The desire to improve health and well-being is currently being pursued in many ways. Some people use specialised dietary supplements to support their daily routine, others rely primarily on dietary changes, and still others are trying their hand at physical activity.
In reality, each of these methods is effective and has its benefits. So why not combine business with pleasure? In other words, it's worth considering a comprehensive lifestyle change that includes a proper diet, targeted dietary supplementation, and appropriately tailored physical activity. However, it's worth remembering that health begins in the gut. This means that, among supplements, probiotics warrant special attention. Learn more about how probiotics work and what to consider when choosing the best probiotic for you.
How do probiotics work in the body, and why do we need them?
The bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract is a key element responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the gastrointestinal tract. Homeostasis refers to the proper functioning of specific processes in a given environment. Intestinal bacteria improve food digestion, enhance the absorption of individual dietary nutrients, and help regenerate the gastrointestinal tract by nourishing its mucosa through the secretion of SCFAs (Short Chain Fatty Acids).
These naturally occurring microorganisms are also responsible for producing neurotransmitters, synthesising vitamins, regulating gastrointestinal motility, strengthening immunity, and reducing the risk of developing many disorders and diseases. This means that the presence and quality of bacterial microflora play a crucial role in maintaining good health and well-being.
How do probiotics fit into all this? It's worth mentioning that these are primarily specialised supplements containing a specific amount of probiotic bacteria that exert health-promoting effects on the host. Probiotics can also be found in food, mainly fermented products. However, the amount of live probiotic bacteria in these products is insufficient to produce significant health benefits. In this case, it's worth choosing carefully selected probiotics.
Which probiotic is best?
The next step in practising healthy principles related to maintaining a healthy digestive system is choosing the right product for your needs. Many products are available on the market, offering different health-promoting properties. It's important to understand that the effects of probiotics are strain-dependent. This means that each species and strain of bacteria produces specific health effects for a given condition/problem.
Accordingly, probiotics available on the market are divided into mono-strain and multi-strain preparations. Mono-strain probiotics are characterised by the presence of a single bacterial strain in the preparation, while multi-strain probiotics have multiple species and strains used in the probiotic. If you want to improve your preventive health, a multi-strain probiotic is a better choice, as it benefits more than one problem a person faces. However, if the problem is precisely defined, you can also use a mono-strain probiotic, which may be a more reliable solution in some cases.
The best probiotic is one that addresses the specific issues a person is currently struggling with. If you have any doubts about choosing the right product, you can seek help from a gastroenterologist or clinical dietitian.
What should you consider when choosing a probiotic?
Given the greater potential of multi-strain probiotics to support preventive health care, these products are worth considering first. On the other hand, it's essential to pay attention to the individual elements that characterise the best probiotics.
Distinguishing features of a good probiotic include:
- Bacterial cell protection – technological advances that protect probiotic bacteria play a crucial role in their survival, which in turn influences the probiotic's perceived effects. Unfortunately, most commercial preparations are unable to provide effective protection against our body's enzymatic system, which can reduce probiotic effectiveness.
- The number of bacterial cells used in a single capsule – this factor influences how quickly beneficial changes in the composition and quality of our bacterial microflora can be achieved. The fewer bacteria used in a given probiotic, the less beneficial it will be, and vice versa.
- The presence of bacteria of human origin – bacterial strains that are intended to exert a health effect on the human body should also be of human origin. Intestinal bacteria obtained from a healthy donor can be replicated into high-quality preparations, which results in a much stronger and more quickly noticeable health effect.
- Quality of the bacteria used – some probiotics available on the market lack precise species and strain descriptions, which, unfortunately, undermines the credibility of such preparations. A high-quality probiotic should include a precise description of the specific bacterial species on the label.
Which probiotic is worth choosing?
Based on the above information, you can independently begin finding the perfect preparation to meet your needs and improve your preventative health care.
Among the preparations available on the market, it's definitely worth considering multi-strain probiotics, which are well-researched and supported by scientific research. Furthermore, the bacterial strains used in a high-quality probiotic should be thoroughly described to understand the precise health properties of such a product.
A perfect example of a high-quality probiotic is BestBiotic.
BestBiotic is, above all, the only product on the market that offers dual protection for bacterial cells through microencapsulation and DR Caps capsules. These technologies ensure that the contents of the BestBiotic capsule reach the lumen of the large intestine easily, where they are efficiently dispersed and further colonised. This means the BestBiotic capsule does not dissolve prematurely due to gastric juices and enzymes.
Moreover, BestBiotic ensures the use of well-researched, thoroughly described bacterial strains, which not only enhances its credibility but also enables a thorough understanding of the properties of the strains used in this preparation.
Among the bacterial strains used, BestBiotic includes the most extensively studied bacterial strain – Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, which has broad health-promoting effects on both adults and children. The total bacterial content in one capsule is 30 billion bacterial strains, perfectly matching the body's daily requirements for probiotic cultures. However, BestBiotic also contains a 20% excess of bacteria. This means that if excessive digestive juice activity destroys some bacteria, the remaining bacteria, including the excess, will be safely delivered to the intestinal lumen, allowing for effective colonisation of the bacterial flora and provoking health benefits.
The bacteria in BestBiotic probiotics are strains of human origin, which further enhances the product's effectiveness. It's also worth noting that the product doesn't contain a prebiotic, a substance that feeds probiotic bacteria. This is intentional for the body's health. It turns out that, given everyday challenges, many people experience gastrointestinal discomfort when using prebiotics. Therefore, to alleviate this feeling while simultaneously providing health benefits, BestBiotic doesn't contain this irritating substance, making it suitable for sensitive digestive systems.
Summary
Choosing an effective probiotic depends on many factors. It's important to understand that the gastrointestinal tract and its bacterial flora require a regular supply of probiotic bacteria to maintain homeostasis in this tissue, which, in turn, impacts the body's daily functioning. After dietary and lifestyle modifications, it's worth considering choosing the right probiotic for yourself. For preventative health care, multi-strain probiotics are more effective, as they have a more noticeable and beneficial effect on the human body. When choosing a good product, it's worth considering certain characteristics. For preventative action with well-researched bacterial strains, one of the best choices is the BestBiotic probiotic from BestLab.
Bibliography
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- Kechagia M, Basoulis D, Konstantopoulou S, Dimitriadi D, Gyftopoulou K, Skarmoutsou N, Fakiri EM. Health benefits of probiotics: a review. ISRN Nutr. 2013 Jan 2;2013:481651.
- Ciorba MA. A gastroenterologist's guide to probiotics. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012 Sep;10(9):960-8.
- Sniffen JC, McFarland LV, Evans CT, Goldstein EJC. Choosing an appropriate probiotic product for your patient: An evidence-based practical guide. PLoS One. 2018 Dec 26;13(12):e0209205.
- Behnsen J, Deriu E, Sassone-Corsi M, Raffatellu M. Probiotics: properties, examples, and specific applications. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2013 Mar 1;3(3):a010074.
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