiotic) is a great combination for our gut health. It is often referred Prebiotics and Probiotics as the “Dynamic Duo” because combined these two can;

· Restore and balance gut microbiome and promotes digestion, also helps in proper transit of food relieving constipation/diarrhea

· Prevents overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the gut

· Produce necessary vitamins and short chain-fatty acids needed for proper bodily functions

· Probiotics have also a role in hormone health especially women in menopause

· Support the immune system reducing the inflammation (there is so much of research on gut health and inflammation these days. Since I could not cram up everything here, I will make exclusive series on the same).

We don’t actually need to take a probiotic supplement when we are eating a well-balanced diet rich in fiber every day, that helps to keep the good bacteria at proper levels.

But certain circumstances can alter the normal gut bacteria in our digestive tract which is termed as “Dysbiosis”.

This causes digestive disturbances, bloating, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, constipation, chronic bad breath, food sensitivities/intolerances and leaky gut (where the gut lining becomes porous allowing partially digested food, toxins, and bad bacteria to spill or penetrate into the circulating blood).

Conditions when dysbiosis can occur and that’s when you need to pop in a Probiotic pill:

· Antibiotic associated diarrhea-AAD. Prolonged usage of antibiotics which kills good bacteria and provides room for bad bacteria to grow. Replenishing the good bugs ASAP will keep the gut microbiome in balance because it can take several months for this correction to happen once this delicate balance disrupts.

· Frequent use of antacids

· Sudden dietary changes like going low-carb or keto diets.

· Chronic Stress

· Ageing

· Travelling and when having airplane foods, lack of hydration and traveler’s diarrhea

· Irregular meals. Eating at the usual time of the day is important because your gut microbes will be expecting food at your regular meal intervals.

· Irritable bowel syndrome both IBS-C and IBS-D

· Eating processed foods, and foods that one is allergic to

· Other conditions when Probiotics are helpful: constipation, yeast infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease, lactose intolerance, eczema, upper respiratory infections, ear infections, common cold and sinusitis.

What is the good time to take a Probiotic?

Probiotics are most effective when taken either on an empty stomach first thing in the morning before breakfast or before

Signs your Probiotics are working

When you take a high-quality probiotic supplement, you may notice several positive changes in your body, ranging from improved digestion and more energy, improved mood and clearer skin. Oftentimes, the first and most immediate change individuals notice is improved digestion.

Why Probiotics are not good for everyone?

Have you ever experienced any adverse reaction after taking a probiotic supplement? Sometimes probiotics knocks our system out of balance. Let’s know why.

By now, we know the way probiotics work is by having the good bacteria enter the gut and colonize there to reduce the numbers of bad bacteria. But they further release chemical signals called cytokines to stimulate the immune system to attack the bad bacteria, and even create enzymes that target these disease-causing microbes at the same time.

Here Comes the Herx!

More commonly known as Herx effect or the Herx reaction, is a wide range of adverse reactions to the toxins released by the bacteria and/or fungus that are being killed.

These endotoxins inside the cell walls of bacteria are the ones that makes us sick. When the bacteria are killed, the cell breaks open and often the endotoxin is released into the body and the burden of processing and eliminating these toxins is placed on the organs, including the gut. People with intestinal permeability (leaky gut) may experience this more intensely outside of the GI tract, while those without leaky gut might experience symptoms confined to the intestines alone.

How to Manage it?

The best way to manage Herx reaction is to control the dosage of the probiotics. One must always start with a low dose probiotic initially and gradually increase the dosage as per the tolerance or you can always try taking one capsule every other day. This can help lessen the intensity of any potential side effects of probiotics and can help make the gut microbiome transition more tolerable. If you still experience gastric symptoms or any of the symptoms below, refraining from taking the product is a good idea.

1. Auto-immune Diseases: Often the toxins can lead to a temporary increase in inflammation in different areas of the body and when the immune system reacts to a sudden flood of inflammatory toxins, an auto-immune flare up can be triggered. For example, Lactobacillus strain in probiotic supplement worsens the symptoms of the autoimmune disease called systemic lupus erythematosus by triggering the host’s immune system. Some common symptoms you may encounter if your body is rejecting a probiotic supplement are: Bloating, gassiness, headaches, diarrhea, joint pain and nausea

2. SIBO-Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth where abnormal accumulation of bacteria in the small intestine can result in loss of appetite, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, malnutrition and brain fogginess.

3. Antibiotic resistance Rarely, probiotic bacteria can contain antibiotic-resistant genes. They can pass these genes on to other strains of bacteria, including the harmful strains that cause infections. However, manufacturers systematically test commercial probiotics strains for the presence of antibiotic resistance. To reduce the risk of consuming antibiotic-resistant bacteria, always source probiotics from trusted, reputable manufacturers.

4. Other conditions when a probiotic has to be avoided: Allergic reactions, lupus, acute pancreatitis, a weakened immune system when undergoing chemotherapy, Organ transplant / Bone marrow transplant or on immunosuppressants, on prolonged respiratory support, a critical illness or had a recent surgery and infants feeling sick.

If you have gut issues and wondering whether probiotics will help you, or interested to know the duration of using probiotics, consult for a personalized advice.