Wellness Wednesday.

My apologies for posting "Wellness Wednesday" on a Thursday.  Tim and I made it home from our holiday trip late last night...excuses, excuses...

Probiotics.

Probiotics are live microorganisms (bacteria) that are either the same as or similar to microorganisms found naturally in the human body.  When we are born, our little gastrointestinal tracts are sterile and as soon as we begin our journey into the world (and constantly thereafter) we get exposed to different bacteria that start to grow in our bellies.  These bacteria perform a lot of useful functions, such as fermenting unused energy substrates, prepping the immune system, preventing the growth of harmful bacteria, and producing vitamins for us (such as biotin and vitamin K).

Without these little gut bacteria our bodies would be unable to use some of the undigested carbohydrates because some types of the gut bacteria have enzymes that human cells lack for breaking down certain polysaccharides - a fancy word for carbohydrate.

Bacteria turns the carbohydrates into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs).  These SCFAs can then be used by our cells as a major source of energy and can help our bodies absorb essential nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and iron. 

Another important role of healthy gut bacteria is that they prevent species of bacteria that could potentially cause us harm.  It is basically a competition.  Our good bacteria is more accustomed to living in our bellies, so typically it can "beat" out the bad bacteria, helping to keep us healthy.  However, when we are out of balance - the bad bacteria outweighs the good - the bad bacteria can start to "beat" out the good...hence the relation to a competition. 

By taking a probiotic you are essentially trying to help your body maintain a healthy level of good bacteria in your gut.  There are ways in which we can damage or encourage the growth of not so good bacteria in our gut too...

• Taking antibiotics.  When we take a broad-spectrum antibiotic (basically an antibiotic that is designed to target multiple different bacteria) we (unintentionally) alter our bacteria in our gut.  Perfect example - check the possible side effects of an antibiotic and you may see any of the following - nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.  Hmmm...makes perfect sense.  I can't tell you how happy I was the last time I had to take an antibiotic (a prophylactic measure after some dental work) and the pharmacist recommended I take a probiotic if I wasn't already.
• Diet.  Anything with sugar can alter your gut flora.  Sugar tends to feed or nourish the bad bacteria in the gut.  Vegetables (fiber) tend to feed or nourish the good bacteria.  That is one of the reasons we hear our health care providers pushing fiber to benefit our gut health.  I wonder if those recent cupcakes, hot chocolates and candy canes were the reason I had a gut ache...

I know I said I would try to stay away from giving my own opinion on some of the Wellness Wednesday topics, but probiotics just happen to be one of my favorite supplements.  Here are just a few reasons why...

• They help balance the good bacteria...leading to a decrease in abdominal discomfort and bloating.
• Immunity.  The good bacteria in our gut has an amazing relationship with our systemic immune system.  The bacteria are key in promoting the early development of the gut's mucosal immune system.  They stimulate the lymphoid tissue associated with the gut mucosa to produce antibodies to pathogens.  The immune system recognizes and fights harmful bacteria, but leaves the good bacteria alone, which is actually a tolerance we develop when we are babies.
• Could possibly help prevent cancer.  Some studies are showing that certain strains of "good" bacteria, such as lactobacillus and bifidobacteria - commonly found in probiotic supplements or fermented foods (yogurt, kefir) - prevent tumor formation.  This is cool research and I'm sure we will see more in this area.

My doctor recommended probiotics to me and I think it is a topic every person should discuss and bring up with their family doctor.  That way you can determine what kind and dose of probiotic is appropriate for you.  If you are not a fan of taking extra supplements, ask about different foods you can eat to help encourage the good bacteria in your gut stay at a healthy and consistent level.