WHAT ARE PROBIOTICS?
“Probiotic” literally means “for life.” Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, may extend a health benefit to the person taking them. The bacteria that colonize the human body are extremely diverse, and are important for many functions within the body, and even our overall wellbeing.
HOW DO PROBIOTICS WORK?
Within the human body, bacterial cells are estimated to outnumber human cells 10 to 1. Bacteria colonize within the human body and are important for many functions including your overall well-being. The relationship between beneficial and less-friendly bacteria may occasionally become out of balance. Taking probiotics helps provide beneficial bacteria and supports intestinal balance.*
WHY DO I NEED PROBIOTICS?
It’s time for a gut check because there may be some truth behind “you are what you eat.” The trillions of bacteria that make up your microbiome may be affected by many things, including your diet. For instance, a diet rich in fiber serves as food for a variety of bacteria that live in our gut. Probiotics, however, may have a variety of effects in the body, and different probiotics may act in different ways.
Probiotics, in general, help improve the diversity and make up of your microbiome. They can also help balance the “good” and “bad” bacteria in your system supporting overall wellbeing and digestive health*.
Certain probiotics may:
- Help maintain beneficial bacteria*
- Help support digestive health*
- Help support the immune system*
WHAT ABOUT YOGURT?
Not all yogurts are created equal. Yogurt is not required to contain any specified amount of bacteria. It is true that some yogurts contain beneficial bacteria similar to probiotic supplements, but many yogurts don’t tell the amount or the specific strains they contain. Also, some people cannot easily digest yogurt or may simply not like the taste.