Probiotic Supplements: Can They Help You Achieve Your Goals?

Your gut is full of thousands of different types of bacteria. And, while having a good balance of healthy bacteria is largely responsible for keeping your digestion running smoothly, they do much more than keeping an upset stomach away! Having a gut full of ‘bad’ bacteria weakens your immune system, contributes to obesity and increases the risk of developing heart disease. Could unhealthy gut bacteria be making it hard for you to achieve your health and fitness goals? Read on to find out if probiotic supplements could help.

 

The Effect of Having an Unhealthy Balance of Gut Flora

The microbiota in your gut helps your body to regulate fat storage and other metabolic processes like the way you process protein. So, it’s only natural that having an unfavourable balance of ‘good’ to ‘bad’ bacteria has the power to prevent you from losing weight.

Studies have shown that ‘bad’ bacteria in your gut can lead to:

  • Greater fat storage
  • Slower function of the metabolism
  • Increased food cravings
  • Insulin resistance
  • Increased inflammation
  • Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety
  • Compromised immune function
  • Skin problems

 

Signs Your Gut Bacteria Might Be Out of Whack

All of the bacteria in your gut doesn’t have to be ‘good’ to prevent health problems. Most doctors recommend aiming for a balance of 80% ‘good’ to 20% ‘bad’.

So, how do you know if your gut health is out of whack? Look for these warning signs:

  • Digestive discomfort
  • Getting sick frequently
  • Weight fluctuation
  • Having difficulty losing weight despite a healthy diet and exercise
  • Headaches
  • Low mood

How to Improve Your Gut Health

While a healthy diet that’s low in processed foods and sugar while being high in probiotic rich foods is a great way to maintain a healthy gut, most people can’t get enough to maintain an optimal balance. In this case, probiotic supplements are a great way to ensure your gut stays healthy. Probiotic supplements contain large doses of the kinds of bacteria that we want to help to improve gut microflora. They’re particularly helpful if you’re trying to get things back on track.

 

How to Get the Most Out of Probiotic Supplements

If you’re thinking about using probiotic supplements to improve your gut health, make sure you get the most out of them by:

  • Choosing one that contains at least 1 billion live bacteria at the time of expiration, not just manufacture
  • Always adhering to the used by date
  • Including prebiotics in your diet, a type of fibre that help probiotics to flourish. Good sources include oats, onions, asparagus and bananas.

The good news is that research has shown that using probiotics supplements is a highly effective way to deal with all those bad symptoms of an unhealthy gut. So, if you suspect that your gut health could be making it hard for you to lose weight and reach your health goals, try it today. There’s nothing wrong with having more of those helpful bacteria!