There is a strong link between digestive health and general health and wellbeing. Not only is the digestive tract responsible for the absorption of nutrients for the body, but it also harbours a large portion of the body’s immune system. For the gastrointestinal tract to be able to work properly, it largely depends on the presence of health-beneficial bacteria (microflora). Unfortunately, many factors of modern life, including stress, consumption of processed foods, and the use of antibiotics, may lead to an imbalance of the microflora, known as dysbiosis, with related complications.
At a Glance
Digestive system eating away at your health?
Recipe for optimal digestive health…
Other Dietary and Lifestyle Factors
Frequently Asked Questions
Did You Know?
Digestive system eating away at your health?
Conditions and Symptoms
In addition to food digestion, the elimination of waste products is also part of healthy digestive function. Therefore, people with compromised digestive health or dysbiosis may experience symptoms such as:
- abdominal discomfort/pain
- bloating
- flatulence
- constipation and/or diarrhoea
Non-digestive symptoms of dysbiosis may also include:
- eczema
- low energy levels
- fungal overgrowth (thrush)
Below are some conditions that are linked with dysbiosis.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
IBD, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is characterised by intestinal inflammation. Symptoms may include abdominal cramps or pain, diarrhoea, bright red blood in the stool, and weight loss.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)IBS is characterised by mild to severe abdominal discomfort, bloating, flatulence, and constipation or diarrhoea (sometimes alternating between the two).
Intestinal spasms cause abdominal cramps/pain.
Diarrhoea
- Antibiotic-associated
Antibiotic-associated diarrhoea occurs when the antibiotic disturbs the balance of the normal microflora thus allowing detrimental bacteria to thrive and cause symptoms of diarrhoea.
- Infectious
Research supports the use of supplemental bacteria that are normally part of the microflora (known as probiotics) in many types of infectious diarrhoea including rotavirus (common causative agent in children’s diarrhoea), Escherichia coli (E. coli, common cause of traveller’s diarrhoea), and Clostridium difficile (C. difficile, commonly implicated in antibiotic-associated diarrhoea).
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Recipe for optimal digestive health…
Key Supportive Probiotics
As discussed, our bodies have a mutually beneficial relationship with specific kinds of bacteria that naturally inhabit our digestive tracts. These organisms help us to digest food, generate important nutrients, positively influence the immune system to ward off infections, and diminish allergic reactivity.
In states of dysbiosis, probiotics may be consumed to correct the imbalance. Some formulas may also contain what is known as prebiotics. A prebiotic substance serves to selectively stimulate the growth and activity of the beneficial microflora, without encouraging the growth of other types of undesirable micro-organisms.
Therapeutically, the most commonly used probiotic agents are bacteria from the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genera, as well as the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii.
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacilli have long been known for the role they play in the body’s defense against disease-causing organisms (pathogens). They are able to influence immune function and also produce a variety of substances that are harmful to pathogens to inhibit their growth.
L. acidophilus may reduce the symptoms of IBS (including abdominal pain and discomfort) and aid in the management of thrush and diarrhoea. Other documented roles of L. acidophilus include the production of vitamin K and lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose, the sugar component of milk).
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
L. rhamnosus has been used successfully in the treatment of traveller’s diarrhoea and C. difficile infection/diarrhoea (C. difficile is a common pathogen implicated in antibiotic-associated diarrhoea). This probiotic has also demonstrated efficacy in rotavirus infection (rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea in children worldwide).
Additionally, L. rhamnosus is one of the most effective lactobacilli studied in the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections.
Supplementation during pregnancy and breastfeeding has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of developing atopic eczema during the first two years of life.
Bifidobacterium breve
Bifidobacteria prevent or alleviate infectious diarrhoea through their effects on the immune system and by preventing pathogenic organisms from colonising the intestine. B. breve has been shown to be particularly beneficial in rotavirus infection.
Research has also shown that B. breve, as part of a probiotic mixture also containing L. rhamnosus, to be efficacious in reducing the symptoms of IBS.
Saccharomyces boulardii (SB)
Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of SB in the prevention and management of several intestinal disorders including antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, diarrhoeal disease in children and adults, recurrent C. difficile infection, traveller’s diarrhoea, and relapses of IBD.
In contrast to other probiotics, SB is not affected by the use of antibiotics and may be taken concurrently to reduce the likelihood of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea.
As well as being a probiotic, SB is also a prebiotic, and when used with other probiotics, will further encourage their growth on the intestinal lining.
Consult your local pharmacist for further information on how these key probiotics can provide digestive support.
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Other Dietary and Lifestyle Factors
Here are a few simple tips that may help improve digestive health, minimise the symptoms of dysbiosis, and optimise vitality and wellbeing:
- Fibre – make sure your diet contains plenty of fruit and vegetables. These foods are high in fibre which acts as a source of nutrition for the microflora. Fibre also adds bulk to the stool, thus promoting healthy bowel habits.
- Avoid refined carbohydrates, sweets, fatty foods, and processed foods; these may have an adverse effect on the microflora.
- Eating habits – how you eat may be as important as what you eat. Eat slowly, chew properly, maintain an upright posture while eating and shortly afterwards, avoid eating just before bedtime, and stop eating when you feel full to avoid overeating.
- Fluids and exercise – make sure you get plenty of water and regular exercise as this will help maintain regular bowel movements.
- Stress management – if stress is part of your everyday life, taking some time to relax or practice stress management is very important as stress may lead to digestive upsets and dysbiosis.
- Keep a ‘Food-Symptom diary’ – your symptoms may also be due to a food intolerance. Keeping a food-symptom diary may shed some light on the foods that do not agree with you. You may need to enlist the help of a healthcare professional to help you interpret the results.
Your local pharmacist can offer further advice to help you achieve these goals.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It seems strange to consume bacteria. Is it really safe?
Probiotic supplements have an excellent track record of safety. Because these bacteria are normally present in your body as part of the natural intestinal flora, supplementation will only serve to restore a healthy balance that may have been disturbed by dietary and lifestyle factors. Probiotic bacteria are also present in many commonly consumed foods including yoghurt and fermented products such as miso soup.
There are so many different types of probiotics. Which one should I be taking?
Probiotics, by providing friendly intestinal microflora, will have a general beneficial effect on digestive health. More specific health conditions may require a combination of specific probiotic micro-organisms with known therapeutic actions. Your pharmacist will be able to help you choose a probiotic supplement that best suits your particular health needs.
Is it safe for me to combine probiotics with my current prescription medications?
As mentioned previously, antibiotics may have an adverse effect on the microflora. However, there have been no reports of probiotics interacting with prescription medications.
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Did You Know?
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