You might have heard people say, âprobiotics helped boost my immunity,â âprobiotics helped me deal with indigestion and bloating, âprobiotics helped me lose belly fatâ and more! And you may wonder, do I really need probiotics too? And if so, how do I know?
Well, probiotics are what most experts are calling the panacea for every ailment. It is not far-fetched because these good bacteria offer so many health benefits that researchers are yet to fully explore.
What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that confer health benefits to the body when consumed in adequate amounts.
Your body houses two kinds of bacteria â the good bacteria and the bad bacteria. Probiotics are the good bacteria and they are called âgoodâ because they help fight off the bad bacteria, and create a healthy balance in your gut.
Eating foods that are high in probiotics and taking probiotic supplements are a good way to improve your gut health. Now hereâs the good part – studies have shown that a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut is linked to the reversal of many health problems.
When you support your gut health, you enjoy an improved immune system, improved skin conditions, and even weight loss benefits, amongst others.
More so, taking probiotics help your body absorb essential minerals and vitamins more efficiently. It also helps to balance neurotransmitters in your brain which are associated with your mood â and that is why a healthy gut can help reduce anxiety, stress, and depression.
Probiotics are found in foods like yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and sauerkraut. You can also take this good bacteria as supplements, which are available in the form of capsules, pills, liquids, and powders.
Top 5 Signs You Need Probiotics
Now that you know some of the benefits of probiotics to the body, how do you determine if you really need them? Below are the top 5 signs that indicate that you need probiotics:
 You have digestive disturbances
If you have digestive issues like diarrhea, bloating, inflammatory bowel disease, H. pylori infection, or Crohnâs disease, it could be a sign that you need to add probiotic supplements to your diet to quell the symptoms.
Most times, after taking probiotic supplements, there would be no need for further treatment as these good bacteria take care of all the digestive disturbances.
Youâre suffering from skin conditions
You tend to suffer skin conditions like acne, rashes, eczema, or itchy skin when you have poor digestion and an imbalance in your gut bacteria.
Normally, a healthy gut supports the elimination of toxins from your body. But when this is not happening, it often reflects on your skin health. So, when you notice skin issues, try taking probiotics.
You have mood issues
A healthy gut is often associated with improved functioning of the neurotransmitters that control your mood. So if your life is riddled with anxiety, stress, depression, or irritability, it could be due to an imbalance in your intestinal flora.
The best probiotics can help restore balance in your gut and boost the production of the âhappy hormoneâ- serotonin.
Youâve taken probiotics
Antibiotics, as the name implies, means anti-life. These drugs are targeted to kill all bacteria in the body, without discriminating between the good ones and the bad ones. Unfortunately, as probiotics wipe out pathogenic bacteria, they also kill the good bacteria in your gut.
So if youâve recently taken rounds of probiotics or have had it a while ago, try taking a probiotic to increase and rebalance the amount of good bacteria in your gut.
You have asthma or allergies
If you suffer from asthma or allergies, research has shown that probiotics help to reduce the severity of the symptoms.
More so, food allergies are often associated with leaky gut syndrome. And you can tackle this condition by improving the amount of good bacteria living in your gut.
Final Remark
Probiotics play a huge role in our overall health and wellness. And it is no longer news that a healthy gut improves your immune system, skin health, mood, digestion, and digestive issues.
So do not joke with signs like digestive disturbances, skin conditions, asthma and allergies, and mood issues. It may be showing you that thereâs an imbalance in your gut bacteria. And taking probiotics may just be all you need. Also, after taking antibiotics, it is important to restore the bacteria balance in your gut.
Thereâs actually more you need to know about the benefits of probiotics. Interestingly, you can learn more about the benefits of probiotics and see how it helps you lose weight, how it supports your heart health, and more!