10 Reasons to Use Probiotics!

One of the first conditions for having a healthy body is having healthy intestines — and achieving a healthy gut isn't as hard as you might think. The intestines, which are the center of absorption in the body, have a tremendous impact on the overall health and efficiency of our other organs and systems. 

While bloating and stomach pain related to digestion may be considered normal in many parts of the world, the majority of people living especially in Turkey and the United States have digestive issues, and nearly all of these problems stem from an unhealthy gut structure. 

The gut flora is covered with trillions of microorganisms. Throughout a single day (and really over a lifetime), these bacteria change, multiply, and diminish depending on a range of external factors such as diet, lifestyle, and environment. What is the easiest thing you can do for your gut health? Take a probiotic or follow a probiotic-rich diet. 

When you eat a probiotic-rich diet or take probiotics externally, your healthy eating not only improves your quality of life but also contributes to the quantity and quality of your gut bacteria, helping to preserve your overall health.

1- YOUR GUT NEEDS HEALING

Especially if you follow an unhealthy diet or need to take a lot of antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications, your intestines need even more time to recover. Depending on your gut health, taking probiotics 1–2 times a day is recommended; however, you can also take a higher dose for a more therapeutic and restorative effect. This way, you will rebuild the intestinal wall and strengthen your digestion. If you have mild allergies to certain foods, you will notice a reduction in your sensitivities and symptoms. And yes, you will have an easier, more regular bathroom routine.

2- IT WILL BENEFIT YOUR METABOLISM

When it comes to metabolism, you either think you were born lucky or you see it as a poor inheritance from your ancestors. Although metabolism is largely influenced by genetic makeup, taking a probiotic is one of the ways to boost and regulate your metabolic function due to its positive effect on inactive thyroid cells. People who start taking probiotics and who previously tried to lose weight without success often experience weight loss after regular probiotic use.

3- THE FERMENTED FOODS IN YOUR DIET MAY NOT BE ENOUGH

For a healthy diet, foods such as miso, kefir, yogurt, or sauerkraut are surrounded by probiotics during the fermentation process. However, it cannot always be said that these probiotic foods contain enough prebiotics — which are needed to break down the indigestible fibers produced by probiotics. You can combine natural prebiotics like raw artichoke or raw garlic with your fermented probiotic foods, but when that isn't sufficient, taking a probiotic supplement that contains prebiotics is the fastest way to achieve a healthy gut.

4- YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU ARE WHAT YOU DIGEST.

“I had pizza last night, and today I can see it in my thighs.” It may sound clichéd, but this statement is partly true. Our intestines are responsible for 95% of the absorption of everything we eat — healthy or not. But alongside the many factors I mentioned earlier, the bad fats and chemical substances found in unhealthy foods also disrupt our gut structure, causing the number of good bacteria in our intestines to decrease, and after a while, proper nutrient absorption can no longer take place. If the intestines don't have enough good bacteria to perform nutrient absorption at its best, the body will be deprived of the positive effects of healthy foods. In short, simply consuming proper foods is not enough until your gut health improves.

5- YOUR GUT MAY BE YOUR SECOND BRAIN

There's a reason experts say "trust your gut." Our intestines are home to 100 million signal-transmitting cells and are the only part of the body with its own nervous system. Nourishing this "second brain" with probiotic cultures helps establish the connection between our gut health and brain health, allowing the gut-brain axis to communicate and function. Probiotics effectively treat symptoms of depression by reducing inflammation in the gut; meanwhile, recent academic studies show that people who regularly take probiotics have a more stable mood.

6- BREATHE MORE EASILY

Just as bacteria line your intestines, they also line your nasal passages. Recent studies show that regular probiotic use may lead to clearer sinuses and a reduced risk of infection by improving the bacterial health of mucus and reducing inflammation in that area.

7- YOU CAN PROTECT YOUR PEARLY WHITE TEETH

As we all know, digestion begins in the mouth. So helping the bacterial health in the mouth through the gut will not only aid digestion, but will also provide protection against oral conditions such as gum disease and bad breath. If you think your breath smells bad, this could be caused by certain digestive issues in the intestines. With regular probiotic use, you can achieve pearly white teeth and say goodbye to bad breath.

8- LET YOUR SKIN GLOW

You can often tell whether your gut health is good or not from your skin. Because whatever is happening on the inside — positive or negative — reflects on your skin. Skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, or severe acne can be considered a negative reflection on your skin of what is going wrong in your intestines. Clinically, there are numerous studies showing that people who eat healthier and achieve healthier intestines through regular probiotic use see an improvement in their skin condition and/or a reduction in skin problems.

9- STOP GETTING SICK SO OFTEN

By this, we mean everything from preventing the common cold to disease prevention in general. A strong gut flora boosts immunity, stops yeast overgrowth (goodbye, Candida), and reduces the negative effects of radiation. Studies have been conducted suggesting that regular probiotic intake may potentially inhibit cancerous tumor growth and produces healthy enzymes that may support the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

10- GET RID OF GAS PROBLEMS

Gas problems caused by many factors — including food allergies, food intolerances, sensitivities, lactose intolerance (seen in 80% of the population), stress, and inactivity — are a serious issue for a large portion of society, particularly women and people with high-stress work lives. Thanks to the positive activity of probiotics in the digestive system, they are known to significantly reduce gas problems and, in some individuals, eliminate them entirely. Especially for people who cannot consume dairy products due to lactose intolerance (and therefore cannot consume yogurt or kefir either), external probiotic supplementation is extremely important.

If you are an experienced probiotic user, you most likely know the contents of the probiotics you use and are confident about which probiotic works best for you. However, if you have never taken probiotics before, take a look at what's in the probiotic supplement you plan to use. Does it contain prebiotics? Are there synthetic additives that could harm gut activity? Does it contain hidden gluten? Don't forget to take a look!

Registered Dietitian Merve TIĞLI ÇINAR
@dytmervetigli