Bugs in MY Gut? Now What Do I Do?
Yep! You have bugs in your gut and they are called ‘Probiotics”
No need for an exterminator.
They are supposed to be there.
Probiotics have taken stage; up front and center, over the past few years as our scientific community have built the bridge to immune health and our microbiome. Our microbiome is basically unseen to the human eye, and compromises a community of microorganisms in and on our body.
Each individual has over 100 trillion microorganisms within and on our body.
Kinda makes your skin crawl...pun intended.
Our intention is not to gross you out, however it is to share valuable information which can enhance your metabolism, elevate your immune system, dial-in gut issues while racing and to benefit overall health.
Gut Health, and immune support are symbiotic, intertwined and overlap.
Probiotics are live microorganisms; gut bugs, that make up about 85% of our gut microbiome which; when manufactured outside of the body for supplements are extremely fragile and delicate. The active levels of these 'live' microorganism can be killed if exposed to heat, unless they are processed and encapsulated to be heat resistant and or refrigerated throughout the A-Z production process, including transportation to the consumer.
Many probiotics are in consumable forms as capsules, powders, yogurt and beverages. The best consumer protocol for ingesting the highest amounts of live probiotics to reach the GI microbiome is to verify the refrigeration of the probiotic products from the manufacturer to the consumer.
What the research community has discovered is, prebiotics are just as important to our microbiome health as probiotics, if not more so.
Why is this? What are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are food sources for Probiotics, and do not require refrigeration.
This refrigeration characteristic is a definitive reason why prebiotics may be more important than probiotics; to the desired end result, of increasing the gut microbiome level of microorganisms.
The best Prebiotics we can eat are fibers, which help balance cholesterol and glucose levels, support bowel functions and most importantly feed the microorganisms that make up the microbiome. These fibers can be found in numerous food sources to include, oats, apples, asparagus, bananas however, researchers are finding acacia fiber is one of the best prebiotics we can eat. Acacia fiber is also called acacia gum or gum arabic and is derived from the Acacia senegal tree native to Africa.
Leading athlete nutrition expert Dr Stacy Sims recently commented in Triathlete Magazine the importance of creating an optimized gastrointestinal bacteria zone because of the health implications for endurance athletes.
A GI that is not balanced results in, inflammation to all areas of the body. Proper nutrition is critical to maintain a balance of good bacteria.
This philosophy carries over in mainstream society, since proper nutrition is key for both the weekend warriors, and the elite athlete.
Prebiotic Benefits for Overall Health Include:
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More Gut Probiotics:
Researchers have found that in one study after 4 weeks of a daily dose of gum arabic resulted in significantly higher numbers of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli (1)
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Weight Management:
Prebiotics are influential with glucose absorption, insulin regulation ultimately playing a role in weight management. A female focused study with 60 women ingesting gum arabic for six weeks decreased their body fat percentage by 2% and BMI. (2)
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Leaky Gut Support:
Prebiotics help increasing the short chain fatty acids, to include butyrate(3), which act as a barrier to leaky gut and supports the junction gaps.(4)
The following MOXiLife Nutrition Products contain prebiotics to support the internal microbiome to maintain a elevated level of positive probiotics and keep a consistent stream of prebiotic food in the system without the calories associated with solid foods.
HydraMag® Magnesium and MOXiLyte™ Electrolyte Drink contains the beneficial prebiotic gum acacia to elevate the health of your internal microbiome and ultimately your immune health.
References:
(1) Calame, W., Weseler, A. R., Viebke, C., Flynn, C., & Siemensma, A. D. (2008). Gum arabic establishes prebiotic functionality in healthy human volunteers in a dose-dependent manner. British Journal of Nutrition,100(06), 1269. doi:10.1017/s0007114508981447
(2) Babiker, R., Merghani, T. H., Elmusharaf, K., Badi, R. M., Lang, F., & Saeed, A. M. (2012). Effects of gum Arabic ingestion on body mass index and body fat percentage in healthy adult females: two-arm randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind trial. Nutrition Journal,11(1). doi:10.1186/1475-2891-11-111
(3) Michel, C., Kravtchenko, T., David, A., Gueneau, S., Kozlowski, F., & Cherbut, C. (1998). In Vitroprebiotic effects of Acacia gums onto the human intestinal microbiota depends on both botanical origin and environmental pH. Anaerobe,4(6), 257-266. doi:10.1006/anae.1998.0178
(4) Vanhook, A. M. (2015). Butyrate benefits the intestinal barrier. Science Signaling, 8(378). doi:10.1126/scisignal.aac6198
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
