How Do You Know If Your Probiotics Are Working? | OMNiBiOTic (2024)

Probiotics are the good bacteria in the gut which help support a healthy gut microbiome. Some positive effects of probiotics include fighting off bad bacteria, improving digestion and regulating bowel movements, supporting the immune system, and helping with weight loss.

Your gut contains billions of good bacteriathat support many critical functions in your body, including digestion, nutrient absorption and the immune system. This world of good bacteriais referred to as your gut microbiome.

Environmental factors such as a diet of overly processed foods, certain medications and stress can disrupt this ecosystem of good bacterialiving in your gut. When the ecosystem of gut bacteriagets disrupted, ailments such as digestive discomfort, irregular bowel movements, more frequent illness and allergies can develop.

Over the past few years, probioticshave become one of the most popular supplements. Probioticsare dietary supplements that consist of some of these many good bacteriathat live in a healthy gutand that can help rebalance and strengthen your gut microbiome.

Probioticscan help with improving digestion, gut healthand overall wellbeing. So, let’s say you were to start taking a probiotic supplement– which in our opinion, almost everyone should – how do you know that your probioticis working?

Signs Your ProbioticsAre Working

When you take a high-quality probiotic supplement, you may notice several positive changes in your body, ranging from improved digestion and more energy, to improved mood and clearer skin.

Oftentimes, the first and most immediate change individuals notice is improved digestion.

The probiotic bacteriawork to rebalance your gut flora, which can quickly improve things like frequency and regularity of your bowel movementsand alleviate bloatingor gas. Over time, the positive effectsof the probiotic bacteriaextend beyond improved digestion.

A well-balanced gut microbiomewill strengthen your gut barrier function, which prevents toxins and pathogens, which in today’s world you most likely ingest on a daily basis, from entering your body via the gut.

This, in turn, decreases the burden on your immune systemand your liver, thus making you less prone to illness and reducing inflammation in your body. Inflammation can manifest in many ways, including skin issues, brain fog, fatigue and lack of concentration. Therefore, reducing inflammation and re-balancing your immune systemcan bring about a variety of positive effects. Let’s explore some of them in more detail:

Better Digestion

Your gut bacteriaplay a critical role in how quickly and thoroughly your food is digested. If your gut microbiomeis out of balance, you might be experiencing digestive discomfort such as gas, bloatingand stomach aches, especially after eating.

One of the first positive effectsof a high-quality probioticis improved digestion and a reduction in symptoms such as bloating, gas and stomach aches.

More Regular Bowel Movements

An imbalance in the composition of good bacteriain your intestine can contribute to irregular bowel movements.

For example, frequent diarrhea can be a sign of pathogenic bacteria present in your intestines. A high-quality probioticwill help bring more good bacteriainto your gut so that they crowd out the bad bacteria. This way, the probiotics can prevent loose stool and diarrhea.

Constipation, on the other hand, can be due to low mucus production or low motility of your intestinal muscles. Certain probioticbacterial strainsare known to increase mucus production, which can regulate constipation.

Increased Energy

Your body gets its energy from the nutrients and micronutrients in your food and your gut plays a critical role in absorbing these nutrients. An imbalance in your gut microbiomecan result in inflammation of your gut lining.

This inflammation prevents proper nutrient absorption, which can leave you deficient in key nutrients that give you energy. Therefore, repairing your gut and reducing inflammation in the gut via a high-quality probiotic supplementcan help improve your energy levels.

In addition, inflammation in your gut can lead to leaky gut, which is when your gut lining becomes permeable. In this instance, larger food particles and pathogens can enter your bloodstream, which will trigger an immune response.

If your immune systemis constantly in fight mode, this will impact your energy levels as well. A high-quality probiotic supplementcan help repair and maintain a healthy gutlining, thus reducing the burden on your immune system.

Better Mood

The gut and the brain communicate constantly via many messenger signals, including neurotransmitters. Our gut bacteriacan influence how brain chemicals are metabolized in the body. Interestingly, the gut produces some of the same neurotransmitters as the brain, including the happiness hormone serotonin.

An imbalance in your gut bacteriaand inflammation in your gut can reduce the amount of serotonin produced, thus negatively impacting your mood. In addition, they produce certain chemicals that has been shown to decrease anxiety and depression.

Improved Immunity

The gut plays a critical role in absorbing all essential nutrients from the food you ingest. Many of these nutrients are important for immune support, including your B vitamins, Zinc and Vitamin C. Any imbalance in your gut microbiomecan impact this nutrient absorption process and your immune function.

As discussed above, an imbalance in your gut bacteriacan lead to inflammation in the gut. If inflammation turns into leaky gut, larger food particles and other toxins can enter your bloodstream, triggering a constant immune response. Taking a high-quality probiotic supplementcan help restore and maintain a healthy gutbarrier, preventing these larger particles from entering your bloodstream.

Lastly, certain probiotic bacteriahelp manage the immune systemin two critical ways so that it does not spiral out of control.

First, specific probiotic strainsareknown to increase IL-10 production in the body, thus helping your body manage inflammation. IL-10 is a messenger substance of the immune systemthat protects against exaggerated inflammatory processes and autoimmune diseases.

Second, the other immune-modulating property of some probiotic strainsis the stimulation of Secretory Immunoglobulin A (sIgA) secretion. SIgA is an antibody that plays a crucial role in the immune function of mucosal membranes. If your body doesn’t have enough sIgA, then your immune systemmay be weakened, and you might be more prone to infections and illnesses.

Lower Anxiety and Better Response to Stress

The gut and the brain stand in constant communication with one another. Oftentimes, an imbalance in gut bacteriagoes along with increased anxiety. In fact, several psychological disorders including Alzheimer’s diseaseand depression have been linked to an altered gut microbiome.

In addition, leaky gutis often associated with inflammation in the brain, which can also impact mood and how you respond to stressful situations. OMNi-BiOTiC STRESS Release has demonstrated in clinical studies to improve positive mood and focusby strengthening the gut barrier function and by acting on the gut-brain axis.

Weight Loss

Multiple research studies indicate that the composition of the gut microbiomeis linked to a person’s metabolism and body weight. Whereas research is still in its early stages and ongoing, research has shown that certain types of bacteria are more common in thin peoplewhereas other types of bacteria are more common in overweight individuals.

Depending on which type of bacteria you have more of, your weight can be affected. In addition, if your gut florais out of balance, there is an opportunity for bad bacteriaand other pathogens such as Candida Albicansto grow.

Many of these pathogens can send signals to the brain that encourage the body to crave sugar. The more sugar you eat, the better these bad bacteriaand other pathogens can thrive and grow! A high-quality probioticcan help rebalance the diversity of good bacteriain your gut, which in turn can affect your metabolism and what types of foods you crave. To learn more about probiotics and weight loss, check out our blog post here.

Increased Cognitive Function

Multiple studies have established a strong link between gut healthand cognitive health. An imbalance in your gut bacteriaoften leads to inflammation in the gut.

Over time, this inflammation makes your gut barrier permeable (leaky gut). As a result, larger food particles, pathogens and toxins can enter your bloodstream and eventually reach the brain where they trigger inflammation as well.

This inflammatory process negatively impacts cognitive function. Probiotic supplementationmay also improve your cognitive function as a result of restoring a healthy gutbarrier.

Fewer Sugar Cravings

Some harmful bacteriaand other pathogens such as Candida Albicanscan trick the body into craving sugar. This benefits the pathogens as sugar is one of their main food sources. The more sugar you eat, the faster they can grow and proliferate.

Taking a high quality, multispecies and multistrain probiotic supplementwill improve the diversity of your gut floraand leave less opportunity for these pathogens to grow. In fact, certain strains of probioticsare known to have properties that fight Candida Albicans and other pathogens.

How Long Does it Take Probioticsto Work?

The short answer is: It depends on the specific outcome you’re hoping to achieve, the current condition of your gut and overall health, and the quality of the probioticyou are taking.

If you are taking a high quality, multispecies and multistrain supplement, you can expect to notice initial improvements and health benefits of probioticsin your digestion as early as the first 1-2 weeks after starting your probiotic.

Depending on how sensitive you are, many people feel a difference after a few days. More fundamental effects of the probioticssuch as improvements to mood, weight lossor a reduction in inflammation of your gut barrier might set in after 4-8 weeks.

Why Your Current ProbioticMay Not Work Or May Take Longer to Work

Taking the supplement incorrectly:Check the intake instructions of your supplement to ensure that you are taking it correctly.

Wrong probiotic strain: Different bacterial strains specialize in different functions in your gut and can have vastly different effects on your body. If you are not seeing improvements in your digestive health, you might simply be taking a probioticthat does not contain the right strains for you.

A qualified healthcare practitioner with gut healthexperience can provide you with medical adviceand may be able to direct you to the right probiotic. Once again, we recommend looking for a probioticspecific to your health needs for optimal results.

Improper storage: Some probiotic supplementsrequire refrigeration to ensure the survival of the bacteria. If these probioticsare left outside of the fridge for prolonged periods of time or exposed to too much heat, then the probiotic bacteriamay have died and are no longer effective.

Poor product quality: There are many probioticsto choose from and unfortunately product quality is difficult to determine for the consumer.

Product quality is based on many factors, but the overarching ones to look out for are the science the products are based on, the manufacturing process, the source and quality of the bacteria strains, and the composition of the product itself. Each of these factors can negatively impact product quality and the success you experience with the product.

Incorrect dose: Taking an incorrect dose may also impact how quickly you are seeing results. Make sure to check the label and intake instructions for details.

How to Choose the Right Probiotic

When looking for probiotic products, look for a supplement with the following features

Multispecies and multistrain probiotic: The product should contain different bacterial species and multiple strains of bacteria.

Differentiated products tailored to your needs: Different digestive issueswarrant different probiotic strains. Therefore, for optimal benefits, try to seek out a probioticthat is tailored to the specific health outcomes you are trying to achieve.

Clinical studies: The probioticand its claims should be backed by clinical studies using the final product. This will ensure that you are buying a product whose effects have been studied and proven.

Human strains: Only human bacterial strains can colonize your gut (i.e., live and reproduce in your gut). Other bacteria, such as bacteria found in fermented foodssuch as yogurt and in soil-based probiotics,cannot colonize the gut and usually pass through your body within a few days. For lasting positive effects, you want to make sure that you have human strains that can colonize.

Free of animal proteins, allergens and fillers: It is recommended to choose a probioticthat is free of dairy and other animal proteins, gluten, soy and yeast to ensure you are taking a clean product.

Delivery mechanism: When you ingest your probiotic, the probiotictravels through the harsh, very acidic environment of the stomach before it reaches the small and large intestine.

Many capsules contain freeze-dried bacteria. If these bacteria get in contact with stomach acidas the first liquid, then they will soak up the stomach acidand die from the acidity as a result. The most effective probioticis formulated as a powder and activated with water prior to intake.

In addition, look for a probioticthat has prebioticsmixed in, as the prebioticsare food for the beneficial bacteriain your gut. Beware of probioticsthat require refrigeration, as you can not be sure how “fresh” these bacteria are by the time they reach your fridge.

How To Ensure The ProbioticWill Work

To ensure your probiotic is working, make sure to follow the recommended use instructions on the packaging. Depending on the delivery mechanism, the method of taking your probiotic may differ. For example, some probiotics may need to be dissolved in a liquid, whereas others may need to be taken on an empty stomach.

Certain medications such as antibiotics can have a negative impact on the good bacteria in your gutand in your probiotic supplement, so probiotics are best taken away from other medications.

Check the product label for storage instructions to make sure your probiotic is stored properly. Improper storage can make your probiotic less likely to work.

Lastly, check the expiration date to make sure that the probiotic supplement has not expired.

Signs Your ProbioticsAre Not Working

No improvement:If you don’t see any improvements in your digestion or the digestive issuesyou are experiencing, this is likely not the right product for you.

If the probioticworks for you, at the very least you should be seeing an improvement in your digestion within four weeks of taking the product.

Side Effects:Some individuals experience minor side effectslike mild bloating, flatulence or more frequent bowel movementsfor the first few days of taking a new probiotic.

This is your body getting used to the probioticand potentially cleaning out harmful substances like pathogens. However, if these side effectspersist beyond the first week of taking the probiotic, stop taking the product and consult a physician. If you experience more serious side effectslike allergic reactions, dizziness, swelling or difficulty breathing, discontinue the product and contact your physician immediately.

What Should You Do if ProbioticsAren’t Working?

Read the label: If you experience minor side effects like bloating, nausea or gas, check the ingredients to see whether the label contains any ingredients you might be allergic to. Many probiotics contain lactose, which can irritate the gut, especially in adults. This is also important for people who are lactose intolerant or vegan.

Try a different brand: Probioticsvary widely in quality and composition. Perhaps the probioticyou are taking just isn’t strong enough or doesn’t contain the specific strains to make you feel better. Consider looking for a high quality, multispecies and multistrain probioticthat fits your needs.

Seek out a qualified healthcare practitioner: If you’ve tried several probioticsand none are working, it might be time to seek out a healthcare practitioner with expertise in gut healthto help you get to the root cause of your symptoms.