Why Probiotics Aren't The Magic Bullet
Like antibiotics, probiotics can be overprescribed. Probiotics aren’t the magic bullet - we need to look at the whole gastrointestinal tract, which runs from the mouth to the anus, and requires a multifactorial approach!
Of course, antibiotics can be life-saving, however we need to be aware of the side effects of over-use - they can completely disrupt the gut microbiome and contribute to symptoms such as thrush, fatigue, immune dysfunction, and so much more.
Remember, the human body is made up of trillions of microbes including bacteria, parasites, yeasts, etc. A healthy human adult has up to 2 kgs of bacteria residing in their gut (with hundreds of different species), and your makeup of your microbes is as unique as a fingerprint!
The benefits of a healthy, diverse and abundant gut microbiome go further than just gut health and digestion - it has significant impacts on the rest of your body, for example:
Immune function - 75% of your immune cells live in your gut,
Nervous system including your mood and energy - over 90% of serotonin, your ‘happy hormone’ is manufactured in your gut
Metabolic health - cravings, appetite and weight management are directly impacted by your gut bugs
Cardiovascular health and cholesterol - specific strains of probiotics can lower LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol
In your gut you have this beautiful existence of ‘goodie’ gut bugs vs ‘baddie’ gut bugs, and you need both for a symbiotic relationship. However, when we’re faced with common stressors of modern society, like antibiotics, processed foods, stress, lack of sleep, etc. it can enable our ‘baddie’ gut bugs to overpopulate, which causes dysbiosis, and this is now recognised in many chronic disease states, such as immune dysfunction, autoimmunity, weight gain/resistance to weight loss, arthritis and depression.
Antibiotics are overprescribed. So much so, the World health Organisation states “antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis”. Australians are amongst the highest users of antibiotics in the world with 46% of the population take one course of antibiotics annually.
Research shows that a single course of antibiotics can disrupt the diversity and composition of your gut microbiome for up to four years.
Here’s the good news - your gut microbiome can be restored through prebiotics, which ‘feeds’ your probiotics, a wholefood diet and consistent lifestyle changes. I’d go as far as saying that prebiotics are more important than probiotics!
There’s different types of prebiotics, including resistant starch (a type of fibre), vegetables, fruit, flaxseeds, as well as microbiome enhancing lifestyle strategies such as exercise, sleep, sunshine, exposure to dirt and natural stress management techniques. Probiotic supplementation can be beneficial and speedup the composition and abundance of your 'microbes. You’re always best to seek advice from a Naturopath or Nutritionist before starting on a course of probiotics, as different strains of probiotics perform different roles, and therefore you get different outcomes! It’s not a ‘one size fits all approach’.
Where do I start?
There’s three things you can do to address dysbiosis and support a healthy gut microbiome:
Focus on water intake - water is the most important nutrient on the planet! Here’s a free 2-week water challenge and water webinar you can watch: click here
Eat 5- 6 serves of vegetables per day (=5-6 cups of salad or veg per day). This recommendation comes from the government and recent research shows only 7% of Aussies manage to reach their daily veg recommendation! As you increase your vegetable intake you’ll naturally increase your gut microbiome enhancing foods, which includes onions, garlic, asparagus, leek, greens, flaxseeds, berries, pomegranate, rye and kiwi fruit.
Focus on increasing your intake of resistant starch, which is a type of fibre, that is the preferred fuel source of the the cells that line your intestinal wall.
Resistant starch resists digestion in the stomach & small intestine and is broken down in the large intestine. It’s the main source of fibre that makes it to the large intestines
When your gut bugs digest resistant starch, they create short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), including butyrate, acetate and propionate, which all have a direct impacts on digestion, absorption, elimination, immune function, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, mood, inflammation, cardiovascular health and detoxification
Adults should aim to eat 20 grams of resistant starch per day, found in potatoes (cooked and cooled), oats, lentils, legumes and bananas.