Are Probiotics Beneficial for Gastrointestinal Health?

When most of us think of bacteria, we think of the harmful germs that can cause diseases and infections like diarrhea or stomach flu. But not all bacteria are bad. Many types of bacteria are beneficial to our digestive health, including a special type of bacteria called probiotics.

Our team at Digestive Disease Specialists, in Moline, Illinois, and Bettendorf, Iowa, is committed to helping you maintain optimal gut health through medical intervention and healthy lifestyle changes, including incorporating probiotics into your healthy eating plans. 

In this post, learn more about how probiotics work, their benefits, and how these tiny microorganisms can help keep your gut healthy.

Probiotics: The basics

Probiotics are living microorganisms — specifically, bacteria and yeasts — found in certain foods like yogurt and fermented foods or certain nutritional supplements. They support a healthy gut and microbiome, the community of microorganisms that aid digestion. 

Inside your gut, probiotics help break down food, improve nutrient absorption, strengthen your gut lining, and prevent infections by supporting enhanced immunity. Different types of probiotics perform different functions, helping to balance and stabilize your gut flora.

While you can obtain probiotics through food sources, it’s not always easy to create and maintain the ideal balance. When it comes to probiotics, you can have too much of a good thing, particularly if you focus on foods providing one specific type of bacteria or yeast.

Gut-healthy benefits of probiotics

Probiotics have a long history, dating back at least 10,000 years with the use of fermented products like yogurt and kefir. Today, we understand how probiotics support gut health, providing an array of benefits like the ones described below.

Enhancing digestion

As mentioned earlier, probiotics help support the digestive process by ensuring your gut contains optimal amounts of good bacteria and yeasts. Probiotics help break down fibers and complex carbohydrates, making it easier for your body to absorb them.

Managing digestive diseases and disorders

Probiotics may also help manage digestive disorders like diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition that includes both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Reducing inflammation

Probiotics help reduce inflammation by modulating the levels of both anti-inflammatory bacteria and pro-inflammatory pathogens. They also help activate and support signaling pathways involved in decreasing inflammation for better bowel activity and reduced gut-related illness.

Supporting healthy bowel activity

By supporting normal digestion, probiotics also help regulate bowel activity, reducing constipation while preventing diarrhea and bloating.

Restoring your microbiome after illness

Illness and medications used to treat them can disrupt your gut microbiome, destroying good bacteria and triggering a variety of bowel-related issues. Probiotics help restore that important balance of bacteria and yeasts, promoting a quicker recovery.

Beyond your gut

Because your body depends on nutrients absorbed through your digestive system, probiotics support overall health and wellness too. They support a healthy gut-brain axis, the unique and vital connection between your digestive tract and central nervous system. 

Data suggest supporting this connection may help manage mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Learn more about the benefits of probiotics

Probiotics help many people improve their health, but like any health treatment, they need to be used correctly and in moderation. 

To learn more about probiotics and how they can play a role in helping you maintain better gut health and overall wellness, book an appointment with our team at Digestive Disease Specialists online or over the phone today.