In our digestive tract, trillions of microorganisms help break down food so that our bodies can better absorb its nutrients and energy. The majority of microorganisms in the gut are beneficial bacteria, also known as “probiotics”. To have a healthy balance of intestinal flora, probiotics should make up 90% of the bacteria. However, stress, poor diet, disease, and medications can upset this balance and reduce the number of probiotics.
And once the bad bacteria take over, the micro-ecological environment in the gut can be disrupted, leading to a leaky gut, which in turn causes problems with the immune system, inflammation, diarrhea, constipation, weight gain, and many diseases to follow.
We can increase probiotics through our daily diet or by taking supplements to help restore a healthy ecology and flora balance in the gut. The problem, however, is that not all probiotics are created equal, and finding the right one for your body isn’t quite as easy. This article today is to help you better understand probiotics.
Can Probiotics Help with Weight Loss?
The answer is yes! Probiotics can affect your weight in many ways. Scientists have experimented on one fat and one thin twin to verify if gut health affects weight. The results of the experiment were YES. the thinner twin had healthier gut flora and the fat one had the opposite.
If your body is not breaking down nutrients properly, you will have difficulty processing or storing fats and carbohydrates, and you will not even be able to break down and digest fiber properly. Some bad strains of bacteria produce a chemical called lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which causes inflammation, which leads to weight gain. Good bacteria, on the other hand, can help eliminate this chemical and keep your body safe from it.
Gut bacteria can also affect your hunger. When probiotic bacteria levels are normal, they break down fiber better, which drives down the level of hunger hormones in your body and you feel less hungry.
In addition, too much yeast can cause weight gain and bloating, which more than 75% of women will experience at least once in their lifetime. And probiotics can deplete yeast organisms.
How Long Does it Take to See Results?
Probiotics are not laxatives, so it is unlikely that you will see significant weight loss in a very short period. The purpose of probiotic supplementation is to improve the health of the intestinal tract and restore the balance of intestinal flora to achieve the goal of improving overall health and ultimately weight loss.
Generally, it is possible to improve symptoms of indigestion such as bloating, intestinal cramps, and constipation within a few hours of taking probiotics. Weight loss will be seen after about two weeks of continuous use, so a little patience is needed.
If you have not been able to see results, then you may be too lack exercise, eat too much junk food, or do not choose the right probiotic products, these are all possible. So it is necessary to make some changes appropriately.
What Are the Foods Containing Probiotics?
Eating probiotic-rich foods regularly will help you keep your intestinal tract healthy. Here are some foods that are rich in probiotics that you can add to your daily diet:
- Fermented vegetables, such as kimchi and sauerkraut
- Raw yogurt
- Natto
- Apple cider vinegar
If your intestinal flora is already dysbiosis, your daily diet may not be enough to bring it back to normal quickly. At this point, probiotic supplements will work better. Importantly, not only does it help with weight loss, but it can also improve your overall health.
How to Choose the Right Probiotics Product?
There are many probiotic products on the market, and advertisements from businesses like to exaggerate their effectiveness. The truth is that not all probiotic supplements are right for you or have good results, and this is directly related to the type and amount of beneficial bacteria they contain.
The three types of beneficial bacteria our bodies need most are:
- Lactobacillus Acidophilus (L. acidophilus): This is the most abundant bacteria in the small intestine and supports nutrient absorption.
- Bifidobacterium Longum: This is the main probiotic in the digestive tract and a true native strain of the human body. It effectively regulates the immune response of Th2 cells and helps maintain the tight junctions of cells in the lining of the intestine to prevent a leaky gut.
- Bbifidum: It helps maintain the acidic environment of the intestine, reduces the proliferation of harmful bacteria, strengthens the immune system, and breaks down complex carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into smaller particles.
The best probiotic product for weight loss should have at least 5 billion CFU (colony-forming units) and at least 7 strains of bacteria, the more the better.
Conclusion
Losing weight is not something that happens overnight, so you need to stay patient and persistent. But the key thing is to find the right way to lose weight in a healthy and safe and easy way. Bringing your intestinal flora into a healthy balance can effectively help you restore your intestinal health, which in turn will strengthen your immune system and ultimately contribute to weight loss.
