Probiotics are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms intended to maintain or improve the "good" bacteria (normal microflora) in the body.

Different strains of probiotics are useful for different reasons. Below are the strains that we should look out for in our probiotic and why. All these strains are found in our Gut Love alongside some additional strains for further gut support.

Lactobacillus acidophilus: Balances potentially harmful bacteria that can otherwise grow in your gut due to illness or antibiotics.

Lactobacillus fermentum: Strengthens your immune system and prevents gastrointestinal and upper respiratory infections.

Lactobacillus casei: Can ease inflammatory bowel disease – a common disorder that causes cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhoea or constipation.

Lactobacillus plantarum: Stimulates your digestive system, fights off disease-causing bacteria.

Lactobacillus reuteri: Supports your heart health by balancing cholesterol levels. It also reduces ulcer-causing bacteria and supports female urinary tract and vaginal health.

Lactobacillus Bulgaricus: This is a common bacteria used in the production of yogurt. It supports good digestion, prevents diarrhoea and helps relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Lactobacillus rhamnosus: It can help relieve IBS symptoms and diarrhoea, enhance your gut health, and defend your teeth against decay.

Bifidobacterium Longum: This strain of bacteria can help prevent inflammation and provide some protection from colon cancer, intestinal infections, inflammatory bowel diseases and even depression.

Bifidobacterium Infantis: To treat bowel problems, eczema, vaginal yeast infections, lactose intolerance and urinary tract infections.

Bifidobacterium bifidum: Helps manage your digestive system, improve IBS, and boost your immune system.

Bifidobacterium Lactis: Helps break down food, absorb nutrients, and fight off "bad" organisms that might cause diseases.

Everyone is an individual, depending on how depleted your microbiome is when you start taking your probiotic. It can take a few weeks to a few months to see improvement in your symptoms. We recommend consistency for around 6-9 months to see results. Maintenance is required to sustain results, continuing a probiotic is recommended.

Probiotics are essential when taking an antibiotic to help restore the microbiome.

Antibiotics can kill good bacteria in our guts and create an imbalance, to repair that balance we need to reintroduce good bacteria.

To ensure that your antibiotic doesn’t kill all the good bacteria in your probiotic, it is recommended to take it at a different time of the day. At least 2 hours apart to avoid interaction. Continuing to take a probiotic after antibiotic usage for around 6 months is recommended.

Foods with high quantities of probiotics have undergone a fermentation process which helps bacteria multiply. Examples: Yoghurt, kefir, Sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, miso soup and cottage cheese. 

Probiotics are good for IBS, they can improve gut motility, stool consistency, frequency and transit time. They can also alleviate bloating, abdominal cramping, nausea, constipation and diarrhoea which are all common symptoms of IBS. Strains to look out for to help IBS – Bifidobacterium Bifidum, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Lactobacillus Casei. These can all be found in our Gut Love

The best time to take your probiotic is in the morning with food as the food helps to buffer the effects of stomach acid; it may also help to facilitate the passage of the probiotics through the stomach and ensures that they are well mixed with the stomach contents as they pass into the small intestines. Probiotics shouldn’t be taken on an empty stomach; the concern here is that bacteria are delicate by nature and that they may not survive stomach acid.

A good probiotic supplement containing a diverse number of strains in the correct quantities will help to improve digestive health and is particularly beneficial for symptoms of IBS, bloating, irregular bowel habits, discomfort, indigestion and heartburn. Probiotics help aid nutrient absorption and reduce inflammation.

The benefits of probiotics also extend beyond the gut and can also positively influence our emotional well-being and mental health, support immunity, balance hormones and relieve skin conditions.

Probiotics - These are live bacteria found in certain foods or supplements. 

Prebiotics - These substances come from types of carbs (mostly fibre). Gut Love contains two prebiotics, Slippery Elm and organic Baobab fruit.

How they work together  – Probiotics are the good bacteria and prebiotics are the good bacteria’s food source to help them multiple.