Have you ever heard of a friend or family member rave about probiotics? These live bacteria are said to offer plenty of health benefits, especially when it comes to your digestive system. While you may readily assume that all bacteria are bad for you, it pays to learn that your body actually contains a mix of good and bad bacteria. Probiotics is the good kind of bacteria, which has been shown to improve gut health and keep certain illnesses at bay. Read on to learn more about what probiotics do for your body.
How Do Probiotics Work?
First, you should understand that probiotics are naturally found in the body. You can also get them from certain foods and supplements. Probiotics help maintain the balance of good and bad bacteria in your body. As you know, taking antibiotics comes with the collateral damage of causing your body to lose good bacteria. Probiotics help in replacing them. This way, you can maintain the balance of bacteria to ensure that your body is in tiptop shape.
A lot of bacteria are classified as probiotics, but most fall in either of two groups. The most common is lactobacillus, which is the kind you see in yogurt and other fermented foods. The other group is called Bifidobacterium, which you can find in dairy products.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Probiotics?
One of the best things that probiotics do is aiding in the movement of food through your gut. A growing body of research also shows that probiotics help in treating various conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, infectious diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease and antibiotic-related diarrhea.
Some research also shows that probiotics aid in the treatment of certain skin problems including eczema. One study shows that babies at risk of developing eczema can benefit from probiotic consumption of their mother.
Women with vaginal yeast infections can also turn to probiotics for help. This is particularly true for those taking birth control pills, which can disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria in the vagina. A Harvard Medical School research shows that probiotics prevent the proliferation of harmful microorganisms.
If you need to lower your blood pressure, then you may only need to stock up on probiotic rich foods. In particular, the strain Lactobacillus reuteri has been shown to reduce LDL levels. Cholesterol is used by the liver to make bile. According to researchers, probiotics helps in breaking up bile salts. They also reduce their reabsorption in the intestines.
Now, you should feel more enticed than ever to include probiotic-rich foods in your daily diet but if you want to read more on the subject the Niagara Health website is a good place. Plenty of studies back up the many health benefits offered by probiotics. But more importantly, learn to listen to your body and see how probiotics affect your health. As always, do not forget to consult with your doctor to get recommendations regarding the best sources of probiotics. This way, you can avoid consuming foods that contain other things that may harm your health or interfere with medications you take.