Important Health Benefits of Probiotics

As we all know, the key to longevity, along with a healthy and happier life is a healthy diet and lifestyle. We need to look after our bodies, especially when it comes to focussing on our digestive health.

 

Probiotic supplements have grown in popularity over the years, and for good reason as well.

 

Probiotics are basically living organisms that help to restore a healthy balance of good bacteria in the stomach and digestive tract, which in turn will promote optimal digestive health. We can consume probiotics from fermented foods, along with specially designed probiotic supplements.

 

In truth, there are many, many health benefits associated with probiotics, which we’re going to be taking a look at below.

 

Here are several important health benefits associated with probiotic foods and supplements.

 

Probiotics boost healthy gut bacteria

 

One of the biggest health benefits associated with probiotics, is the fact that they help to boost healthy bacteria located in your gut.

 

In your gut, right now, you have millions upon millions of microorganisms inside you in the form of bacteria. Some are good and help to improve digestive health, whereas some are bad and have the opposite effect.

 

When consumed, probiotics actually nourish these healthy bacteria living in your gut and help to restore the natural balance of healthy bacteria in the gut.

 

This in turn means that your digestive health improves, and your chances of suffering from digestive-related illness or disease also reduces as a result.

 

Probiotics can improve mental health

 

After the last 10 months or so, it’s safe to say that the importance of looking after our mental health is greater than ever before.

 

It is believed that 1 in 4 people will experience poor mental health at some point in their lives, though in all honesty, experts believe this number is closer to 1 in 2 people.

 

The good news is that many mental health issues can be avoided and/or rectified or treated with the help of supplements such as probiotics.

 

Probiotics have been found to improve the symptoms of common mental health disorders such as: Depression, stress, anxiety, and OCD.

 

Long term supplementation with probiotics for at least 8 weeks has been found to significantly reduce the symptoms associated with the aforementioned mental health issues.

 

Probiotics can boost your immune system

 

Your immune system serves as your body’s natural defence against illness and disease.

 

Another key reason to consider supplementing with probiotics is the fact that they have been found to help strengthen the immune system. But how?

 

Well, to begin with, not only do they increase healthy gut bacteria, they also have been found to inhibit the development of unhealthy gut bacteria which could adversely affect the immune system if it was allowed to continue growing and developing.

 

Furthermore, there is also evidence to suggest that some strains of gut bacteria could even increase the natural production of antibodies which play key roles as part of the immune system, such as T-cells (T-lymphocytes) as well as natural killer cells too.