How Probiotics can power your immunity
- bey0ndM@gz!ne
- April 16, 2021
- Default, Health-Wellness
- 0 Comments
From simple sniffles to serious sicknesses, a strong immune system is your best defence against illness. Lifestyle and environmental pollutants, fast-food choices, poor sleep, and more can compromise the immune system’s superpowers, leaving you exposed to all kinds of infection.
You can strengthen your immunity by strengthening your gut. Almost 70% of all immune cells are located in the gut-associated regions of your immune system, where they provide vital protection from infection.
While there are many habits I would advise individuals to adopt to strengthen their digestive health, a quick and easy-to-implement habit to boost immunity would be to include a pure and potent multistrain probiotic into their daily life.
Why probitoics?
Probiotics can enhance the function and activity of the white blood cells in your immune system. They both protect the oral, nasal, lung and gut membranes from infection, and boost your immune cell activity and function.
Research bears testament to the benefits of probiotics. In 2015, the scientifically well-regarded Cochrane group published a review on probiotics in the treatment and prevention of acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). Combining the results of 12 high-class studies involving children, adults and seniors the review showed that probiotics reduced episodes of upper respiratory tract infections by about 47%. This amazing result came in tandem with a reduction in the duration of a cold episode by about 2 days as well. (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2015, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD006895).
Your gut and immunity
Living inside your digestive system are approximately 300 to 500 other species of bacteria. Most of the bacteria are good; only some are bad. A sufficient level of good gut bacteria is necessary to prevent bad bacteria, fungi, parasites and even viruses from sticking to your gut lining or irritating digestion.
When your delicate balance of good and bad bacteria is upset by antibiotics, environmental toxins and stress, for example, your good bacteria can be reduced and outnumbered. This can lead to a permanent bacterial overgrowth, rather than an infection, and affect the small intestine (“small intestinal bacterial overgrowth” or SIBO for short). You may develop symptoms such as bloating, changes in bowel habits and food intolerances.
As your gut’s ability to absorb critical nutrients and eliminate waste from your body is hindered, your gut associated immune system is compromised. This, in turn, can cause liver or skin inflammation and blood sugar regulation challenges.
This is why naturopaths and many health care practitioners believe that loss of gut health opens the door to multiple diseases, owing to bacterial endotoxins causing persistent inflammation.
How probiotics help your gut
Probiotics are good bacteria. Taken in sufficient amounts, they help to crowd out harmful bacteria and restore your natural gut balance. Beneficial gut bacteria can also stimulate the development of immunity-essential dendritic cells and T cells activity levels in your body – and increase a protective immunoglobulin called IgA, one of the first defences against infections like URTIs.
At the same time, several Lactobacillus probiotic species cool down inflammation and manage fever and pain levels by encouraging the “Treg” cells – ones that regulate immunity. These Treg benefitting species include: Lactobacillus rhamnosus, L casei, L paracasei and L plantarum.
Probiotics also help make substances, such as butyrate, that help to strengthen the gut membranes.
Which probiotic is right for you
Probiotics can be obtained through foods that naturally contain healthy bacteria, including fermented foods like Sauerkraut, Kimchee and Natto (traditional Japanese dish consisting of fermented soybeans and characterised by a slimy, sticky and stringy texture), and – for those who are not allergic or sensitive – cultured dairy products like yoghurt, kefir and buttermilk. Having said that, sometimes food sources are not enough. Yoghurt, for example, contains more probiotics at the time of manufacture than it does toward its “Use By” date. Supplementing with probiotics can help to ensure your gut and immunity get the
good bacteria it needs.
It’s important to note that different probiotics serve different purposes and suit different people of different ages. This is one of the many reasons why store-bought probiotics are rarely an effective solution, particularly if they are not appropriately stored or refrigerated. The stool tests at IMI can determine microbial balance, often showing that retail probiotics typically fail to raise the relevant levels of good bacteria.
Of all the probiotic species, studies indicate Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus reuteri are the stronger immune supportive strains – and best taken in combination with Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium breve and Bifidobacterium lactis.
At IMI, our clients have normally benefitted from multi-strain probiotics, with all these in combination, particularly to reduce the frequency of URTIs in both adults and children. Generally, you will find that digestion improves too, however for optimal results, removal of bacterial growth (SIBO) may be needed through the additional use of herbal supplements.
If you have any questions about practitioner-recommended probiotics or would like tailored advice, please call 2525 7121 or email dispensary@imi.com.hk to connect with one of our Naturopathic Dispensary Managers.
They will be happy to help.
