In today’s globalized world, gut health has become very important. You cannot eat all kinds of foods unless you have a healthy gut that does not invite tummy troubles.
Scientists tried to understand the significance of gut health and gave birth to probiotics to send gut rumbles away.
Our autoimmune system is defined by the kind of diet we intake on a daily basis. Food these days is loaded with saturated fats, artificial additives and sweeteners, and carbohydrates.
If our gut is not healthy, we will be more susceptible to stomach ulcers, diabetes, and obesity.
What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are known as living bacteria that benefit health on a deep level mainly the digestive system.
Probiotics are great to strengthen immune function and improve metabolic rate. Probiotic comes from two Greek words; “pro” meaning “to promote” and “biotic” meaning “life.”
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) states,
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are beneficial for health.
Products sold as probiotics include foods (such as yogurt), dietary supplements, and products that aren’t used orally, such as skin creams.
Although people often think of bacteria and other microorganisms as harmful “germs,” many organisms help our bodies function properly.
For example, bacteria that are usually present in our intestines help digest food, destroy disease-causing microorganisms, and produce vitamins.
Large numbers of microorganisms live on and in our bodies. In fact, microbes in the human body outnumber human cells by 10 to 1.
Many of the organisms in probiotic products are the same as or similar to microorganisms that naturally live in our bodies.
What are the health benefits of probiotics?
A Healthy gut has shown to improve overall organ health and fight illnesses. Probiotics have abundant benefits for both adults and children.
They assist mothers, for instance, to pass on balanced starter microbiomes to their babies, and also keep pets healthy.
It can help the whole population irrespective of the age factor. Gender-specific probiotics are also available to best suit the cause.
The underlying issue is, it is hard to get it from food alone, so a probiotic supplement that contains enzymes and ingredients that are known to help with digestion is an optimum solution.
Some of the universal benefits include; gut health, bone health, digestive tract health, skin health, weight loss and management, disease protection and active immune function.
Same is the case in men specifically, with the help of probiotics they will be able to fight against problems that affect their body.
How do Probiotics work?
The gut contains both good and bad bacteria. The experts have found out that to have a healthy digestive system you should have both harmful and beneficial bacteria.
The gastroenterologists have analyzed that the good bacteria should be 85 percent and the harmful bacteria should be 15 percent.
So, the balance needs to be made as per the above ratio, or the body will experience disorders like the yeast infection, fungus or bacteria that will harm the body in many ways.
By consuming probiotic-rich foods or supplements, you can balance your body’s good and bad bacteria and prevent diseases.
How can Probiotics be a good bet for men?
Some of the common health issues in men include; lower testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction, cholesterol, cardiovascular disorders, hair fall, and excess fat in the lower abdominal region, constipation, hemorrhoids, gastrointestinal problems, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and prostate cancer. Probiotics are said to prevent and treat all the above.
- Probiotics for Allergies
The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition tested a group of people with seasonal nasal allergies at the peak of the pollen season to evaluate how their bodies respond to probiotic supplementation.
The subjects were tested by pricking grass and then drawing blood samples for 8 weeks to measure immune parameters.
After supplementing them with Probiotics, the allergic rates were significantly lower. Hence it proved that probiotics could also help people with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR).
Research in athletes also showed the lower rate of respiratory tract infections with the usage of probiotics because they are beneficial bacteria.
Probiotics can prevent such infections but make sure to balance the bacteria to ward off any allergies.
- Cardiovascular Health
Heart issues are a significant concern for men today. Many kinds of changes affect a man’s heart function that requires monitoring.
With the help of probiotics, you can keep your heart functioning healthily and not fire out even as you age.
Smoking and drinking are the two leading causes that hinder heart health. Some of you might be wondering what do bacteria have to do with the heart?
But research has an answer for you; consuming probiotic supplements on a daily basis can help maintain blood pressure and good cholesterol levels.
- Benefits of Probiotics in Prostatitis
Prostatitis is also a common condition in men. It is caused by the inflammation of the prostate, and its symptoms involve many urinary disorders such as frequent urination, UTI (urinary tract infections) difficulty in holding urine, painful dribbling and urgency to urinate during the night.
Prostatitis affects about half the male population in a lifetime. It can be prevented by maintaining a proper immune function and aid the gut with the consumption of probiotic supplements regularly.
Our gut controls about 70 to 80 percent of the immune function so with the help of probiotics it will be fueled to run the immune system optimally.
The bacteria that cause urinary infections can be kept at bay by ingesting probiotics and prevent the development of prostatitis and combat inflammation.
- Benefits of Probiotics in Weight Loss
Your gut health also determines your number on the scale as gut health and BMI are interlinked. Our body uses good bacteria to break down food and intake its nutrients.
The research published in the British Journal of Nutrition also shows that people who ingested probiotics on a daily basis for eight weeks experienced lower weight and BMI.
Your gut also has a significant role in controlling the appetite because it signals the brain about hunger pangs and satiation.
Probiotics can help prevent you from binge eating and control cravings by manipulating hormones that induce hunger.
In addition to that, some strains found inside the probiotics showed to reduce chronic depression and anxiety.
- Benefits of Probiotics in Digestive Health
The probiotics can soothe symptoms of IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome). IBS is commonly reported in men, but they tend to ignore it and deny any medical help.
Though, this is a severe gestational disorder that can harm the gut. The good bacteria can prevent the irritable bowel syndrome, gas, bloating, constipation, abdominal cramps and also diarrhoea.
Probiotic strains have been shown to reduce all these symptoms. The central concept and aim behind the creation of Probiotics are to improve gastrointestinal health which is why it is highly beneficial to the intestinal tract.
Probiotics have been used to help with many gastric conditions such as GERD, acid reflux, fungus in the small intestine, and diarrhoea.
Probiotics not only increase the healthy bacteria but also neutralize some molecular byproducts of bacteria.
They may provide significant long-term benefits to patients suffering from acid reflux so the medication can be avoided.
- Benefits of Probiotics in Bone Health
Bone density lowers with age especially in men, and it can result in major setbacks as men typically take more restoration time than women.
Just many other bodily systems, the bone strength is also linked with a healthy functioning gut, mainly the intestines.
The inflammation in the intestines can result in bone tissue absorption which weakens the bones.
Many researchers have found that consuming probiotics alone will address all the underlying causes of inflamed joints and weak bones.
The two strains of Probiotics Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium balance the gut microbiome and decrease the absorption of minerals essential for bone strength.
- Benefits of Probiotics in Immune Function
Life gets dull when you feel sick and tired all the time. So, boost your immunity and metabolic rate with the help of probiotics by strengthening the gut.
With the regular intake of probiotics, you will feel more efficient and productive throughout the day. Moreover, you can work longer hours with rebuilt stamina.