Probiotics are basic supplements that we should include if we are thinking about health, shaping our figure and increasing exercise capacity. See for yourselves, and you will not be disappointed.
Probiotics should be the basis of supplementation not only for health, but also for sports. It is said that the intestines are our second brain. Most of our immunity is also located there. However, that is only the tip of the iceberg.
Probiotics and their benefits
If, when you think of them, you think of yoghurts advertised in the media as containing bacteria beneficial to health, then something is already wrong at the outset. We will certainly also explain how to choose good probiotics and what should characterize them – for now, let us focus on the basics. By the very definition established by the WHO (World Health Organization), a probiotic is a bacterial strain which, when administered appropriately, has a beneficial effect on the body.
It is no wonder, since the basis of the body's functioning is the bacterial flora, and therefore the bacteria residing in our intestines. This is where the production of important vitamins takes place (e.g. vitamin D, whose deficiencies are unfortunately quite common) and other compounds that support and protect the brain, the nervous system and immunity.
In addition, probiotics are able to create optimal conditions for work on muscle tissue and support regeneration processes. Therefore, it is important to take care of good bacteria, which, in addition to the above, will affect well-being and the effects of everyday stress. Of course, that is not all…
Most often, we encounter multi-strain probiotics, containing various bacterial cultures that should act synergistically. Studies confirm that supplementation of this type can have a positive effect on the amount and development of inflammation, and thus reduce the risk of many disease entities.
In the intestines there is the GALT lymphatic tissue, which connects the digestive and immune systems. It stimulates, among other things, the production of antibodies and lymphocytes, enabling more effective protection against pathogens. However, it would not be able to fulfil its functions without gut bacteria.
One of the more important benefits of probiotic supplementation is immunostimulating action, strengthening
immunity and the system's responses. This mainly concerns processes based on phagocytosis.
Probiotics stimulate the activity of phagocytic cells, the so-called macrophages, leading to the elimination of harmful metabolic products, non-functional proteins and pathogenic microorganisms. At the same time, such supplementation stimulates T and B lymphocytes as well as cytokines with beneficial effects. On the one hand, they can support the immune system, and on the other, control its excessive response (e.g. in the case of autoimmune diseases). What else? It has been proven that probiotics affect the regulation of body weight. If only for the obvious reason that they are responsible for the production of vitamin D, vitamin K, which is worth taking with D3, folic acid, biotin and some B vitamins (e.g. B6 and B12).
At this point it should be mentioned that people with glycaemic disorders also most often had inflammation, dysfunction of the intestinal barrier and an excess of harmful bacteria. This works out well, because the microbiome regulates the amount of energy obtained and absorbed from food.
Scientists increasingly suggest that probiotics can be successfully used, for example, in the fight against obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. What is more, it has been shown that gut bacteria support the reduction of nitrosamines and other compounds with a pro-carcinogenic character.
Many of you will probably be interested in the fact that their use has a beneficial effect on the lipid profile. They therefore work well, for example, in cases of hypercholesterolemia. There is also the beneficial effect after antibiotic therapy, or in the case of the increasingly common problem of Candida overgrowth.
Of course, first of all it is best to test the condition of your
bacterial flora, because targeted probiotic therapy brings the best results. All the same, the most common choice, which turns out to be extremely helpful, is multi-strain probiotics.
However, remember that they need some time to restore order in the body. It is also worth checking whether there are any contraindications to their use.
Probiotics - other, no less important, benefits of use
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, they can be confidently used for other purposes. There are really plenty of positives:
- treat occasional constipation and diarrhoea that trouble us from time to time,
- improve intestinal peristalsis,
- improve digestion,
- affect our body weight,
- improve the condition of the skin,
- improve the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine,
- have an anti-inflammatory effect,
- protect against infections, especially against rotaviruses,
- increase the degree of regeneration and affect sleep quality, thanks to their effect on serotonin,
- increase GABA levels,
- regulate dopamine,
- support the integrity of the gut barrier, which is extremely important to us,
- alleviate the effects of stress,
- work well in allergies and/or food intolerances,
- reduce the risk of many serious disease entities.
Probiotics – who needs them most?
- athletes / physically active people,
- people who have a problem with reduced immunity,
- people suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS),
- allergy sufferers,
- women struggling with intimate infections,
- people with Candida overgrowth,
- people whose diet is poor and barren,
- people taking antibiotics, NSAIDs, PPIs (proton pump inhibitors),
- people exposed to high doses of stress,
- people struggling with depressive states,
- children not breastfed,
- pregnant women and breastfeeding women.
In principle, probiotics can be recommended to almost everyone. Let the first stone be cast by the one who has never taken antibiotics. Exactly… The fact that doctors prescribe them quite readily is nothing new.
Nevertheless, they are one of the factors that negatively affect the condition of the microflora. You already know what can help you. Act wisely and stay healthy!
