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Probiotics, i.e. good bacteria, we associate rather with a cover during antibiotic treatment. Few people realize that they are irreplaceable in the case of many other problems with which we do not associate them at all.
The digestive tract of a healthy person is inhabited by several hundred species of bacteria. They constitute the so-called natural intestinal flora. This balance can be disturbed, among others when using antibiotics (the antibiotic destroys all bacteria, not only pathogenic ones), as well as through viral infections, chronic stress or an improper diet. This, in turn, can cause many, sometimes very bothersome symptoms, such as flatulence, constipation or diarrhea. Disturbed or abnormal intestinal flora can also cause inflammation and promote the increased activity of carcinogens that enter the intestines with the food.
The condition of an organism in which the composition and function of intestinal bacteria has been disturbed is defined by the little-known word dysbiosis.
Bacteria for special tasks
Repairing damage isn’t the only thing they can do. Probiotics are number one when it comes to supporting immunity. First: they produce substances that destroy or weaken pathogens, i.e. pathogenic foreign bodies. In addition, they make it difficult for them to stick to the intestinal epithelium, creating a tight cover on them. They also consume nutrients necessary for the development of hostile cells. In this way, they can “starve”, inter alia, rotavirus, staphylococcus aureus, salmonella or pneumonia. In addition, they strengthen the activity of the immune system cells: lymphocytes and macrophages (these are cells that purify cell debris and absorb, for example, bacteria, fungi or viruses).
The vicious cycle of weight loss
The fact that good bacteria can also be an ally of people on a diet was the first to speak out loudly beloved by Hollywood stars, Dr. Nicholas Perricone. He argued that all civilization diseases, including eating disorders, result from an improper, poor and processed diet.
There is a lot of truth to his theory that scientists can already explain. The number and composition of beneficial intestinal bacteria also affects the processes of absorption and use of energy. A lack of probiotics reduces the feeling of fullness, which causes us to stop controlling the amount of what we eat. Although we should be full, we feel a suction in the stomach, weakness; the body demands more calories. In such situations, unfortunately, we usually reach for products rich in fats and simple sugars (sweet rolls, pizza, bars). And this only worsens the condition of our bacteria and, as a consequence, clearly aggravates the dysbiosis. Gluttony episodes may be related to this. When this condition continues, the liver also loses it: dysbiosis exacerbates the fatty tissue of this organ and causes inflammation, and we may not know it for a long time, because no ailments appear.
Due to the shortage of probiotics, unfavorable changes also occur in adipose tissue and muscles. Dysbiosis leads, among others to increase the amount of triglycerides. Such adipose tissue is less sensitive to fat mobilizing factors, e.g. during weight loss. At the same time, muscles are not able to burn as much fat as in a healthy person with a normal bacterial flora. Losing weight is then even more difficult.
What will they change for the better?
Probiotic bacteria support digestion and assimilation of many essential (also in the process of weight loss) nutrients. In the large intestine, they facilitate the absorption of iron, phosphorus, calcium and other valuable ingredients, thanks to which the metabolism runs more efficiently. They produce vitamins, incl. from group B, which are involved in the transformation of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as in the formation of neurotransmitters – e.g. serotonin, without which it is easier to drop your mood and reach for sweets compulsively. Probiotics are also involved in the metabolism of bile acids and regulate the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines.
Without a solid intestinal barrier, the body weakened by dietary experiments will be more exposed to toxins that are found in our digestive tract. Therefore, it is also for this reason that during slimming treatments it is advisable to take probiotics, especially multi-strains, which “seal” the intestinal barrier and protect us from toxins, facilitating the difficult slimming process.
We should permanently include probiotic products in our menu. When losing weight, it is best to use them with every meal or at least 3 times a day. If the weight is falling reluctantly or the previous weight loss attempts have been unsuccessful, it is worth using a probiotic treatment with preparations from the pharmacy. It should last 14–21 days. Then you can take a break for 1-2 months and use the support in capsules or sachets again. Especially that the time of holidays is approaching, and the intestines usually do not tolerate trips well – in other places, along with water and food, they get a portion of unknown bacteria, with which they cope worse, reacting, for example, with diarrhea. The probiotic treatment will protect us from such surprises.
Necessarily well-fed
The good bacteria work better when combined with prebiotics – the carbohydrates they eat. They are present in large amounts in whole grain cereal products (including groats, bread, flakes) and vegetables (including asparagus, artichokes, chicory, onions). When delivered to the body, they slow down the absorption and digestion of carbohydrates – thus lowering the glycemic index of products, increasing the feeling of fullness and reducing hunger. Therefore, they are recommended for people prone to excessive weight gain and the development of diabetes.
Do you know that…
There is more and more talk about the relationship between excess weight and allergies. Meanwhile, administering probiotics (specifically the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain) to women in the last month of pregnancy, and then to infants for the first six months of life, lowers the risk of allergies in these children by as much as half. It is also known that the use of probiotics in allergy accelerates the relief of its symptoms. They “seal” the intestinal walls so effectively that they become a barrier to allergens.
Tekst: Anna Cieszyńska
Consultation: Igor Łoniewski, MD, PhD