The Relationship Between Probiotics And Gut Health

What exactly are probiotics and how do they influence our health? Firstly, our gut is populated by billions of tiny bacteria and make up what we call the “gut microbiome”. While some types of bacteria are considered “good”, others can be detrimental to our health if they start to outweigh the good guys, leading to a condition we refer to as “dysbiosis”. Probiotics are the “good guys”. They play a huge role in our health, not just in the gut, but all throughout the body.

Conditions that can be associated with a disrupted microbiome include:

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

Eczema, Psoriasis, Acne and other skin issues

Autoimmune conditions

Thyroid disorders

Hormonal imbalances

Mood disorders and mental health

Here are some of the ways probiotics influence our gut health and overall wellbeing:

Supporting Digestive Health: Probiotics help with the breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients. They can also regulate the movement of food through our system, helping to alleviate both constipation and diarrhoea. Flatulence, bloating, cramping and indigestion, may all be signs that our microbiome is out of balance and may be eased through probiotic supplementation.

Reducing inflammation: an imbalanced microbiome can provoke an inflammatory response in the body or even a worsening of autoimmune conditions. Probiotics can help to regulate the immune system in the gut and produce anti-inflammatory molecules like short chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

Improving Mental Health and Mood: there is a strong link between the gut and the brain (sometimes referred to as the gut-brain-axis), so when there is inflammation and imbalances in the gut, this can have a direct effect on the brain. This can result in mood disturbances like anxiety and depression as a result of inflammation and changes to the production of brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters.

Things to know before supplementing:

The best advice when it comes to probiotics is to work with a practitioner who can determine if probiotic supplementation is right for you. A gut health specialist can identify the strains that would be best suited to address your specific health concerns.

Food sources of probiotics

An easy way to increase diversity in your gut is to consume probiotic rich foods. These include yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, miso, kombucha and tempeh.