Probiotics promote a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut and help the intestine break down food. In recent years, people have been taking probiotic supplements along with prebiotics, which are made of carbohydrates that cannot be digested by the body. Prebiotics are essential components of Global Glow gut health supplements that are all the rage these days. These supplements also promise to provide other health benefits such as to boost immunity and brighten the skin. Read to learn more about probiotics and prebiotics:
What Prebiotics Do
Prebiotics serves as food for the probiotic bacteria you put into your body. They can stimulate the growth and balance of healthy bacteria in the colon such as the bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Prebiotic fibers are non-digestible and fermented in the colon into short-chain fatty acids that offer energy for the cells lining the gut’s wall. This may help protect against colon cancer and other diseases. Prebiotics can also increase mineral absorption, reduce pathogenic bacteria, and promote weight loss. They are naturally found in foods like asparagus, leeks, banana, asparagus, onions, garlic, and others.
Effects of Prebiotics on GI Symptoms
Prebiotics are not appropriate for everyone. In fact, it can worsen symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome because rapid fermentation can lead to gas, constipation, diarrhea, and bloating in sensitive patients. Prebiotics are not recommended for people with Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) or FODMAPs intolerance.
Do you Need to Take a Probiotic Supplement Every Day?
Although cultured and fermented foods have probiotics, you might not be able to get enough just through diet. Food sources of probiotics have the extra benefit of nutrients together with the good bacteria, but, supplements will usually offer a higher amount of probiotics. Diet, stress, and routine changes can disrupt your natural balance of good bacteria so it is generally recommended to take a daily supplement to help maintain digestive balance.
However, it is important to keep in mind that each probiotic is different due to the variation in bacteria strains. Not all probiotics work the same way work for you and some people should not take probiotic. If you are lactose intolerant, you need to take a dairy-free probiotic. Also, you must pick a probiotic without Candida if you have a yeast overgrowth. The combination of prebiotic and probiotic currently benefits those who are on antibiotic medication. The synbiotic effect helps in fighting the healthy bacteria being killed off while taking antibiotics.