Probiotics: Do you really need them?

Let’s chat all things probiotics! With gut health being a hot topic these days it seems like everyone is trying to find the perfect probiotic. I’m here to give you the full run-down so you can really decide if it’s worth the purchase or not.

Let’s start with the basics: what is a probiotic?

Probiotics are the living bacteria that are housed mainly in our gut. There are trillions and trillions of these organisms and there are about 500 different strains. We’re born with a certain “ecosystem” of bacteria, but different species flourish over others depending on our diet, environment, stress, and other lifestyle factors. For example, eating a diet high in fiber will help the beneficial bacteria flourish and crowd out the bad kinds. On the other end of it, eating a diet high in processed foods will favor the bad kinds of bacteria who crowd out the good kinds.

Why do we need the beneficial bacteria in our gut?

These bacteria are communicating with each other and your body systems 24/7. There is a nerve called the vagus nerve which connects your gut to your brain and these bacteria have the ability to communicate directly with your brain. 70% of serotonin (the happy neurotransmitter) is housed in your gut. 90% of your immune system is housed in your gut. Needless to say, this makes your gut bacteria highly impactful on your overall health.

So, if gut bacteria is so important then everyone should take a probiotic supplement?

Not exactly. While we do want everyone to have flourishing beneficial gut bacteria, there are so many different strains and everyone has a unique “ecosystem” that it makes it almost impossible to recommend the same probiotic to each person.

As a general guideline, here is what to look for in a probiotic supplement:

1.    At least 1 billion CFU’s (colony forming units). This will indicate how much living bacteria there is in the supplement.

2.    Proves that it makes it into your large intestine. A lot of probiotics get killed off in your stomach and don’t even make it to your colon where they need to go to do their job.

3.    At least 5 different strains of bacteria. Making sure you’re getting a variety of strains is important because each strain benefits you in a different way.

I always recommend a “foods-first” approach before taking supplements, so if you want to begin eating foods high in probiotics here are a few of my favorites: yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha. A little goes a long way, so an easy way to get your fill of probiotics daily is by adding a scoop of sauerkraut to whatever meal you’d like!

If you want to learn more about probiotics and if they’re right for you, book a free consultation and we’ll get you started on your journey!