Bad Breath

10 Surprising Reasons You Should Take a Daily Probiotic

10 Surprising Reasons You Should Take a Daily Probiotic

By now you’ve probably heard of the microbiome, the community of trillions of microorganisms that live inside and on your body. But did you know that microbes are so fundamental to life that they outnumber human cells by about 10 to 1?

Our microbiome is full of all kinds of microbes, both good and bad. When our microbiome is balanced, the good guys work hard to keep us vibrant and healthy. However, when too many of the bad guys are hanging around, the good bacteria lose their footing and can’t do their jobs properly.

The good news is that we can swing the balance of the microbes in our microbiome in favor of the good guys by consuming probiotics, or beneficial bacteria. Probiotics work to replenish the beneficial bacteria in our body and provide a myriad of important, supportive health benefits.

Here are the top 10 reasons why taking a daily probiotic supplement is one of the best things you can do to support your overall health and wellness. Probiotics for Women and Probiotics for Men are a great start toward overall wellness. 

1. Encourage a balanced microbiome

From modern diets filled with sugar and additives to exposure to antibiotics in both medicine and food, your lifestyle can wreak havoc on your body’s delicate balance of bacteria. Even aging, stress, environmental toxins, and medications (such as antacids, birth control, and steroids) can have indiscriminate effects on your healthy microflora balance.

When the good guys are overwhelmed, your microbiome can quickly shift and create issues that are less than ideal. Luckily, consuming probiotic supplements can replenish your body’s levels of healthy bacteria and encourage the maintenance of healthy conditions in your body.

2. Support immune function

Can you believe that the vast majority—approximately 80%—of your immune system is located in your gut? Because so many of your immune cells inhabit your intestinal tract, a healthy and balanced immune response is largely dependent on strong communities of beneficial bacteria existing within the gut environment.

A high-quality supplement (preferably with multiple strains of good bacteria) works to crowd out the bad guys and support the foundation of your health at its core.

3. Support nutrient absorption

No matter how many superfoods you eat, your body won’t be able to benefit from them if your gut environment isn’t teeming with healthy bacteria. You see, enzymes and digestive bacteria help to break down the food you eat into molecules that make their way into your bloodstream to nourish your body. Inadequate or unbalanced microbial populations in the gut can derail this process and can even lead to malabsorption of critical nutrients. 

A daily probiotic can help your body naturally absorb all of the goodness from your food and supplements so that you’re getting the most out of your efforts to stay healthy.

4. Maintain your mood

Your “gut feeling” is more than just a hunch. In fact, your mental and emotional balance hinge on a healthy gut environment.  

The good guys in your intestinal tract support the production of hundreds of nervous system chemicals that regulate your moods. Indeed, almost 95% of your body’s serotonin—the happiness chemical also found in the brain—is manufactured in your gut, so replenishing them often is one of the best things you can do to support healthy emotional function.

5. Support healthy weight management

According to recent research, having a healthy balance of microflora in your gut helps support up your metabolism and can even encourage healthy weight management. In one study, women who took probiotics over a six month period lost more weight, and were able to maintain and continue that loss, than those taking a placebo1.

An unbalanced gut can also lead to changes in mood and hormone levels that trigger "comfort food" cravings, leading to unwanted extra pounds.

Feel free to checkout our blog about Better Body Probiotics

6. Freshen breath

You may be surprised to learn that our mouths are home to an incredible amount of bacteria. Studies show that certain probiotics can help support the oral microbiome by helping to suppress the growth of bad breath-causing microbes2.

Unlike mouthwash or mints that simply mask bad breath odor, probiotics can help with this occasional, yet embarrassing, issue by encouraging long-term equilibrium of oral bacteria.

7. Keep immune function in check

By supporting a balanced immune system that neither underreacts nor overreacts, probiotics can help to support the health of your bones, joints, skin, and other areas of your body.

In a study published in Gut Microbes, researchers measured participants’ levels of temporary inflammation before and after taking Bifidobacterium supplements. By the end of the 8-week trial, levels significantly decreased in the probiotic group, indicating that these good bacteria can help to keep temporary inflammation in check3.

8. Reduce fatigue

Have you ever felt tired even after getting enough rest? Well, it turns out that a balanced gut can help reinvigorate you. That’s because fatigue (and the resulting irritability) are often signs of poor digestion, which occurs as a result of an unhealthy gut.

Recent research highlights the connection between probiotics and energy. Scientists at National Taiwan Sport University administered Lactobacillus plantarum to mice for six weeks. At the end of the trial, the mice showed increased grip strength, muscle weight, and endurance; and decreased fatigue4.

The good news? Taking beneficial probiotics can help support your body’s ability to properly digest and process all the healthy nutrients you eat so you can maintain your vitality.

9. Maintain your blood sugar already in a healthy range

Did you know that probiotics can help maintain blood sugar levels already within a normal range? Yes, gut bacteria communicate with your cells to help send chemical messages throughout your body. This communication process, in turn, enables your body to support and maintain healthy glucose levels in a normal range.

Taking a daily probiotic ensures that enough of the good guys are working on your behalf to support all of your body’s processes.

10. Improve the appearance of your skin

It’s not just about vanity! Your skin is your largest organ, and it protects your body from countless external threats. But, what many people don’t realize is that your skin is an important reflection of your internal health. Skin problems can result from nutritional and hormonal imbalances, as well as immune system disruptions, all issues that begin in the gut.

By helping you to better absorb the nutrients from your foods and supporting immune system response, probiotics can help you achieve healthier-looking skin that glows.

How to choose the best probiotic supplement (and reap all these benefits)

Not all probiotic supplements are created equal. In fact, most of the organisms in probiotic powders, liquids, and capsules don’t survive your stomach acids to make it to the gastrointestinal tract alive.

Hyperbiotics PRO-15 is different. Utilizing BIO-tract®, a patented delivery method that delivers 15 times more live organisms to your gut, PRO-15 gets the good guys right where they need to be, so you can support your health from the inside out and live a vibrant life! It is the perfect Probiotic for Women, Men, and Adults. 

References:
1. Sanchez, M., Darimont, C., Drapeau, V., Emady-Azar, S., Lepage, M., Rezzonico, E., . . . Tremblay, A. (2013). Effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CGMCC1.3724 supplementation on weight loss and maintenance in obese men and women. British Journal of Nutrition, 111(08), 1507-1519.
2. Burton, J., Chilcott, C., Moore, C., Speiser, G., & Tagg, J. (2006). A preliminary study of the effect of probiotic Streptococcus salivarius K12 on oral malodour parameters. J Appl Microbiol Journal of Applied Microbiology, 100(4), 754-764.
3. Groeger, D., O’Mahony, L., Murphy, E. F., Bourke, J. F., Dinan, T. G., Kiely, B., . . . Quigley, E. M. (2013). Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 modulates host inflammatory processes beyond the gut. Gut Microbes, 4(4), 325-339.
4. Chen, Y., Wei, L., Chiu, Y., Hsu, Y., Tsai, T., Wang, M., & Huang, C. (2016). Lactobacillus plantarum TWK10 Supplementation Improves Exercise Performance and Increases Muscle Mass in Mice. Nutrients, 8(4), 205. doi:10.3390/nu8040205

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Julie Hays is the Communications Director here at Hyperbiotics. Health writer and mama of two little girls, Julie's on a mission to empower others to live lives free of the microbial depletion many of us face today. For more ideas on how you can maximize wellness and benefit from the power of probiotics, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter.