Last year American's consumption of probiotics increased by 66%. But why this sudden interest in probiotics? What's the importance of probiotics, and how can they affect our health?

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are made from live bacteria. Unfortunately, the same live bacteria are also found in the body. Fortunately, not all bacteria are bad, and our body requires this good type of bacteria to stay healthy.

Probiotics are made from that good bacteria. When consumed or put on the body, probiotics can help to maintain the balance of good and bad bacteria in the body.

The good bacteria found in your body are responsible for a whole host of functions that need the correct bacterial balance to take place.

Your body has over 100 trillion microorganisms that are responsible for keeping you in good health. Probiotics contain some of these microorganisms and are a part of this vast ecosystem of microorganisms in the body.

There are many different probiotic strains. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus are two of the most common groups of bacteria used for probiotics. Some probiotics contain these two bacteria groups; some probiotics have combinations of other bacteria.

It's important to remember that each type of bacteria has a different role in the body. The different probiotic strains have independent uses.

What's the Importance of Probiotics?

Want to know how probiotics work? It's pretty straightforward - the body uses them to maintain a healthy balance of bacteria (good and bad). This is to keep you in optimal health.

Probiotics are also part of critical processes such as digestion, fighting disease and immunity, losing weight, and vitamin absorption.

Probiotics are constantly at work in your gut to stop harmful bacteria from entering your bloodstream. This can help your body fight disease and infection.

There's a strong link between balanced microorganisms and a healthy immune system. For this reason, many people have turned to probiotics during the pandemic to ensure a robust and healthy immune system.

Where Are Probiotics In The Body?

There are various and specific parts of our body where probiotic bacteria (our microbe) live. These are the areas that need to constantly maintain a healthy bacterial balance to avoid getting sick. So let's take a look at some of the parts of the body affected by probiotics:

The Gut

Our gastrointestinal tract is where the highest concentration of microorganisms lives. Keeping these bacteria healthy is crucial for metabolism and keeping pathogens at bay.

Unbalanced bacteria in the gut are linked to various infections and inflammatory diseases.

One of the main benefits of probiotics is keeping this complex system of gut bacteria in balance. This can help avoid issues such as diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome.

A healthy, well-balanced gut is also a healthy immune system that impacts all aspects of our health, including our mood and mental health.

Skin

The first barrier between our body and the outside world; human skin is also the home to a complex combination of microbes.

Applying probiotic skin products can help to heal afflictions of the skin, such as acne or eczema.

The Mouth

Another part of the body that's home to probiotic bacteria in the mouth. Consumption of probiotics may help prevent and treat oral diseases.

The digestion process starts in the mouth when you chew your food. Thus it makes sense that maintaining healthy bacteria levels in your mouth will impact the bacteria in your gut.

The Vagina

When a baby is born, its gut bacteria are colonized with the bacteria in the mother's vagina. This helps the baby to develop a healthy immune system as it grows. 

Keeping a healthy balance of bacteria in the vagina can help to maintain the PH levels in the vagina and avoid issues such as bacterial vaginosis. The probiotic women commonly take for vaginal health is L. acidophilus.

The Urinary Tract

Ensuring the balance of probiotics in your body is also essential for urinary tract health. This is because the bacteria in the urinary tract can become infected with pathogens. This can lead to discomfort and urinary tract infections.

How to Take Probiotics

You can consume probiotics as part of your diet, or you can buy probiotic supplements.

Fermented foods are full of probiotics, and including them in your diet can help maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in your body. The following foods contain probiotics:

• Yogurt
• Tempeh 
• Kombucha 
• Miso 
• Sourdough
• Kimchi
• Sourkraut

You can also take probiotics as a capsule, liquid, or powdered supplement. If you want to ensure you are getting a regular and steady probiotic boost, it's best to take a supplement rather than rely on your diet.

It is possible to take too many probiotics; you won't have severe side effects but may feel bloated, gassy, or nauseous.

Taking a probiotic supplement will give you a regulated dose that's safe for your body. You usually take probiotic supplements on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.

Maintain a Balanced Microbiome

Our health is dependant on a complex system of processes. The importance of probiotics in these processes can't be underestimated. In addition, the balance of our living bacteria is crucial to maintaining good health. 

We can influence the balance of our microbiome (the living bacteria) through our daily actions.

Keep the living bacteria in your body healthy and balanced with a combination of a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and supplements. Remember to discuss your supplement program with your doctor before you start it.

If you're feeling like your gut and immune system are sluggish and need a healthy boost, why not try a cleanse with probiotics?