If you are looking for the best probiotic for gut health then you should understand that there are a lot of probiotics you can choose from. This can make it difficult to know which probiotic to choose for your situation. The best probiotics for you depend on the strain of bacteria and the number of bacteria the supplement contains and whether the supplement includes prebiotics as well. Probiotics can keep the gut healthy and may relieve symptoms of some health conditions. Read this article to learn more about probiotics.
Are some strains of probiotics better than others?
A lot of probiotics contain mixtures of different strains of yeasts or bacteria. They may also contain some prebiotics which are compounds that probiotics can feed on. If a supplement contains both prebiotics and probiotics, it is known as a synbiotic.Most products contain Bifidobacterium and lactobacillus, although other species exist. It is important to understand that the same probiotic species can act in different ways. Some people take probiotics to maintain everyday health. When it comes to using a probiotic for a specific health condition, people should talk to a doctor about the best strategy to apply. This is mainly because clinical trials show that different dosages and probiotics are effective for different situations and conditions.
Sources of probiotics
You can take probiotics in the form of foods or supplements. Some beverages also contain probiotics. Fermented foods naturally contain probiotics for health. Examples of fermented foods that contain probiotics include natto, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha.
Manufacturers of probiotics measure the number of bacteria in CFUs or colony-forming units. Supplements can vary. Some supplements have CFU of billions and foods with added probiotics contain lower numbers of bacteria. People might take products with higher CFU for specific conditions and products with lower CFU for general health maintenance.
Some supplements may contain prebiotics. It is beneficial to include prebiotics as they provide food for probiotics. This process produces short-chain fatty acids that can maintain the colon’s health and the immune system.
According to research, for prebiotics to be effective, they should withstand food processing and get to the colon undigested. Some common types of prebiotics in foods and supplements are known as oligosaccharides.
Some people are sensitive to prebiotics so taking too much of prebiotics can cause diarrhoea or flatulence. Such people can get the health benefits of prebiotics by including a lot of resistant starch and fibre in their diets and eating foods such as bananas, onions, garlic and oats.
Choosing probiotics for specific health conditions
The strongest evidence in favour of the effectiveness of probiotics lies in the treatment and prevention of health conditions such as acute infectious diarrhoea, necrotising enterocolitis, acute respiratory tract infections, infant colic and antibiotic-associated diarrhoea.
Probiotics in females and males
The effects of the best probiotic for gut health may be different in males and females. More studies should be conducted to establish whether probiotic therapy should be different in women and men. Probiotics can also be used in both men and women for weight loss.