What is a probiotic?

Probiotics are good bacteria that support good health and vitality. Probiotics beneficially affect humans by improving the balance of bacteria in the gut. The word probiotic actually means ‘for life’: pro + bios = ‘for life’.

Did you know that the human gut contains over 400 different species of bacteria? On average, an adult human carries about 3 to 4 Kgs of gut bacteria. This represents an enormous number of bacteria. The reason we have so many bacteria inside us is because we require them for many beneficial actions within the body.

Why do we need good bacteria?

In order for us to maintain a healthy digestive system we need to ensure that we have lots of good bacteria. These good bacteria have a number of important roles:

Improving your digestion;
Reducing symptoms of medically diagnosed irritable bowel syndrome (IBS);
Detoxifying chemicals;
Producing nutrients to repair the gut lining;
Increasing resistance to infections and regulating the immune function;
Preventing the overgrowth of bad bacteria.

Are all probiotics the same?

Taking a probiotic supplement daily may promote good health and help maintain a healthy immune system, however not all probiotic supplements are created equal. Different probiotics have different effects within the body – there are many probiotic products on the market, but they are not all the same.

Why strain matters

It is important to check the strain of the probiotic you are taking. Probiotics differ according to genus (e.g. Lactobacillus), species (e.g. acidophillus), and strain (e.g. NCFM^®). While all probiotics are considered safe and friendly in a broad sense, not all probiotics possess enough health benefits to be considered therapeutic. This is why it is important to use the right strain for the right condition. At Inner Health we carefully select the strains in our products based on scientific research, for optimal therapeutic benefit.

If you are supplementing with the correct strain of probiotic, the next question is does the probiotic survive the passage through your stomach to the intestines where it is required? The ability to survive digestion is an important feature of a good probiotic. At Inner Health we choose strains which are acid and bile resistant and hence have the ability to survive digestion.

Do I really need a probiotic?

Very few people can truly say that their diet and lifestyle is perfect. This is just a fact of living in the world today. We can, however, still strive to get the most of life by having a healthy diet, exercising regularly and by considering the many benefits of probiotics.

The number of good bacteria in your gut can be imbalanced by a wide range of factors including:

Excess alcohol intake;
Consuming too much dietary fat;
Eating a low fibre diet;
Excess stress;
Exposure to toxic substances;
Eating too many processed and unhealthy foods

Condition specific probiotics

Other probiotics in the Inner Health range address very specific health concerns and may help reduce the symptoms and help manage the particular condition. These are the different probiotics available from Inner Health and their benefits.

IBS Support: may help manage the symptoms of medically diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Immune Booster Kids: may assist in maintaining a normal, healthy immune system in children – especially if they are exposed to lots of colds and 'flus at childcare or school.
Gastro Relief: is for the relief or treatment of diarrhoea in adults and children. This probiotic may help to reduce the frequency and severity of diarrhoea.
Eczema Shield: taken by mothers during pregnancy and breastfeeding, may help to reduce the incidence of eczema and food allergies in their infants and children.