Probiotics have been found to help improve the nutrient intake from the foods we eat, help alleviate some gastrointestinal issues such as constipation & Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and help maintain the balance of good and bad bacteria in the digestive tract. Probiotics such as Lactobacillus Acidophilus have also been found to help support the immune system.
Bacteria is already present within the gut. The concept of bacteria can be seen as negative to many but it’s important to understand that there are both bad and good bacteria in the body and that both are necessary for digestive health – but need to balance. By incorporating probiotics into your diet, you can significantly help support this balance, by building-up the levels of good bacteria to help counteract the effects of the bad.
A key reason to build up your probiotic levels in the body is to help maintain good bacteria levels. In times of illness, antibiotics may be prescribed. Unfortunately, antibiotics kill any bacteria within the intestinal tract ‘good or bad’. This can leave you susceptible to digestive issues and can affect overall health.
By replacing the good bacteria reduced by the antibiotics with probiotics in your diet, you may be able to decrease or eliminate chronic or acute episodes of diarrhoea or constipation.
And in terms of the immune system, probiotic bacteria can actually hinder harmful pathogens reproducing or even surviving in the gut. They can also control the amount of antibodies in the intestines. This results in a stronger immune system better equipped to fight off disease and illness.