Can Probiotics Help Improve Health, Weight and Belly Fat?

First, what are probiotics? Probiotics are live microorganisms that can be consumed through fermented foods or supplements.

Probiotics promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria and have been linked to a wide range of health benefits.

These include benefits for weight loss, digestive health, and reducing abdominal fat.

1. Probiotics Help Balance the Friendly Bacteria in your Digestive System - Probiotics include “good” bacteria. These are live micro- organisms that can provide health benefits when consumed. These benefits are thought to result from the ability of probiotics to restore the natural balance of gut bacteria.

An imbalance means there are too many bad bacteria and not enough good bacteria. It can happen due to illness, medication such as antibiotics, poor diet and more. Consequences can include digestive issues, allergies, obesity and more. Probiotics are usually found in fermented foods or taken as supplements. What’s more, they appear to be safe for most people.

2. Probiotics Can Help Prevent and Treat Diarrhea - Probiotics are widely known for their ability to prevent diarrhea or reduce its severity. Diarrhea is a common side effect of taking antibiotics. It occurs because antibiotics can negatively affect the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. Studies have shown that probiotics reduced the risk of travelers’ diarrhea by 8%.

3. Certain Probiotic Strains Can Help Keep Your Heart Healthy - Probiotics may help keep your heart healthy by lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and blood pressure. Certain lactic acid-producing bacteria may reduce cholesterol by breaking down bile in the gut. Bile, a naturally occurring fluid mostly made of cholesterol, helps digestion. By breaking down bile, probiotics can prevent it from being reabsorbed in the gut, where it can enter the blood as cholesterol. Consuming probiotics may also lower blood pressure. A review of nine studies found that probiotic supplements reduce blood pressure, but only modestly.

4. Probiotics Can Help Reduce Symptoms of Certain Digestive Disorders - Over one million people in the U.S. suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Certain types of probiotics from the Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains have improved symptoms in people with mild ulcerative colitis.

5. Probiotics May Help Boost Your Immune System - Probiotics may help give your immune system a boost and inhibit the growth of harmful gut bacteria. Some probiotics have been shown to promote the production of natural antibodies in the body. The probiotic Lactobacillus crispatus has also been shown to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women by 50%.

6. Probiotics May Help You Lose Weight and Belly Fat - Probiotics may help with weight loss through a number of different mechanisms. For example, some probiotics prevent the re-absorption of dietary fat in the intestine.

Probiotics may also help you feel fuller for longer, burn more calories and store less fat. This is partly caused by increasing levels of certain hormones. They may also help with weight loss directly.