Probiotics nowThe great stress and strain, and the accompanying disruption of dietary habits during recent times have caused considerable damage to the good bacteria in our gut. The result: our digestive system and immune system have been weakened. The good news: with the right probiotic supplement the situation can be improved.
If there is one thing that most of us can agree on when it comes to the current period is that we have been under considerable, constant pressure for over six months. If that wasn’t enough, our lifestyle and diet have been interrupted, and we are spending most of our time at home, usually prowling between the refrigerator and the snacks cupboard. Recently many of us have also been experiencing bloating, heaviness, feeling full and gassy, and general stomach discomfort on a daily basis.
Why is this happening? One of the significant factors that can create these effects is harm to the population of good bacteria, also known as "probiotic bacteria". The probiotic bacteria play an important part in the digestive processes, help in the breakdown and absorption of nutrients and also in the production of vitamins, and damage to them disrupts the functioning of the digestive system.
Therefore, if you have recurrent symptoms such as bloating, heaviness, gassiness, and stomach discomfort, especially recently, your good bacterial population may have dwindled, while your bad bacterial population has increased. The good news is that there is a solution!
Apart from the great contribution of probiotics to the digestive system, you should know that probiotics are just as important in strengthening our immune system. How, you ask? A large number of the immune system cells (70% -80%!) are in the gut, and the probiotic bacteria act as "guards" that protect them. When we do not have sufficient good bacteria in the gut, the immune system may weaken, and thus infections that the body can usually fight off relatively easily can harm us.
The importance of consuming probiotics, good bacteria, is quite clear, but it is equally important to know the best way to do it. There is a wide variety of probiotic supplements on the shelves, but as in any field, here too there are probiotic supplements that are more recommended and proven than others. So how do you know which probiotic supplement to choose? Check the following: quantity, variety, resistance.
Quantity of bacteria: Not many people know it, but the intestinal area is huge, and for a probiotic to have an effect it must contain a large quantity of bacteria that can take root along its entire length. A small quantity of bacteria in a probiotic supplement (fewer than 10 billion bacteria) will usually be much less effective. It is therefore important to pay attention to the total quantity of bacteria found in each capsule.
Variety of strains: The variety of strains of probiotic bacteria that are in the supplement is of great importance as well. Each person has a unique bacterial community in the gut, a kind of unique "fingerprint”. Some bacteria have a better tendency to thrive in the beginning of the gut, while others actually thrive well along its length. In addition, each strain has a different physiological role - some support the immune system, while provide more support to breaking down food. A multiplicity of strains in a probiotic supplement means a supplement that is suitable for everyone, even without knowing the individual probiotic profile. For this reason, a probiotic supplement containing a wide and diverse variety of strains will provide a solution throughout the length of the gut, and will lead to effective dispersal for different and diverse people.
Bacterial resistance in the digestive process: Another issue that is important to consider when choosing an effective and good-quality probiotic supplement is its ability to maintain and protect the good bacteria until they reach the intestine - which is their ultimate destination. On the way to the intestine the good bacteria in the capsule pass a series of obstacles where they meet with the high acidity of the stomach. Therefore to ensure their effectiveness and efficiency it is important that they be protected. By means of advanced developments such as improved, patented coating it is possible to provide maximum protection for the bacteria, and thus allow them to reach the gut and perform their important and vital work. A good quality coating will also ensure that the bacteria are protected and maintain their efficiency even when the product is waiting on the shelves in the stores, and will protect them from heat and moisture
