If you’ve read my first post, you already know the potential benefits of probiotics in regards to fighting food allergies. But if you’re not suffering from food allergies you may be wondering if probiotics can be beneficial to you. Well, just in case you didn’t know, you’re already benefiting from probiotics. You see, Probiotics are living “good” bacteria (organisms) naturally found in your body. They contribute to your overall health in numerous ways. Sometimes the balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria in your system is thrown out of proportion and can trigger or aggregate sickness and disease. Probiotic supplements and probiotic rich foods can help prevent and treat those ailments. I’ve been doing a bunch of research and in this post, I share my findings with you. Below are (what I consider to be) the top 30 benefits of using probiotics. Hopefully you’ll find this list useful for your entire family.
Probiotics Have Been Known To:
- Fight Food Allergies: Read our story here, Medscape –Nonallergen Specific Treatments for Food Allergies, Medical Daily –Oral Immunotherapy Combination Of Peanut Protein, Probiotics May Cure Peanut Allergies
- Help Balance “Good” and “Bad” Bacteria In the Body: Digestive Disorders Health Center WebMD
- Restore “Good” Bacteria That Has Been Lost: Several studies have shown that probiotics restore good bacteria in the gut. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), LiveStrong
- Fight Halitosis: According to the December 2009 issue of the American Journal of Dentistry, daily intake of probiotic supplements may control common oral and dental infections including Halitosis.
Prevent Oral Thrush : In 2001 the“Journal of the American Dietetic Association” published a study noting that probiotics can help prevent thrush. LiveStrong “Do Probiotics Help Treat Oral Thrush - Help Alleviate Lactose Intolerance: Culturelle and Digestive Advantage by Schiff are probiotics that have been known to help alleviate Lactose intolerance. Read the hundreds of positive reviews.
- Help Prevent Upper Respiratory Tract Infections: Read this article, “Probiotics (live micro‐organisms) to prevent upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) (for example, the common cold),” NCBI
- Help Joint Pain/Arthritis : Several studies have shown that probiotics have helped to significantly reduce inflammation in people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Foundation
- Lower Blood Pressure : In nine recent studies, People who consumed probiotics had an overall reduced systolic blood pressure of about 3.6 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and reduction in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) of about 2.4 mm Hg, compared to those who did not consume the probiotics. WebMd
- Help Lower Cholesterol : A form of Lactobacillus reuteri has been shown to lower cholesterol in a few studies. Huffington Post , NCBI
- Help Treat Type 1 And 2 Diabetes: In 2011 the University of Florida reported that probiotics can reduce the rate of Type 1 diabetes. Reports have also said that Type 2 diabetes may eventually be treated using probiotics. University of Florida Report, Livestrong Probiotics for Diabetics
- Relieve Infectious Diarrhea (Caused By Viruses, Bacteria, Or Parasites): Studies show that probiotics coupled with rehydration therapy, benefit shortening the duration of acute infectious diarrhea. NCBI
- Fight Allergic Rhinitis: According to a NCBI publication, “Probiotics may have an important role in the prevention and treatment of allergic rhinitis. The clinical benefit of probiotic therapy depends on numerous factors, such as type of bacterium, route of administration, dosing, regimen, and other underlying host factors.”
- Stop Antibiotic-Related Diarrhea: In a study by RAND Corporation, they found that people using probiotics while on antibiotics were 42% less likely to develop diarrhea than their counterparts. WebMD
- Ease Symptoms Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Studies show that probiotics, Bifidobacterium infantis, alleviate IBS symptoms. WebMD, NCBI
- Protect Against Stomach Ulcers : Multiple studies reveal that probiotics are beneficial to treating and preventing stomach ulcers. According to a review in the April 2006 “Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics,” probiotics can prevent and help recovery from a peptic ulcer. In 2001 a research study conducted by Taiwan’s’ National Cheng Kung University found that Lactobacillus helped acceleratee healing time in a group of 100 H. pylori-infected study volunteers. Probiotics are known to attack H. pylori infections in several ways. WebMD , University of Maryland Medical Center,
- Fight Against Food Poisoning
: Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, can help restore good bacteria in the gut if traveling to a location with contaminated food and water.Taking probiotics before and during a trip can help maintain intestinal health. Penn State Hershey Medical Center
- Help Colitis : Read Probiotics in the Management of Ulcerative Colitis, NCBI
- Help People With Crohn’s Disease : According to this The University of Maryland Medical Center publication, “Probiotics, especially Saccharomyces boulardi. One small study indicated that this type of “friendly” bacteria helped people with Crohn disease reduce the incidence of diarrhea. However, other studies have shown mixed results. People with allergies to yeast should avoid Saccharomyces boulardi.”
- Stop The Recurrence Of Pouchitis : A highly concentrated cocktail of probiotics has been shown to be effective in the prevention of pouchitis onset and relapses. Read “The role of antibiotics and probiotics in pouchitis,” NCBI
- Ease Constipation : According to several studies including this reference by Harvard Health Blog, probiotics can help ease constipation.
- Help Alleviate Eczema : “Some studies suggest that babies whose mothers took probiotics (“friendly bacteria”) during pregnancy and while breastfeeding were less likely to have eczema at up to 2 years of age. One study found that children who were given probiotics for the first 2 years of life were less likely to develop eczema than those who didn’t take probiotics.” -University of Maryland Medical Center,
- Help Alleviate Rosacea : Check out “Could probiotics be the next big thing in acne and rosacea treatments?” –American Academy of Dermatology
- Reduce Skin Damage From Sun: Cosmopolitan’s article “14 Hacks for Treating Sunburn”, lists several preventative measures and remedies for sunburn which contain probiotics
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- Reduce Skin Wrinkles and Fine Lines: Foods such as yogurt and kefir have been known to fight wrinkles and fine lines. Huffington Post
- Fight Bacterial Vaginitis : Several studies show that probiotics are beneficial in the prevention and treatment of BV. NBCI
- Fight Yeast Infections
: Probiotics are included in Prevention.com’s “9 Highly Effective Solutions for Yeast Infections.”
- Fight Urinary Tract Infections: The University of Maryland Medical Center’s “Complementary and Alternative Medicine Guide” recommends the use of probiotics for nutritional deficiencies to fight urinary tract infections.
- Reduce Necrotizing Enterocolitis In Low Birth Weight Infants. Probiotics has prevented severe NEC and all cause mortality in preterm infants. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
- Treat Klebsellia Infection: Probiotics have been used in the initial phase of acute infection caused by Klebsiella. NCBI
- Boost overall Immune Health : Read “More Proof That Probiotics Boost Immunity” by Prevention.com
Remember, if you’re interested in using probiotics, do your research and consult your physician to see what probiotic supplement (if any) is right for you.
Have you benefited from using probiotics? Share your experience in the comment section.
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