How You Know Your Probiotic Supplement is Working
Let's get clear on one thing - you cannot 'out-supplement' a bad diet. Supplements are designed to be used as part of a nutrient-dense real food eating plan. In my practice, I have a 'food first' approach in which we get the person's the food on point first and then we fill in nutritional gaps using targeted supplementation. I've written a whole post on the five foundational supplements that just about everyone should be taking. You can check that out here. One of those must-have supplements is a probiotic.
Probiotics are the beneficial microorganisms that live in your gut and play a significant role in your overall health. Poor diet, stress, toxin exposure and antibiotic use can tip the delicate bacterial balance in your gut towards more harmful microbes than beneficial. Taking a probiotic supplement every day can help keep your gut microbial ecosystem (aka your microbiome) in a healthier balance.
There are many, many probiotic supplements on the market these days. Some are great, others are, in my opinion, a waste of money because they don't contain high quality strains that have been shown to survive the digestive tract. I recommend doing some research or working with a health professional to choose the right probiotic for you.
My clients typically begin noticing positive health changes within a few weeks of starting their probiotic supplement. If you're wondering what signs to look for to ensure your probiotic is working, check out my latest post over on BINTO.