Research shows that you can get some great health benefits from probiotics. They can help reduce inflammation in your gastrointestinal tract and prevent digestive issues. Additionally, new research is revealing that probiotics may benefit more than just your intestines. like the underutilized benefits of probiotics for brain and heart health, and much more.
Your Guide to Probiotics
The word “probiotic” means “for life.” It shouldn’t surprise you, then, that probiotics can provide you with some great health benefits. They may even be able to extend your life. Probiotics are a type of helpful bacteria that create a healthy balance of bacteria in your digestive tract. You can find naturally-occurring probiotics in many fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha. Some foods that you find in the grocery store have added probiotics that help prevent the food from spoiling or just provide some extra nutrients. You can also get your probiotics from supplements. Some of the most common probiotics that you’ll find in foods and supplements are in the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium families of bacteria.
Your doctor or nutritionist might recommend that you take probiotics after you’ve had a course of antibiotics. You may also take probiotics to help treat gut-related candidiasis. Probiotics can help strengthen your immune system and combat allergies, excessive alcohol intake, stress, exposure to toxic substances, and a number of diseases. Also, while your body is fighting these things, the number of necessary bacteria in your body decreases. This allows harmful competitors to thrive, which is obviously bad for your health. So try to include a significant proportion of probiotic foods in your diet. It’ll help you maintain the healthy bacteria in your gut and boost your immune system.
Benefits Of Probiotics For Your Gut And Your Brain
New Research on Probiotics that Reduce Inflammation
Some new research shows that a certain type of probiotic, Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, can help reduce inflammation. This Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 is a probiotic strain that scientists can isolate from healthy human gastrointestinal tissue. Some previous research showed that this strain of probiotics can help modulate the inflammatory response in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. A newer study published in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) Pathogens journal suggests that this particular probiotic strain may be able to provide you with some additional health benefits.
The Fascinating Research Findings
For this study, scientists administered Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 to some mice, and then three weeks later infected them with salmonella. Salmonella is a harmful bacteria that can cause infections in your intestines and trigger your body’s inflammatory response. Therefore, the mice that received the probiotic showed dramatically increased numbers of certain cells that control the immune system’s response to harmful pathogens. In this case, the probiotics helped the mice fight off the salmonella infection (1).
The research also showed increased numbers of T-regulatory (Treg) cells in the mice that were given probiotics. Treg cells help your body suppress inflammation in a wide range of autoimmune diseases. Subsequently, the probiotic caused the Treg cell levels to increase and protected the mice from excessive inflammation during the course of the infection.
Reducing Inflammation with Probiotics
Based on this research, you can get some great health benefits from the Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 strain of probiotics. Your body has a natural inflammatory response to pathogens. Usually, that response is rapid and effective. Sometimes, though, excessive inflammation can damage your healthy tissue. You’re most susceptible to this type of inflammation if you have a chronic condition such as inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, bacterial-induced colitis, type I diabetes, and organ transplantation. Specifically, you can take probiotics to get some much-needed relief if you suffer from any of those conditions. And, you’ll be able to help your body fight off pathogens.
More Extraordinary Health Benefits of Probiotics
There are a few more ways that you can benefit from probiotics.
Improve Your Immune Function and Prevent Infections. Scientists believe that lactic acid bacteria can also greatly benefit your immune function. This type of probiotics may increase your levels of IgA-producing plasma cells, T lymphocytes, and natural killer cells. These types of cells all help you fight off harmful pathogens.
Manage Your Lactose Intolerance. If you have lactose intolerance, that means your body has a hard time processing lactose. You can take lactic acid bacteria to help your body convert lactose into lactic acid. As such, you may then be able to eat more dairy products without suffering all the unpleasant side effects.
Lower Your Cholesterol. Some studies on animals show that certain types of lactic acid bacteria may help lower your serum cholesterol levels. Scientists think that the probiotics help break down bile in your gut and prevent it from being reabsorbed into your blood as cholesterol. Some human trials showed that dairy foods fermented with specific lactic acid bacteria can reduce your total and LDL cholesterol levels. Although, the participants in those trials had normal cholesterol levels to begin with, though, so there’s a need for some more studies to test this theory.
Lower Your Blood Pressure. Several small clinical trials have shown that probiotics can also help you lower your blood pressure. Participants in the study consumed milk fermented with various strains of lactic acid bacteria. So, try adding some probiotic foods or supplements to your diet, and see what kind of benefits you can reap.
More Benefits And Motivation
Most of us are more motivated to start something to avoid pain, but then we continue on our path to change to enjoy the benefits. Similar to the benefits of probiotics you should be armed with the benefits of other healthy choices. Check out these articles on benefits.
