1. Introduction
You've probably heard the term probiotics before. Be it in the supermarket, in an advertisement, in the pharmacy or maybe even in the drugstore on cosmetic products. Suddenly probiotics are everywhere. But what is that anyway? And where does this hype come from? In this blog post we want to give you a short introduction to probiotics and then answer the most frequently asked questions about probiotics!
Let's start at the very beginning, with the name: This is derived from Latin and so “pro bios” is translated as “for life”, which also expresses the function. According to the WHO, the World Health Organization, probiotics are defined as living microorganisms that provide a health benefit when consumed in sufficient quantities.
Four criteria must be met in order for something to be called a probiotic:
- A proven health-promoting effect for the consumer
- The production of lactic acid and other substances with bacteriostatic or bactericidal effects
- They must survive the passage through the stomach during the digestive process and be able to reproduce in the intestine
- Evidence of genetic stability must be provided in order to exclude disease-causing mutations
In fact, probiotics are not a new scientific invention, but have long been part of the human diet. Lactic acid bacteria are particularly well-known and widespread. These can be found in dairy products such as kefir and quark, as well as yogurt.
Well-known bacterial strains are bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. The good news for all those who don't eat dairy products: lactic acid bacteria are also found in other foods such as pomegranate, sauerkraut, kombucha and kimchi. Supplements such as Dailybacs from mybacs also contain particularly high doses. Each capsule contains a full 60 billion CFU, or colony-forming units.
2. Why do I actually need probiotics?
The question is both simple and complex, because - by taking probiotics you can always do something good for your body! There are many different areas in which probiotics have been proven to have a positive effect. Through different mechanisms, such as the release of metabolic products into the body's bloodstream, the microorganisms in our intestines have an effect on digestion, the immune system, the psyche, metabolism , skin condition and much more.
3. In which cases are probiotics taken?
Probiotics have different areas of application and are helpful for almost everyone. People are exposed to a wide variety of environmental influences every day, such as excessive use of antibiotics , smoking, alcohol, sugar, lack of sleep, stress or an unbalanced diet. All of these can throw the microbiome out of balance. The microbiome can be influenced by carefully selected probiotic bacterial strains on the entire body and psyche.
Probiotics can also be used to rebuild a weakened intestinal flora. This is often caused by a low bacterial diversity in the intestine. If this is the case, flatulence, diarrhea or other digestive problems can occur. The causes are often antibiotic treatment, chronic inflammatory bowel disease or the widespread irritable bowel syndrome. .
A weakened intestinal flora often occurs when the body was previously infected by bad bacteria and these had to be fought. Unfortunately, this treatment also kills the good bacteria, and a lack of them can then throw the intestinal flora out of balance. This is also known as dysbacteriosis. Studies have shown that it can take up to six months for the intestinal flora to recover after taking antibiotics. It is therefore important to be careful when taking antibiotics. It is advisable to speak to a doctor about taking them and, if necessary, look for alternatives. If there is no way around taking antibiotics, it is a good idea to focus on restoring your own intestinal flora and find out how to bring it back into balance. Taking probiotics can help here, as intestinal bacteria are ingested, which then settle in the intestinal mucosa, multiply and can bring the intestinal flora back into balance.
Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can also be a reason why taking probiotics is recommended. IBD is classified according to the intensity of the inflammation and treated accordingly. Acute IBD attacks are usually treated with medication that is intended to inhibit the inflammation in the short term. The main goal in treating IBD sufferers is to enable the patient to live as symptom-free as possible.
Recent studies show that the administration of probiotics can also reduce the symptoms of these diseases. This refers to therapeutic procedures in which attempts are made to influence the composition of the intestinal mucosa through microbiological corrections.
4. When are probiotics taken?
No matter which case applies to you, it is almost always recommended to take your probiotics in the morning on an empty stomach. This is because in the morning your digestive tract is still empty due to the lack of food intake during the night, and the production and secretion of gastric and bile acids is still low. This makes it a little easier for the bacteria to pass through your gastrointestinal tract. However, since good resistance to gastric and bile acids is a quality feature of high-quality probiotic bacterial strains, and only such bacterial strains are used in Dailybacs® , Dailybacs® can also be taken at any other time without any problem.
5. How much probiotics should I take?
Since every person is different, the appropriate dose of probiotics varies slightly from person to person and also depends on the individual bacterial strain. One disadvantage of consuming fermented foods is that the exact number and dosage of each bacterial strain cannot be determined. However, an "overdose" of fermented foods is very rare. Taking dietary supplements has the advantage that the dosage can be precisely controlled. It is particularly important that the dosage of each strain is chosen in the same way as it was used in clinical studies in order to make the positive effect replicable.
6. How do you store probiotics?
It all depends on the product that contains the probiotics. If, for example, you consume your bacterial cultures in the form of drinks, you should make sure that you never break the cold chain. Probiotics that are in powder form and can be stored at room temperature are therefore more practical. Dailybacs, for example, are stored as capsules in an opaque glass jar. This protects the bacteria from oxidation, light and pressure if you pack them in your wash bag for a trip, for example - so it's really easy!
7. What should I consider when buying and taking probiotics?
If you are pregnant, have a specific illness or have general concerns, always consult your doctor to discuss taking probiotics. Otherwise, probiotics are not prescription-only and can therefore be purchased at your own discretion. In general, however, when purchasing, you should make sure that you buy high-quality bacterial strains and that these are strains for which clinical studies have already been carried out and proven to be effective. Many white label products use neither one nor the other.
8. How long should I take probiotics?
Bacterial strains are divided into resident and transient bacterial strains. The resident ones can gradually settle in your intestines when you take them and will stay there for a longer period of time. The transient ones, however, are excreted again after they have passed through the gastrointestinal tract. Both types of bacteria are very important for a stable microbiome. The mechanism of action of the transient bacterial strains explains that long-term intake is recommended in order to achieve a lasting positive effect. The first positive effects are usually noticed after just a few days. A positive change in digestion and thus also in bowel movements is often the first to be noticed. After weeks or months, you could already feel how your intestines send positive signals to the brain, increasing your energy and mood. Within half a year, positive effects can then occur on the immune system, skin and in your body systems. This is because 80% of the immune system takes place in the intestines and the microbiome plays a crucial role here. Microbial diversity is also good for the cardiovascular system and metabolism.
Once you feel inner strength and vitality, it will also make you shine on the outside and if your intestines are healthy, then you will also feel healthy!
