Dragana Skokovic-Sunjic BScPhm, RPh, MSCP
Author & Clinical Pharmacist
We are hearing more and more about ‘gut health’, ‘gut microbiome’ and ‘probiotics’. Everybody is talking about ways to support the gut microbiome and improve overall health.
All social media platforms overflow with information, reels, and videos by influencers telling you about ‘the best’ and ‘only ways’ to support your gut health and microbiome. And everybody is trying to sell you something: it could be a special food, a prebiotic, or a miraculous probiotic.
Here are a few things to remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always look for reliable sources of information and question everything.
As a pharmacist, I always look for evidence. I have never recommended any medication or supplement to my patients unless there was evidence for its benefits and safety. The same principle I applied to any intervention to support gut health and gut microbiome.
Let’s start with some simple definitions. Some of the terms used very often are PREbiotics and PRObiotics. Quite often used interchangeably or as a marketing gimmick. What is a prebiotic? As per the globally accepted definition, it is a substrate (food) that would support and feed your own friendly gut microbiome. Prebiotics include bananas, onions, leeks, green tea, and even dark chocolate. The amount of prebiotics we need to experience health benefits is much larger than what we can fit into a small capsule, often sold as a supplement. So it is wise to consider getting enough prebiotics through the diet whenever possible.
Probiotics are another very popular term. According to the definition, probiotics are not just any friendly bacteria. They must be present in adequate amounts, be live, and be potentially beneficial to health. Not too many products containing bacteria satisfy these criteria. Therefore, it is wise to check before using a probiotic as an intervention.
Researching the effects of probiotics on our health for the last few decades, I have learned a few fundamental lessons:
- Not all probiotics do the same thing. It is interesting to observe that probiotic strains could have different effects. Like the medications we always use selectively, we should apply the same approach to selecting probiotic strains. When you walk into the pharmacy, you do not take medication for a headache if you need birth control pills. We do not take any medication in the hope that it will help. They all have very different benefits. Probiotics are the same, some will help stop the diarrhea, others will improve mood, or prevent migraines – very different effects.
- Not everyone needs to take probiotics. Supporting your gut microbiome by eating balanced, fibre-rich food, minimizing the use of antibiotics, and reducing stress will benefit it. A few times, even healthy people might benefit from taking a specific probiotic: preventing travellers’ diarrhea, minimizing the risk of common infectious diseases (cold or flu), and more.
- If you are selecting a probiotic for symptom relief, it is always best to discuss it with your health care provider—physician, pharmacist, or dietitian. Their expertise will ensure you have a proper diagnosis, the probiotic intervention is safe, and help you select the most effective probiotic strain for your issue. This support is crucial in making the right choices for your health.
A group of global experts in the microbiome and probiotic research has been working on providing resources for the appropriate selection of probiotic strains. This project started in Canada 17 years ago and expanded to the USA in 2015 and the UK this year.
The resources are updated annually to reflect the latest published research, identify probiotic strains/products that can provide specific benefits, and link them to commercially available products. All resources are published and available online for free access. This availability encourages you to seek further information and make informed decisions about probiotic use.
The Canadian version of this resource, the Clinical Guide to Probiotic Products Available in Canada, 17th edition, can be accessed at https://probioticchart.ca/.
The Alliance for Education on Probiotics (www.AEProbio.com) supports distributing and publishing these resources and offers much more evidence-based information for probiotic use. I encourage you to explore and discuss those resources with your healthcare provider.
To learn more, visit aeprobio.com.
