Healthy bacteria is essential to a healthy digestive system. The right bacteria can help to improve the immune system, reduce risk of diseases, improve skin condition and even help with weight loss. People of all ages experience digestive issues every now and then but taking care of the gut and good bacteria in it becomes even more important with age, and probiotics can help with this.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are live bacteria that are good for health and especially important for the digestive system. Did you know that the body is actually full of bacteria? In fact, the ratio of bacteria to cells is 10:1! Probiotics are the good bacteria that help to keep the gut healthy and help solve digestive problems.

Why do you need probiotics?

As a person ages, their body is at greater risk for health issues and conditions. Many body functions start to slow down – one of which is the digestive tract.

Do you find that you often feel bloated and uncomfortable after a meal? Do you suffer from diarrhoea or constipation? Or perhaps you’re experiencing occasional gas, fatigue or even headaches? These symptoms could all be signs of an unhealthy digestive tract that has become less effective over time.

The muscles in the digestive tract become stiffer and weaker over the years and the population of probiotic bacteria in the digestive tract naturally declines – the body therefore becomes more susceptible to conditions such as gastrointestinal infections and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Other digestive tract problems that can occur with age include diarrhoea, constipation, haemorrhoids, gas and faecal incontinence.

Probiotics are more important than ever at this stage as they help to balance the good and bad bacteria in the gut so that digestive health is restored and the body functions as it was intended to.

What are the benefits of probiotics?

Probiotics are not only good for digestive health – they offer a whole host of other health benefits, from improving the immune system and skin health to treating depression. Here is a list of some of the benefits that probiotics can offer:

  • Treat antibiotic-associated diarrhoea
  • Ease the symptoms of lactose intolerance
  • Help against IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
  • Reduce gas, bloating and constipation
  • Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
  • Lower cholesterol and blood pressure
  • Enhance immune function
  • Help with skin conditions such as acne, rosacea and eczema
  • Prevent cancer
  • Prevent osteoporosis
  • Encourage weight loss

So be sure to get your daily dose of probiotics to keep your digestive tract and overall health in good shape!