If you’re having problems with indigestion or gut health in general then probiotics could work miracles for you. Our gut is home to a lot of different kinds of bacteria which help keep our gut healthy and also carry out the different digestive processes.
When the environment of the gut is disturbed and there’s an imbalance of the kinds of bacteria in the gut, it leads to digestive problems. Probiotics are essentially live bacteria that we consume to help balance out the proportion and population of the bacteria in our gut. To get the most from these supplements, here is what you need to consider.
1. Health
When you consume probiotics you are putting live bacteria into your system. The body’s initial reaction will be the same as it would be if you had an injury or were facing any situation where foreign bacteria is entering the body. If you’re taking a daily probiotic then your body will have grown used to that particular kind of bacteria but when you take a new probiotic, it will be a new entity for the body.
This can be a challenge for people who already have a compromised immune system. It can cause the body to react negatively to the stimulus and it won’t give you the desired result. Consult with a doctor before using probiotics to make sure you can handle it.
2. Types
Bacteria are living organisms and there are many different kinds of bacteria that you can consume through probiotics. Our gut also has many different types of bacteria in it. Bacteria are identified through their genus, species, and strain. To get the most effective probiotic for your body, you need to get the right genus, species, and strain. Different kinds of probiotics are better suited for different tasks. If you’re looking for a solution to a particular problem or you need something that will help with general gut health, make sure you get the right kind of probiotic.
3. Quality
Just like any other supplement, there’s a huge variety in the quality of probiotics available on the market. It’s important to note that probiotics are sold as supplements, not drugs which means that they are not regulated by the FDA. There is no standardized testing and there’s no way to be sure that a probiotic is meeting a certain quality standard.
Your best bet in this regard is to get a product from a well-reputed manufacturer. There is a lower chance that a big company will compromise on quality.
4. CFUs
The Colony Forming Unit (CFU) count tells you how many probiotics you are getting in each dose. This can range from 1 billion to 10 billion per dose. The amount of CFUs you need depends on the kind of problem you’re trying to treat and the specific probiotics you’re using.
Moreover, most products list the total number of CFUs in each dose. If you can get a product that has a breakdown of exactly how many CFUs of each probiotic you’re getting, that will help you consume the probiotics more efficiently. The amount of CFUs in the supplement will also reduce over time so getting fresh probiotics is highly recommended.
5. Other Specifications
Probiotics can come with a number of other components; it’s unlikely you will find a supplement that is pure probiotics. Make sure you read the label and understand what is in the supplement. It might have the one probiotic you want but it might also contain things you don’t want to consume.
Also, verify the dosage that is mentioned on the container and have this checked by your doctor to make sure it’s suitable for your needs. Check the storage information about the probiotic. Some probiotics need to be refrigerated while others can be stored at room temperature.
6. Treatments
Each person’s gut is different and just because a probiotic worked well for a friend doesn’t mean it will work well for you as well. Different kinds of probiotics will also behave differently and this is not a guaranteed solution to digestion-related problems. Probiotics are also not a replacement for regular medicine, they are just a supplement. If you aren’t getting the results that you expect, that particular product might not be for you, and you should try something else.
There is still a lot of research going into probiotics and manufacturers are developing new kinds of probiotics all the time. There is no hard and fast rule about what will work and what won’t work or how a probiotic should be used. If you’re already taking medication then you should consult with your doctor to make sure that the product you want to use is safe to consume in conjunction with your medication.
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