We commonly think of bacteria as being bad, but there are good bacteria that help our body function as well. These bacteria, more commonly known as probiotics, were first introduced in the late 20th century, but over the last few years, the use of probiotics has continued to rise. Probiotics are now the 3rd most used dietary supplement by adults and between 2007 and 2012, the use of probiotics quadrupled. Probiotics seem to be in everything from our vitamins to our drinks, to our yogurt, and even our skin care products.
Probiotics are live microorganisms, or bacteria, that help our body function properly. There are an estimated 100 trillion different microorganisms found in our stomach and they all benefit our health in different ways. Some bacteria found in the digestive tract help break down the food we eat and help our body absorb vitamins and other nutrients. Other bacteria help fight off disease causing organisms and keep the “bad” bacteria in check. This is key because when these bad bacteria take over, we can experience digestive symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea.*
Since the 1990s research has continued to show that ingesting probiotics may be able to help many different health conditions. Most commonly, probiotics are known to help with gastrointestinal symptoms. Some people with health conditions that conventional medicine still struggles to manage effectively, such as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s Disease, have seen improvement in symptoms like diarrhea and constipation. Beyond just helping our digestive system, probiotics have shown benefit to those suffering from eczema, allergies, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, and anxiety. They have been shown to help reduce inflammation throughout the body, which can be a major factor in most chronic health conditions.*
It’s important to remember that not all probiotics are created equal. Your stomach acid can destroy many of the microorganisms found in probiotics before they even reach your intestines, which means you aren’t getting the full benefit from them. Taking a probiotic supplement is the fastest way to ingest many live probiotics at one time. Probiotics offer a lot of different benefits with very minimal risk, so if you haven’t tried them before, it’s worth a shot. Your gut will thank you!*
Protea Nutrition GI Assist is an effective and safe solution for improving digestion and aiding the body in natural toxin elimination. It is gentle enough for everyday use and supports the intestinal function with an effective high potency probiotic that supports elimination of metabolic by-products and common everyday exposure.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
