A healthy gut is cornerstone to whole body health. Digestive health, immune function, and the state of your mental wellbeing are dependent on a balanced and healthy gut microbiome.
Many people recognize the potential benefit of using a supplemental probiotic if they are experiencing gut disruption such as diarrhea, constipation, gas and/or bloating.
Likewise, individuals may choose to use a probiotic to support their immune system recognizing that 70-80 percent of immune cells are present in the gut.
A less well-known fact is the benefit that probiotics can have in the battle against obesity. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials show that high-dose probiotic supplements can support significant reduction of total body fat. Of particular importance is the benefits to reducing harmful visceral fat. Visceral fat is the harmful belly fat that surrounds our organs causing metabolic dysfunction. This drop in visceral fat can have a correlating positive effect on waist circumference, blood glucose, blood pressure and blood cholesterol.
Reviews and trials show that certain formulations and probiotic and prebiotic blends can be impactful in improving metabolic health by reducing this harmful belly fat. Probiotics are described by first listing the genus they come from, followed by the species and then the strain. For example, one probiotic studied for its weight loss benefit is Lactobacillus gasseri KS-13 (Lactobacillus is the genus; gasseri is the species; and KS-13 is the strain).
In addition to understanding what kind of probiotic is in your supplement, it is also important to think of how much of an organism will be provided. This is usually expressed as colony forming units (CFUs). Basically, this is the viable cells that will be available to you. The gut microbiome contains trillions of organisms so low dose probiotics may be a drop in the bucket, providing little to no benefit.
Quality of the supplement of course matters. The live, beneficial bacteria need to make it to your lower GI tract. It’s important to find probiotic supplements that are delivered in a form that is acid-resistant and moisture-resistant to ensure the live bacteria make it past your stomach.
Curious how probiotics may help you reach your weight loss and other health related goals? Reach out to us at Promise of Vitality today.
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