Probiotics – leveraging your gut health for overall well-being

Probiotics – leveraging your gut health for overall well-being

The gut microbiome plays crucial roles in maintaining health by aiding in digestion, producing vitamins, protecting against pathogens and regulating the immune system. Both the balance and diversity of the microbiome are essential for overall well-being and disruptions can be linked to various health issues. A healthy, diverse gut microbiome is a foundational health requirement at every age.

There are many different types of probiotic bacteria that make up your microbiome. They are known to have positive effects on overall health through their interactions with your immune system and their ability to produce beneficial nutrients.1,2,3,4

There is also a two-way communication system between your gut and your brain called the gut-brain axis, which involves both physical and chemical messages, meaning that the health of your gut directly impacts the healthy function of your brain, and this communication system has broader health effects.5

Examples of gut-brain communication:

  • The stress response begins in your brain and results in the release of cortisol, which directly affects intestinal immune and barrier functions. It also inhibits certain signals that travel to the gut, which affects digestive function and gut motility.
  • Gut microbes help us produce substances like short-chain fatty acids and neurotransmitters, including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin, which affect the way the brain functions and the way that we feel and behave.
  • Gut microbes influence immune function, including inflammatory effects in the body. Excess inflammation in the body directly affects the brain and has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases.5

Three power moves to boost your gut game:

  1. Lifestyle – your gut microbiome seems to be influenced by stress, quality of sleep and exercise, so managing all these aspects may improve gut health. 5,6,7
  2. Food – include plenty of fibre (fibre is a prebiotic, which is food for probiotic bacteria) and also polyphenols from a variety of whole plant foods, which nourish gut bacteria. Also, try to reduce your intake of ultra processed junk foods.8
  3. Probiotics – regular consumption of foods and supplements that deliver live beneficial bacteria helps to constantly improve and balance your healthy microbiome.

Tips for choosing a good probiotic supplement:

  • Look for a probiotic with a diverse range of strains, including those that have been well researched for their health benefits, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
  • Purchase your probiotic supplement from a reputable supplier and look for testing or certifications to ensure quality and purity. The HOWARU probiotics that are included in the Vital Multibiotic blend are clinically tested strains that are safe and known to stay viable through the digestive system.
  • To ensure potency, look for a declaration of CFUs, which means colony-forming units. This indicates the number of viable probiotics each dose delivers. Aim for at least 5 billion CFU to ensure potency. Pay attention to the expiration date to ensure live cultures. Also check if the product is shelf-stable or requires refrigeration, depending on your needs.
  • Opt for a supplement that includes a prebiotic substance, like inulin, to nourish the good bacteria.
  • Finally, consult a healthcare practitioner to match the probiotic to your specific health needs, since different strains have different health benefits. A multi-strain probiotic like Vital Multibiotic delivers a daily dose of probiotic bacteria to improve and normalise microbial balance, thereby improving the functioning of the digestive tract and supporting overall health.9,10,11,12,13,14 Vital Multibiotic also contains Lactobacillus Reuteri and Lactobacillus Salivarius – probiotic strains that can specifically colonise in the mouth where they support oral hygiene and help to prevent bad breath.15,16

Information provided by Vital®.

References:

  1. The Human Microbiome Project Consortium. Structure, function and diversity of the healthy human microbiome. Nature 486, 207–214 (2012).
  2. Armet AM, Deehan EC, O'Sullivan AF, Mota JF, Field CJ, Prado CM, Lucey AJ, Walter J. Rethinking healthy eating in light of the gut microbiome. Cell Host Microbe. 2022 Jun 8;30(6):764-785.
  3. Ghaisas S, Maher J, Kanthasamy A. Gut microbiome in health and disease: Linking the microbiome-gut-brain axis and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of systemic and neurodegenerative diseases. PharmacolTher. 2016 Feb;158:52-62.
  4. Morowitz MJ, Carlisle EM, Alverdy JC. Contributions of intestinal bacteria to nutrition and metabolism in the critically ill. Surg Clin North Am. 2011 Aug;91(4):771-85, viii.
  5. Góralczyk-Bińkowska A, Szmajda-Krygier D, Kozłowska E. The Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis in Psychiatric Disorders. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022; 23(19):11245.
  6. Monda V, Villano I, Messina A, Valenzano A, Esposito T, Moscatelli F, Viggiano A, Cibelli G, Chieffi S, Monda M, Messina G. Exercise Modifies the Gut Microbiota with Positive Health Effects. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:3831972.
  7. Neroni B, Evangelisti M, Radocchia G, Di Nardo G, Pantanella F, Villa MP, Schippa S. Relationship between sleep disorders and gut dysbiosis: what affects what? Sleep Med. 2021 Nov;87:1-7.
  8. Berding K, Vlckova K, Marx W, Schellekens H, Stanton C, Clarke G, Jacka F, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Diet and the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis: Sowing the Seeds of Good Mental Health. Adv Nutr. 2021 Jul 30;12(4):1239-1285.
  9. SAHPRA Guideline 7.04: Complementary medicines - Health supplements Safety and Efficacy. [Online]. Available from: https://www.sahpra.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/7.04_CM_SE_Health_Supplements_Mar22_v4_3.pdf . Accessed: 18 June, 2024.
  10. Sánchez MC, Herráiz A, Tigre S, Llama-Palacios A, Hernández M, Ciudad MJ, Collado L. Evidence of the Beneficial Impact of Three Probiotic-Based Food Supplements on the Composition and Metabolic Activity of the Intestinal Microbiota in Healthy Individuals: An Ex Vivo Study. Nutrients. 2023 Dec 12;15(24):5077.
  11. Gao H, Li X, Chen X, Hai D, Wei C, Zhang L, Li P. The Functional Roles of Lactobacillus acidophilus in Different Physiological and Pathological Processes. J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2022 Oct 28;32(10):1226-1233. doi: 10.4014/jmb.2205.05041. Epub 2022 Aug 30.
  12. Abuqwider J, Altamimi M, Mauriello G. Limosilactobacillus reuteri in Health and Disease. Microorganisms. 2022 Feb 28;10(3):522. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10030522.
  13. Cheng J, Laitila A, Ouwehand AC. Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 Effects on Gut Health: A Review. Front Nutr. 2021 Dec 14;8:790561. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.790561.
  14. Waller PA, Gopal PK, Leyer GJ, et al. Dose-response effect of Bifidobacterium lactis HN019™ on whole gut transit time and functional gastrointestinal symptoms in adults. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2011;46(9):1057–1064.
  15. Inchingolo F, Inchingolo AM, Malcangi G, De Leonardis N, Sardano R, Pezzolla C, de Ruvo E, Di Venere D, Palermo A, Inchingolo AD, Corriero A, Dipalma G. The Benefits of Probiotics on Oral Health: Systematic Review of the Literature. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023 Sep 16;16(9):1313.
  16. Haukioja, A., Yli-Knuuttila, H., Loimaranta, V., Kari, K., Ouwehand, A.C., Meurman, J.H. and Tenovuo, J., 2008. Oral adhesion and survival of probiotic and other lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in vitro. Oral Microbiology and Immunology, 21(5), pp.326-332.
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