The Benefits of Probiotics for Your Overall Health

You’ve struggled with balancing your gut health and are tired of dealing with the side effects. Bowel troubles and digestion issues are no one’s cup of tea. 

How can probiotics help? Probiotics are living microorganisms found in cultured foods that can help improve your body’s bacterial environment inside and out by restoring your natural gut flora. 

This guide will discuss the benefits of probiotics and how to introduce them into your daily routine. 

Table of Contents

  • Why Are Probiotics Beneficial?
  • The Benefits of Probiotics Will Vary
  • What Are the Benefits of Taking Probiotics?
  • Balanced Gut Health May Contribute to Improved Gastrointestinal Health
  • Balanced Gut Health May Contribute to Improved Cognitive Function and Mental Health 
  • Balanced Gut Health May Contribute to Improved Skin Health
  • Other Possible Health Benefits of a Probiotic
  • Is It Good To Take a Probiotic Daily?
  • VTMN Packs: Curated Probiotic Strains To Support Your Unique Gut Health Needs

Why Are Probiotics Beneficial?

Your overall general health and the root of many diseases stem from the gut. Gut health, good or bad, can affect a person’s:

  • Mental health
  • Gastro health
  • Skin health
  • And more

It’s important to take good care of your gastrointestinal health, and probiotics are one part of that health management process. 

Adding probiotics into your daily routine may help:

  • Improve immune function
  • Improve digestion and absorption of food and nutrients
  • Block the uptake of bad bacteria by improving the ability of the intestinal mucosal barrier to resist infection

It’s important to note that the benefits of probiotics will vary from person to person due to a number of factors that we’ll discuss below.

The Benefits of Probiotics Will Vary

In a study conducted in 2016, an estimated 12% of the Canadian population reported regularly consuming probiotics. 

The benefits of probiotics will be different from individual to individual.

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Different types of probiotics may also have varying effects. For example, if a specific kind of Lactobacillus helps prevent an illness, that doesn’t necessarily mean that another kind of Lactobacillus or any of the Bifidobacterium probiotics would do the same thing.

Because there are variations in probiotic strains and how they work, it’s essential to choose the right type of probiotic, in the right dose and duration, to target the specific ailment or symptoms you’re looking to relieve.

The benefits of probiotics can vary depending on:

  • The variety of bacteria 
  • The strength
  • The type of probiotic taken

What Are the Benefits of Taking Probiotics?

The main benefit of probiotics is that they can help balance the good and bad bacteria in the gut. Other potential benefits include improved cognitive function, mental health, and skin. 

Probiotics can also be used in the treatment or prevention of medical conditions, such as:

  • Diarrhea
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Eczema
  • Food allergies 
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Vaginal yeast infections

While the body of research around probiotics continues to grow, a number of clinical trials already support the use of probiotics for:

  • Maintenance of overall good health
  • Helping gut flora to thrive 
  • Boosting immunity

Balanced Gut Health May Contribute to Improved Gastrointestinal Health

You might be asking, “How can a balanced gut help with gastrointestinal issues?” 

While a good amount of research has been done into the benefits of probiotics and their effects on various health conditions, there’s still a lot that can be learned. 

According to The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, probiotics have shown promise for a variety of health purposes, including:

  • Prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea
  • Prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis in premature infants
  • Treatment of infant colic
  • Treatment of periodontal disease
  • Induction or maintenance of remission in ulcerative colitis

There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to increasing the number of good microbes in your body, including

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  • Foods, like yogurt and pickles
  • Drinks, such as kombucha
  • Supplements

Diarrhea

High concentrations of fewer strains of probiotics can be great for treating certain conditions like antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

Antibiotic medications are often needed to fight an infection, but they don’t differentiate between the good and bad bacteria in your body. Some people develop diarrhea after taking an antibiotic. A probiotic adds the good bacteria back into your body and can help reset your gut. 

Some research has shown a positive connection between taking probiotics after an antibiotic for diarrhea, but keep in mind this hasn’t been proven yet and doesn’t work for everyone.

One study found that taking probiotics reduced C. difficile infection (CDAD) by 60%.

Constipation

Those suffering from constipation may turn to probiotics for potential relief. There are a number of different causes of constipation, including:

  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Childhood constipation
  • Medications
  • Pregnancy

But can probiotics actively help relieve constipation? Research suggests the answer is yes.

By pooling the findings of the trials, researchers found that on average, probiotics: 

  • Increased “gut transit time” by 12.4 hours
  • Increased the number of weekly bowel movements by 1.3
  • Helped soften stools, making them easier to pass

Probiotics that contained Bifidobacterium appeared to be the most effective. 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Probiotics can be effective in treating IBS, especially those used for less than eight weeks. Higher dosages of a single probiotic strain also seem to show greater benefits.

Probiotics have been shown to improve: 

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  • Overall stool frequency
  • Gut transit time
  • Stool consistency

In a study, supplementation with probiotics reduced the severity of IBS-D symptoms (medium effect size) and abdominal pain (small effect size) and increased satisfaction with bowel habits (small effect size).

Balanced Gut Health May Contribute to Improved Cognitive Function and Mental Health

It may be difficult to draw the line between mental health and gut health, but an increasing number of studies have linked gut health to mood and mental health.

For example, a study found that taking probiotic supplements for 8 weeks decreased depression levels and reduced levels of C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation) and hormones such as insulin, compared to people who did not take a probiotic.

Balanced Gut Health May Contribute to Improved Skin Health

People who struggle with skin conditions like eczema may turn to probiotics with the hopes of seeing improved skin health.

A UK study found that probiotics may slightly reduce the severity of eczema, although it is uncertain if such a change is meaningful for patients. Probiotics may help treat eczema thanks to their immune system-strengthening benefits, but when it comes to skin conditions, it may be best to use probiotics in conjunction with conventional treatments.

Other Possible Health Benefits of a Probiotic

While the body of research around probiotics continues to grow, a number of clinical trials already support the use of probiotics for:

  • Maintenance of overall good health
  • Promotion of the proper intestinal environment
  • Stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract and systemic immunity
  • Pregnancy support and improved immunity in newborns
  • The prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections, vaginal yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, and food allergies 

Is It Good To Take a Probiotic Daily?

If you’re looking to introduce probiotics into your system for overall good health, we recommend taking one capsule once or twice daily of one of our available formulas. 

Studies have shown that taking a probiotic within 30 minutes of a meal, especially one with a beneficial fat, have the highest survival, and therefore efficiency, rates. Those wishing to use probiotics to aid in treatment or recovery may require higher doses for different periods of time. We suggest consulting with your primary care provider to determine the strain and dose that’s right for your condition at your particular stage of treatment.

Rotate Your Probiotic for Diversification

To keep your health at its best, it’s recommended that you rotate your probiotics every few months. 

VTMN Packs offers three different probiotic supplements and recommends that customers alternate between them every six months to help establish microbial diversity. 

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Available VTMN Packs probiotics contain six, seven, or 10 strains. Remember, having more strains provides strength in numbers as well as variation in the type of bacteria you are colonizing with. 

High concentrations of fewer strains can be great for treating certain conditions, but diversity is important in supplements used for daily, general health so as not to end up with an over-colonization of any specific strain of bacteria.

VTMN Packs: Curated Probiotic Strains To Support Your Unique Gut Health Needs

Deciding on your own to add a probiotic to your vitamin regimen requires a lot of research and effort. 

VTMN Packs is committed to helping you achieve your health goals with five different probiotics to choose from — all with varying strengths and target benefits. 

Probiotics from VTMN Packs:

  • Can help restore natural gut flora
  • Contain prebiotics that act as food for the good bacteria
  • Promote balanced intestinal microflora
  • Enhance healthy digestion and immunity

Take our 5-minute health assessment and be on your way to daily vitamins personalized just for your needs sent right to your doorstep.

The content in this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition

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