Choosing an Adult Digestive Care Probiotic

• 15 billion daily maintenance probiotic cultures
• An adult 3:2 ratio of Bifido to Lacto probiotic strains
• Delayed release capsules for better intestinal delivery
• Convenient once daily formula

Digestive Care—For Adults

Do adults really need to worry about digestive care? Aren’t those kinds of concerns more for children with sensitive tummies or for the elderly? The topic of digestion probably isn’t high on the typical adult’s priority list, yet it is during our adult years (15-49) that the digestive system sees a lot of change, stress, and hard work.

A Day in the Adult Digestive System

As working adults, our days are guaranteed to be packed. We have far less time to take care of our dietary needs and far less energy to focus on digestive care than, say, a retiree. Stress has been shown to significantly affect digestion, and in particular the balance of beneficial bacteria in the healthy digestive system.

These common adult dietary habits put a lot of stress on the digestive tract:

• Eating on the go. The digestive system works far better under calm, focused circumstances. Sitting down to eat a meal and taking the time to chew properly helps ensure that stress hormones aren’t interfering with digestion and that food is being thoroughly pre-digested.
• Eating big. When was the last time you skipped lunch because your day was so busy and found yourself “starving” by 3:00? So, you eat a late lunch and eat again at dinner, or you just eat a very large dinner to make up for the lost meal. This is tough on your metabolism, your blood sugar levels, and on your digestive system, which functions best on small, balanced meals throughout the day.
• Eating “bad.” We are all guilty of eating processed foods now and again, but working adults seem especially prone to grabbing a quick something from the vending machine or nearby gas station. Processed foods are rife with preservatives and chemical additives that are hard on the important gut lining, the lining of the intestines. An imbalance in the intestinal lining sets the body up for future health issues and also plays a big part in poor immunity.

So, How’s Your Bacterial Balance?

My what? If adults rarely think about digestive care they probably think even less about the trillions-strong beneficial bacteria colonies that live in their digestive tract. It’s easy to take our inherent bacterial balance for granted because we’ve been developing it from birth without even knowing we’re doing it.

Babies obtain their first exposure to beneficial bacteria from the mother during vaginal birth or breast feeding. As we grow, our bacterial balance changes from one of primarily Bifidobacteria to a mixture of Bifido, Lactobacilli, and other strains to include over 500 different species. Ideally, the beneficial bacteria should outnumber the potentially harmful bacteria 4 to 1.

Beneficial bacteria work as hard as we do, helping to digest food, produce vitamins, minerals, and antibodies, crowd out harmful microbes, support immune cells, and keep the gut lining healthy for optimal nutrient absorption.

It’s during our adult years that we’re hardest on our beneficial bacteria balance.

Several factors reduce the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut:

• Stress
• Certain medications such as antibiotics and birth control pills
• Chlorinated tap water
• Processed foods
• Aging, from about age 40 on
• A low fiber diet

Once beneficial bacteria levels have been affected, signs of an imbalance (dysbiosis) begin to show up as:

• Unpredictable constipation and diarrhea
• Bloating and gas, especially after meals
• Irregular digestive transit time
• Inadequate bowel movements (less than 1 per day)
• Skin problems
• Immune issues
• Food sensitivities/allergies

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to replenish the balance of beneficial bacteria in the intestines without having to take too much time doing it. Certain foods such as fermented sauerkraut and kimchee contain beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, as well as yogurt and kefir. Digestive care probiotic supplements help to ensure you are getting a steady amount of beneficial bacteria as probiotics to support a healthy gut balance. ǂ

When choosing an adult formula probiotic supplement, look for a ratio of more Bifidobacteria than Lactobacilli. This ratio more accurately mimics the adult digestive tract, which naturally contains more Bifido than Lacto bacteria.

• Bifidobacteria live primarily in the large intestine (colon) where they support immune health and healthy bowels.
• Lactobacilli live primarily in the small intestine where they support a healthy small intestinal lining, nutrient absorption and digestion.

Also, look for a probiotic supplement with at least 10-15 billion cells per capsule, a potent daily maintenance amount that is balanced for an adult’s digestive needs.