Gut health is a hot topic in the health world these days, and prebiotics and probiotics seem to be at the center of the discussion. But even though you’ve probably heard these terms a million times, you might not know what role they each play in maintaining a happy gut.
Finding the Right Balance for Your Bacteria:
A lot of gastrointestinal problems can stem from not having the right level of good bacteria in your digestive tract. That’s right — there is such a thing as good and bad bacteria! The good bacteria in your gut helps with a handful of biological tasks, like staving off inflammation and protecting you from harmful infections. If only we could give these little guys a high-five! We refer to these helpful little buggers as gut “flora” or “microbiota.” In human intestines, there are many strains of two main species of friendly bacteria, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
What Are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are substances found mostly in plant-based foods which provide sustenance for the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Prebiotic dietary fibers, resistant starches, and polyphenols (a type of phytonutrient) promote the growth and activity of health-promoting microbes. The body isn’t able to break down these substances, so it passes them on to the microbiota where your gut microbes exists.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are foods and supplements which contain a source of live bacteria that can have several actions on the human body. Probiotic bacteria, like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, help maintain order in the gut microbiome by maintaining the right acidity and deterring opportunistic from colonising your gut.
The gut microbiota consists of trillions of bacterial cells which carry out a variety of important functions in the human body. It’s not possible to live without your microbiota, and the benefits of a diverse and balanced microbiome extend well beyond the gut.
Your colonic bacteria trade their health-promoting functions for a place to live (in your large intestine). In fact, they do so well for you that you barely even know they’re there. It is possible to increase the diversity of your gut microbiota (which only benefits your health). That’s where prebiotics and probiotics come in.
Aplomb ApGut ProTM is scientifically derived formula containing blend of Probiotics (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains) and Prebiotic (FOS), which promotes the natural balance of good bacteria within the digestive tract, supports immune system and help to promote gut health.