Probiotics has become a buzz word. It seems like we are inundated with the importance of adding probiotics to our daily lives. Many of us have done this or tried to do this (maybe not consistently) and felt the same as we did before, so what is the big deal with probiotics? Well, I highly recommend a consistent regimen of adding a daily probiotic and here is why: microorganisms in our gut help communicate with lots of our hormones and essentially keep our gut and mind organized. When our microflora gets depleted from stress, medical conditions, medications, etc., the signals get “out of whack” and we can overeat, feel anxious and depressed, have insomnia, and feel malaise/fatigue. In addition, if you are taking an antidepressant or other psychotropic medication, you might feel like it is not working as well as it should. This may be due to the difficulty your gut is having with absorbing the medication.
Probiotics come in all shapes and sizes. There is not one particular type that I recommend for my patients. In fact, research has shown that it is important to change your probiotic every three months to help with new flora growth. Essentially, you can spend lots of $$ on probiotics but that is not necessary. Its important to stick with a regimen- take it everyday and the results will be gradual. This is not an overnight fix. Please check with your doctor to make sure you don’t take any medications or have a medical condition where this may be contraindicated.