DIET DILEMMA: SHOULD YOU BE TAKING PROBIOTICS?

Better gut bacteria means better health and performance.

Before we get into the question of if you should take probiotics, we need touch upon the different categories of supplements. Supplements have traditionally been separated into two broad categories:

1. Products for serious athletes and fitness diehards that yield noticeable results in muscle size, strength, and performance – think creatine, whey protein, pre-workouts, testosterone-boosters, and fat-burners.
2. General “wellness” products that don’t necessarily provide any noticeable physique changes, but boost overall health — think vitamins and minerals (including multivitamins), collagen supplements, and “greens.”

Probiotics have typically fallen into the latter category, but the tide is turning. We may have ourselves a “crossover” supplement here: one that delivers both health-promoting and performance-related benefits.

If probiotics aren’t on your radar just yet, don’t worry. Registered dietitian Susan Lopez covers the basics of this gut-promoting supplement in the below interview to help you decide if probiotics have a place in your supplement toolbox.

Probiotics are live microorganisms (i.e., bacteria) that provide a health benefit when consumed in high amounts. The number of beneficial bacteria in a healthy body is actually higher than the total number of cells in the entire body!

Probiotics add beneficial bacteria to your individual gut microbiome (colonies of “bugs,” good and bad, that live in the digestive tract). Each individual’s gut microbiome is unique, just like a fingerprint – no two are alike. A healthy gut microbiome supports the immune system, 70% of which is housed in the gut. It also helps the body produce certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and melatonin.

Probiotics have also been shown to increase absorption of amino acids, which is important for someone optimizing protein intake for muscle repair and growth. As such, probiotics can improve athletic performance, recovery, body composition, testosterone levels, and cortisol levels (lower cortisol, that is).

So, should I get probiotics through supplements or food?

Both! Probiotic supplements can be used to help improve the health of the gut microbiota, but diet also helps to keep microbiota healthy. Adequate fiber and protein intake and foods with natural probiotics can be very helpful. Examples of probiotic foods include kimchee, kombucha, kefir, yogurt, and sauerkraut.

Do you have any recommendations for choosing the right probiotic supplement for someone who’s never used probiotics before?

Any probiotic that contains Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium is great to start with if you’re not quite sure what your needs are.

Link to full article: https://www.muscleandfitness.com/supplements/diet-dilemma-should-you-be-taking-probiotics/#:~:text=Probiotics%20have%20also%20been%20shown,lower%20cortisol%2C%20that%20is).