Probiotics help improve your digestion and boost immunity. They also help absorb nutrients like vitamin C, zinc and selenium.
They naturally occur in certain foods and can be sourced in supplements. But not all foods contain live bacteria, and if you’re looking for natural probiotics, it’s best to look for fermented options.
Table of Contents
They Relieve Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Probiotics can help alleviate irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other gastrointestinal disorders. They can also reduce inflammation in the gut.
IBS is a digestive disorder that affects the stomach and intestines and can cause abdominal pain, bloating and changes in stool between constipation and diarrhea. Various factors, such as genetics or environmental factors, may cause it.
It is essential to use a probiotic specifically designed for the gut. This means the bacteria should be able to survive the acidity of gastric juices and bile salts, multiply and colonize the gut, and help maintain healthy bacteria.
In addition, the microbe should be able to adhere to intestinal epithelial cells and mediate immune stimulation. For this, the bacterial strain should have properties such as the ability to stick to the surface of the IECs and to negotiate the synthesis of cytokines like IL-6 or macrophage chemoattractant protein 1.
Studies have shown that the probiotic L. casei CRL 431 can stick to the intestinal epithelial cells and increase cytokine production. Moreover, it has been found to promote paneth cells’ growth. These cells play an essential role in the barrier of intestinal crypts and prevent the entry of pathogens into the digestive tract. In addition, it also helps to maintain the balance of the gut microbiome and suppresses the growth of bad bacteria.
They Reduce Inflammation
The gut plays a critical role in the health of your immune system, and it’s home to about 2,000 different types of bacteria. These bacteria help regulate your digestive tract, fight infections and improve the absorption of nutrients.
Moreover, microorganisms in the intestine can reduce inflammation and other gastrointestinal disorders, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Crohn’s Disease. These effects are attributed to probiotics’ ability to enhance epithelial barrier integrity and function, reduce immune responses, and modulate inflammatory processes.
In addition, one of the benefits of probiotics is they can rebalance the composition of your gut’s microbial population and suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria. In a study on mice, supplementation with a mixture of L. acidophilus, L. casei and B. bifidum improved rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and decreased insulin levels and total cholesterol. It restored the balance between Th17 and regulatory T cells (Tregs).
Probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt and sauerkraut provide your body with beneficial bacteria to support a healthy immune system. Ideally, consume one serving of these fermented foods daily to boost the diversity of your gut’s microbial population.
As we have seen, natural probiotics can support a healthy immune system by increasing the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines. While it’s still unclear if this is true for everyone, this could be an important reason to consider taking a probiotic if you suffer from an inflammatory condition or chronic illness.
They Help Prevent Infections
Natural Probiotics help maintain a healthy gut environment, reducing the risk of infections. They also improve the ability of your immune system to fight off unwanted microorganisms, such as viruses or bacteria.
Research indicates that probiotics help prevent infections caused by viruses such as influenza A and H1N1, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and pneumococcus. They can also increase specific antibodies in your body, such as immunoglobulin A (IgA), a key component of your immune system.
Moreover, probiotics have been shown to reduce the severity and duration of respiratory tract infections in infants and children. They can also protect against atopic dermatitis and antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children.
Some strains of probiotics are known to produce compounds that help strengthen the barrier lining of the intestine and inhibit inflammation, according to studies. For instance, Lactobacillus paracasei secretes a polyphosphate that degrades specific inflammatory chemokines and prevents the development of colitis in mice.
Alternatively, lactobacillus brevis and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii can produce polyphosphate that inhibits the release of the nuclear factor-kB enzyme p38 and helps to reduce inflammation in animals with experimental inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Additionally, a protein called lactoferrin that L. paracasei secretes can degrade a pro-inflammatory chemokine called CXC-chemokine ligand ten and inhibit the recruitment of inflammatory cells into the mucosal tissue.
They Boost Immunity
Probiotics can enhance immunity and protect the gut barrier from pathogenic bacteria. This may help prevent or treat gastrointestinal infections, such as atypical intestinal infections and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which can cause chronic health problems.
Probiotic-containing foods also stimulate the production of cytokines that can activate innate immune cells and T helper 1 (TH1)-type immune responses in the gut. They can increase the number of regulatory T (Treg) cells, IL-10, and transforming growth factor-b (TGFb) production and local IgA.
In addition to direct effects on the host, probiotics can indirectly influence immunity by modulating the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota and reinforcing the epithelial barrier.
Furthermore, probiotics can increase the levels of circulating cytokines and antimicrobial peptides. This can help reduce the risk of developing bacterial or fungal infections and prevent diarrhea.
Probiotics can also improve lipid profiles, lowering blood glucose and triglyceride levels and increasing HDL cholesterol. They can also help control weight gain and obesity-related illnesses like type 2 diabetes. This is because they can regulate the immune system and reduce the amount of fat in the liver, a vital part of the body’s energy supply.