Probiotics have been a hot topic for a long time now. And it’s not surprising. Many walk around with stomach problems without really understanding why, and probiotics have become a natural first step for many with digestive issues.
Maybe you have clicked home a jar yourself hoping your bloated stomach will calm down.
Something is obviously out of balance and you want to do something about it.
So you start with probiotics but nothing changes immediately.
And this is often where it stops. You give up.
Because what is rarely explained in product advertising is how the gut actually works.
That probiotics are not the whole solution.
They are only a part of it.
What determines whether probiotics make any difference
It is easy to believe that probiotics are just about adding good bacteria.
Probiotics, or lactic acid bacteria, are bacteria that already naturally exist in the gut but that you can also get through supplements or fermented food.
But the gut does not quite work like just filling in something that is missing.
It is a complex ecosystem already full of bacteria that live, interact, and affect each other. Adding new ones does not automatically change the balance.
New bacteria compete with those already there, and in many cases, they just pass through.
What more often determines what happens is what the bacteria have access to.
It is practically about what nourishment they receive.
Prebiotics – what starts the process
Prebiotics are fibers that the body itself does not break down.
They pass on to the large intestine, where the bacteria use them as nourishment.
It is in this process that much of what we want to achieve with a more balanced stomach takes shape.
If there is not enough of such fibers, the effect of probiotics is often limited, regardless of which strains you take.
In studies on so-called synbiotics, where prebiotics and probiotics are combined, more consistent effects are also seen than when using probiotics alone.
Postbiotics – what actually affects how the stomach feels
Lactic acid bacteria are of course important, but they don’t do all the work by themselves.
What affects how the stomach feels is mainly what is produced when they break down fibers.
When the bacteria get access to prebiotics, they produce substances called postbiotics, such as short-chain fatty acids like butyrate.
It’s these substances that affect the environment in the gut, and this is usually where the difference is noticed.
The stomach doesn’t feel unsettled after you’ve eaten and it doesn’t get as easily bloated. Digestion works better, and it’s often here that you first start to feel a difference in your body.
Different bacterial strains affect the stomach in different ways
When we write probiotics and lactic acid bacteria, we want to be clear that all bacteria are different and do not serve the same function.
And when we talk about probiotics, it’s really not just “bacteria” we mean, but specific strains.
A bacterium can belong to a certain species, for example Lactobacillus plantarum, but even within the same species, there are different strains that behave slightly differently in the body.
There are hundreds, actually thousands, of such strains that have been studied in various contexts.
This also means that two products can look quite similar on the outside but work differently in practice.
Different strains affect different processes in the gut, such as how fibers are broken down, how much gas is produced, and how the gut moves.
If you often have a bloated stomach, strains like Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus plantarum those that are interesting for you to look for on the ingredient list. They are often used in situations where you want to support a stomach that easily becomes bloated or sensitive.
So if you haven’t noticed any difference after taking probiotics for a while, it doesn’t necessarily mean that probiotics don’t work for you.
It could just as well be that it wasn’t the right type, or the right combination, for your body.
What you can do instead
So, how can you make sure your gut gets the right conditions?
You need to provide it with prebiotic fibers, which are naturally found in many foods:
- onion, garlic, and asparagus
- apples
- legumes
- root vegetables
They act as fuel, and without them, there isn’t much for the bacteria to work with, no matter which supplements you take.
Another way to simplify is to choose a supplement that contains both bacteria and prebiotic fibers. Then the bacteria get direct access to what they need.
A detail that is often overlooked
Besides the fact that all probiotic supplements can contain different strains, there are more things that can differentiate them.
Some contain unnecessary fillers, sweeteners, or other additives that don’t benefit the body. Rather, they are added to make the product cheaper.
But if you’re trying to understand what your stomach reacts to, it can be nice to keep it as simple as possible.
A supplement with as few unnecessary ingredients as possible makes it easier to see what actually makes a difference.
Our philosophy is that if an ingredient doesn’t help your health, it shouldn’t be in the product.
What can you take away from this?
It’s easy to think that something hasn’t worked because you didn’t feel any difference. And in many cases, that’s true. But in this case, it might be that something just needs to be adjusted.
More of the right fibers in your diet, or a supplement that also contains prebiotics, can make what you already take actually start to have an effect.
Do you want to give your stomach better conditions to actually function?
Here you can read more:
Gut flora and lifespan - what does the research say?
Probiotics - the key to good health
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Garden of Life: Probiotics Gas & Bloating
Global Healing Ultimate Probiotic
Thorne Floramend Prime Probiotic
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Dr Mercola Complete Probio
