How Probiotics Can Help Manage These 5 Health Conditions
Probiotics are live microorganisms present in fermented food like yogurt, kimchi, and kefir. Despite their identity as microbes containing bacteria, they’re not harmful and instead are beneficial to overall gut health. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are the two most familiar bacteria found in probiotics. They’re responsible for protecting the body from illnesses.
Doctors may prescribe their patients to consume medication or food rich in probiotics to treat common stomach issues like diarrhea and constipation. But there are other concerns that probiotics can manage well. This article will show how probiotics could benefit a person’s overall health.
Parkinson’s Disease
For a condition as severe as Parkinson’s disease, probiotics may be the one supplement most patients won’t think of trying. However, some emerging studies state that probiotics might offer significant relief. Research suggests that gut dysbiosis, or digestive bacteria imbalance, may cause the condition’s symptoms.
Probiotics for Parkinson’s disease could treat gut dysbiosis by introducing more healthy bacteria the patient might lack. As a result, nutrients and enzymes that pass through the stomach will be managed and distributed better. Improved probiotic health might reduce the body’s inflammatory response, which regresses the disease.
Since the research is still new and ongoing, some caveats exist regarding consuming probiotics to relieve Parkinson’s symptoms. Always consult your physician for proper medical advice, especially for auto-immune diseases.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a general term for specific issues involving digestive system inflammation. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are the two most common IBD types. Symptoms of these conditions may include abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, appetite loss, and extreme weight loss.
Since probiotics are already options for people with stomach conditions, they may also help relieve IBD symptoms. Some medical experts might view that probiotics work better as preventive measures, especially for ulcerative colitis. But that isn’t to say they’re ineffective as a complementary supplement.
Intake of probiotics may help lessen the pain and inflammation in the lining of the large intestine. A doctor may prescribe their patient to take the probiotics in a vitamin or supplement form. As soon as the patient has been remitted, they should take probiotics immediately to induce and sustain remission for longer.
Eczema
Eczema or atopic dermatitis is when the skin has a noncontagious inflammation, sometimes with redness, itchiness, and lesions. Some medical researchers believe this health issue begins in the patient’s gut, where the local microorganisms are out of balance. It may be attributed to a lack of microbiome diversity, which differentiates eczema patients from those without it.
Probiotic-rich food or medications may help manage this lack. A weak immune system is often the cause of such a condition since the body must create inflammations to counter harmful bacteria. When a patient has a more diverse and healthier gut microbiome, the immune system becomes stronger to combat allergens and viruses.
It’s crucial to note that probiotics aren’t the ultimate cures for eczema, no matter how effective. A patient with this condition must continue to take other medications prescribed by their doctor and ease stress to reduce symptoms.
Gingivitis And Gum Disease
Gingivitis results from plaque and bacteria building up around teeth and gums and causing infection. This condition may eventually lead to gum disease if not immediately treated. Nearly half of the world’s adult population over 30 has this health issue.
People with gingivitis are likely to have either unclean surroundings or an inability to fight infection. The latter may be caused by a lack of healthy bacteria, which an intake of probiotics might solve. Excessive use of mouthwash and teeth-cleaning products might destroy the balance of your mouth’s good bacteria. This results in the bad ones potentially harming your teeth and gums.
Probiotics may prevent disease-causing bacteria from starting infections in wounds and spaces in the gums. A dentist may prescribe a probiotic supplement to patients with gingivitis or gum disease to balance good and bad bacteria. It could be by chewing probiotic-infused gum to directly touch the teeth while the patient continues brushing and flossing regularly.
Hay Fever And Other Respiratory Allergies
Few people connect gut health with upper respiratory infections like asthma, colds, and hay fever. But the microbiomes in the large intestine directly affect one’s resistance to allergies.
Since a lack or imbalance of healthy bacteria may make a body more susceptible to viruses, taking probiotics may strengthen the immune system. The supplements could increase the number of allergen-fighting bacteria people prone to respiratory allergies need.
Consuming more probiotic-rich food may make one more resistant to hay fever and similar issues. By adding natural ways for digestive health improvement, the patient may experience fewer allergy attacks in the future. However, results from probiotic supplement intake may still vary from person to person.
Conclusion
Despite the health benefit of probiotics, they exist as supplements to more potent and ongoing treatments. They’re not exclusive remedies for the health conditions above, but they could cause better results to reduce symptoms.
Their main job is to balance or increase the body’s healthy microorganism population to defend against common illnesses and diseases. While they’re readily available in fermented food and over-the-counter medication, a patient must still seek a doctor’s advice before taking probiotics for their condition.
