Table of contents
1. Introduction
2. What do I actually need probiotics for?
3. In which case are probiotics taken?
4. When to take probiotics?
5. How much probiotic should I take?
6. How do you store probiotics?
7. What should be considered when buying and taking probiotics?
8. How long should I take probiotics?
1. Introduction
You have probably heard the term probiotics by now. Be it in the supermarket, in an advertisement, in the pharmacy or maybe even in the drugstore on cosmetic products. Suddenly probiotics are everywhere. But what is that anyway? And where does this hype come from? In this blog post we want to give you a short intro about probiotics and then answer the most frequently asked questions about probiotics!
Let's start at the very beginning, with the name: This is derived from Latin and so “pro bios” becomes “for das Leben” translated, which also give expression to the function. According to the WHO, the World Health Organization, probiotics are defined as living microorganisms that bring a health benefit when ingested in sufficient quantities.
Four criteria must apply for something to be called a probiotic:
- A proven health-promoting effect for the consumer
- The production of lactic acid and other substances with bacteriostatic or bactericidal effects
- They must survive the stomach passage during the digestive process and be able to reproduce in the intestine
- There must be evidence of genetic stability in order to be able to rule out pathogenic mutations
In fact, probiotics are not a new invention of science, but have been part of human nutrition for a long time. The lactic acid bacteria are particularly well known and widespread. These can be found in dairy products such as kefir and quark, as well as yoghurt.
Well-known strains of bacteria here are the bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. The good news for those who don't eat dairy products: lactic acid bacteria are also found in other foods such as pomegranate, sauerkraut, kombucha and kimchi. However, supplements such as the Dailybacs from mybacs also achieve a particularly high dosage. Each capsule contains 60 billion CFU, i.e. colony-forming units.
2. What do I actually need probiotics for?
The question is both simple and complex, because - by taking probiotics you can always do something good for your body! There are a number of different areas where probiotics have been shown to have a positive effect. Through different mechanisms, such as the release of metabolic products into the body's bloodstream, the microorganisms in our intestines have an effect on digestion, the immune system, the psyche, the metabolism, the complexion and much more.
3. In which case are probiotics taken?
Probiotics have different uses and are helpful for almost everyone. Humans are exposed to a wide variety of environmental influences every day, such as the excessive use of antibiotics, smoking, alcohol, sugar, lack of sleep, stress or exposed to an unbalanced diet. These can all throw the microbiome out of balance. The microbiome can be used to influence the entire body and psyche with specifically selected probiotic bacterial strains.
Probiotics can also be used when a weakened intestinal flora needs to be rebuilt. This is often based on a low bacterial diversity in the intestine. If this is the case, it can lead to bloating, diarrhea or other digestive problems. Causes are often antibiotic treatment, chronic inflammatory bowel disease or the widespread irritable bowel syndrome.
A weakened intestinal flora often occurs when one's own body has previously been infested with bad bacteria and had to fight them. Unfortunately, this treatment also kills the good bacteria, the lack of which can then throw the intestinal flora off balance. This is also referred to as dysbacteria. Studies have shown that it can take up to six months for the intestinal flora to recover after taking antibiotics. It is therefore important to treat the intake of antibiotics in a differentiated manner. It is advisable to talk to a doctor about taking it and, if necessary, to look for alternatives. If there is no way around antibiotics, it makes sense to deal with the restoration of your own intestinal flora and find out how it can be brought back into balance. Taking probiotics can help here, since intestinal bacteria are ingested, which then settle in the intestinal mucosa, multiply and can bring the intestinal flora back into balance.
Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can also be a reason why taking probiotics can be recommended. IBD are classified according to the intensity of the inflammation and treated accordingly. Acute episodes of IBD are usually treated with drugs that are intended to inhibit the inflammation in the short term. The main goal in the treatment of IBD sufferers is to enable the patient to live as symptom-free as possible.
Recent studies show that the administration of probiotics can also reduce the symptoms of these diseases. This refers to therapeutic procedures in which an attempt is made to influence the composition of the intestinal mucosa through microbiological corrections.
4. When to take probiotics?
No matter which case applies to you, it is almost always advisable to take your probiotics in the morning on an empty stomach. This is because in the morning your digestive tract is still empty due to the lack of food intake at night, and the production and secretion of stomach and bile acids is still low. This makes it a little easier for the bacteria to pass through your gastrointestinal tract. However, since good resistance to stomach and bile acids is a quality feature for high-quality probiotic bacterial strains, and in the Dailybacs only such bacterial strains are used, the Dailybacs can also easily be taken at another time.
5. How much probiotics should I take?
Since every person is individual, the right dose of probiotics also differs slightly from person to person and also depends on the individual bacterial strain. A disadvantage of consuming fermented food is that the exact number and dosage of the individual bacterial strains cannot be traced. However, “overdosing” on fermented foods is very rare. Taking dietary supplements has the advantage that the dosage can be precisely controlled. It is particularly important here that the dosage of the individual strain is selected in the same way as it was used in clinical studies in order to make the positive effect replicable.
6. How do you store probiotics?
It always depends on the product that contains the probiotics. For example, if you take your bacterial cultures in the form of drinks, you should make sure that you never break the cold chain. More practical are therefore probiotics that can be stored in powder form and at room temperature. The Dailybacs, for example, are stored as capsules in an opaque glass jar. This protects the bacteria from oxidation, light and pressure if you pack them in your wash bag for a trip, for example - so very uncomplicated!
7. What should be considered when buying and taking probiotics?
If you are pregnant, suffer from a specific illness or have general concerns, always consult your doctor to discuss taking probiotics. Otherwise, probiotics do not require a prescription and can therefore be purchased at your own discretion. In principle, however, you should make sure when you buy that you are buying high-quality bacterial strains and that you are dealing with strains for which clinical studies have already been carried out and their effectiveness has been proven. Many white label products use neither.
8. How long should I take probiotics?
With bacterial strains, a distinction is made between resident and transient bacterial strains. The residents can gradually settle in your intestines when you take them and will stay there for a longer period of time. The transient ones, however, are excreted again after their passage through the gastrointestinal tract. Both types of bacteria are very important for a stable microbiome. The mechanism of action of the transient bacterial strains explains why long-term use is recommended in order to achieve a lasting positive effect. The first positive effects are usually noticeable after just a few days. A positive change in digestion and thus also in bowel movements is often the first thing to be seen. After weeks to months you could already feel your gut giving positive signals to the brain by increasing your energy and mood. Within six months, positive effects can then still occur in the immune system, the skin and in your body systems. Because 80% of the immune defense takes place in the intestine and the microbiome plays a decisive role here. Microbial diversity is also good for the cardiovascular system and metabolism.
Once you feel inner strength and vitality, it lets you shine on the outside and if your intestines are doing well, then you're doing well too!
