Did you know that probiotics need to be rotated to receive the full benefits? It's true! In this blog post, we will discuss the top eleven benefits of rotating your probiotics. Probiotics are essential for gut health, and if you don't rotate them, you could be missing out on some major benefits. Keep reading to learn more about why probiotic rotation is so important!

Probiotics 101

Probiotics are live bacteria that are beneficial for gut health. They can be found in fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, or they can be taken as a supplement. Probiotics are important for gut health because they help to restore the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. When the balance of good and bad bacteria is off, it can lead to digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. Probiotics can also help to boost the immune system and improve overall health.

Mechanism of action 

Ideally, a probiotic should pass through the stomach and small intestines to reach the large intestine. This is where they do their work, by interacting with gut microbiota. The problem is that the stomach produces hydrochloric acid to digest food and this also kills most of the probiotics. So we need to take large numbers of them every day for there to be any effect at all.

Once probiotics reach the large intestine they produce short-chain fatty acids from dietary fiber. This provides us with energy. They also help to keep the colon healthy by maintaining a beneficial relatively acidic environment with a pH level of 6. The production of acid by the large intestine is thought to have anti-inflammatory advantages. Finally, Probiotics must be able to adhere to the gut and repopulate, preventing germs and pathogens from attaching to the colon.

Different types of probiotics

There are many different types of probiotics, such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Escherichia, and Bacillus and each one has its own set of benefits. That's why it's important to rotate your probiotics. By taking a variety of different probiotics, you will receive the full benefits that each one has to offer. Probiotic rotation can also help to prevent your body from becoming immune to the bacteria. If you take the same probiotic every day, your body may eventually become used to it and it will no longer be as effective.

Benefits of Probiotic Rotation

So, what are the benefits of rotating your probiotics? Here are the top eleven:

Improved Gut Health: Probiotics help to restore the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. When this balance is off, it can lead to digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. By taking a variety of different probiotics, you can help to keep your gut healthy.

Boosted Immune System: Probiotics can help to boost the immune system, which can help you to stay healthy and avoid getting sick.

Improved Overall Health: Probiotics have been shown to improve overall health, including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and inflammation.

Reduced Risk of Allergies: Probiotics may help to reduce the risk of developing allergies.

Improved Digestion: Probiotics can help to improve digestion and make it easier for your body to absorb nutrients.

Reduced Risk of Infections: Probiotics may help to reduce the risk of developing infections, such as yeast infections and urinary tract infections.

Prevention of Antibiotic Resistance: Probiotics can help to prevent antibiotic resistance, which is when bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. This is a serious problem that can lead to difficult-to-treat infections.

Probiotics also help with the production of vitamins, including biotin, folic acid, vitamin K, and some B-vitamins. 

Lactose intolerance is caused by a lack of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose, the sugar in milk.  Probiotics can help because they produce lactase themselves.

Probiotics have been found to benefit persons with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a chronic inflammatory condition that includes Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's disease, as well as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Atopic

Dermatitis, the most common form of eczema.

By rotating your probiotics, you’re exposing your gut to different strains of bacteria, which can help to increase the diversity of your gut flora and fight obesity.

How to test Your Gut bacteria

GI Effects from Genova Diagnostics is a comprehensive Functional Medicine assessment test that covers the entire gut health picture, including microbiota quantity and balance (gut microbes). PCR (DNA amplification tool), culture, and microscopic analysis are used to ensure that any and all relevant organisms are detected. Biomarkers are grouped and scored in 5 key areas relating to gastrointestinal (GI) function:

• Maldigestion
• Inflammation
• Dysbiosis
• Metabolite Imbalance
• Infection

The importance of quality probiotic supplement

So as you can see, there are many benefits to taking a probiotic supplement and rotating it to get the most benefit from it. If you are not currently taking a probiotic, I highly recommend that you start, and if you are, consider changing the brand or type that you take regularly. it is recommended that you rotate your brands and strains every few months.

But remember, not all probiotics are created equal. Be sure to choose a high-quality Practioner -Grade supplement and rotate it to get the most benefit. https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/mmichael

The following are some of the suggested supplements: 

Metagenics; Ultra Flora 

Orthomolecular; Probiotic 225 

Pure Encapsulations; Probiotic 50B Acid-resistant capsules with pH release

Thorne; FloraMend Prime Probiotic

If you'd like to discover more about probiotics and their interaction with your DNA and genes, as well as how to make Your genes work for You, check out chapter #6 of my new book "Understanding Genomics; How Nutrition, Supplements, and Lifestyle Can Help You Unlock Your Genetic Superpowers."

Until then, stay healthy and happy!

Dr. Marios Michael

drmichaelswellness.com

Resources:

• Dr. Marios Michael, DC, CNS, cFMP, 06/2022, Understanding Genomics; How Nutrition, Supplements, and Lifestyle Can Help You Unlock Your Genetic Superpowers, 1st edition, Austin, Bookbaby

• Michael J. Glade, Ph.D., FACN, CNS, Certification Board for Nutrition. Specialists, 2002

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Probiotics-HealthProfessional/

• Blaabjerg S, Artzi DM, Aabenhus R. Probiotics for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in outpatients-a systematic review and meta-analysis. Antibiotics (Basel) 2017;6.

• Huang R, Ning H, Shen M, Li J, Zhang J, Chen X. Probiotics for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017;7:392

• Didari T, Mozaffari S, Nikfar S, Abdollahi M. Effectiveness of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome: Updated systematic review with meta-analysis. World J Gastroenterol 2015;21:3072-84. 

• Lorenzo-Zuniga V, Llop E, Suarez C, Alvarez B, Abreu L, Espadaler J, et al. I.31, a new combination of probiotics, improves irritable bowel syndrome-related quality of life. World J Gastroenterol 2014;20:8709-16.

• https://www.gdx.net/product/gi-effects-comprehensive-stool-test
  

Medical Disclaimer: The information included on this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog! Reading the information on this blog does not create a physician-patient relationship.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.