Author: Dr. Bryce Hendy, DC, DNCert
Probiotics are foods and supplements that contain live bacteria. These are the bacteria that we want to introduce into the gut microbiome to help increase the number of good bacteria (Firmicutes and Bacteroides) and better fight against the bad bacteria. However, taking a probiotic supplement is not necessarily the best way. Foods can be probiotic in nature as well, typically the bacteria found in probiotic foods are more bioavailable, meaning they integrate and survive better in the gut. Two great sources of probiotic foods are yogurt and fermented foods. Yogurt that is non-pasteurized is a great way to introduce healthy bacteria through your diet. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and non-pasteurized pickled vegetables.
Fermented foods work great because the healthy bacteria is able to feed off and survive from the naturally available sugars and fiber found in the food itself. Once the probiotic food is eaten and the healthy bacteria is in the gut, it is still important to give the bacteria the fuel it needs to continue to grow and thrive. This is where pre-biotics come in.
Prebiotics are food sources that act as fuel and nutrition for the healthy bacteria in the gut. Foods that are high in fiber serve as a great source of prebiotics. Foods that have naturally occurring sugars are a great source as well. Some examples of easy prebiotic foods are legumes, oats, berries, garlic and onions to name a few. The healthy gut bacteria are able to turn prebiotic fibers into a short chain fatty acid called butyrate which helps aid in the production of the barrier in the colon. Butyrate production is not adequate enough without the prebiotic fiber.
There are also foods which are classified as synbiotic foods, meaning they have the probiotic bacteria and they also provide the bacteria with prebiotic fiber for the bacteria to feed on. These foods are cheese, kefir and sauerkraut.
There are supplements on the market that are probiotic and are labeled and marketed as such. The issue with these supplements is there is not consistency across the board. Some products will be better than others in terms of strains, number of live strains and product formula. This can lead to poor absorption in your system and may not have the desired effect. A lot of the strains in supplements and the supplements themselves have a hard time surviving the stomach acid. The other downside to probiotic supplementation is most formulas don’t provide the bacteria with a source of food, which also decreases survivability of the bacteria through the stomach
So, to best aid in our gut microbiome and give it the best chance to fight against the bad bacteria, a diet that is high in fiber and naturally occurring sugars will give our healthy gut bacteria the food they need to grow and survive. Also decreasing foods that are high in processed sugars and carbohydrates will decrease the food that the bad bacteria live off. Adding foods that are natural sources of probiotics to help increase the number of good bacteria in the gut. Having a healthy functioning gut microbiome is very important for maintaining our immune systems to help fight off infections and viruses and also plays a vital role in mood and hormone function. It is important to take prebiotics and probiotics together to make sure we are giving the new bacteria a fighting chance.
