Hi everyone. Welcome back to our channel.
What are prebiotics?
What is the difference between prebiotics and probiotics?
How do you use prebiotics for optimal gut health?
And lastly, what are some precautions to be aware of?
These are the questions I'll be addressing in today's video.
[Video Transcript Below + Supplement Links Discussed In Video]
Hi, I'm Katie Bailey. I'm a registered dietitian at Flusso Nutrients where we provide supplement education and professional quality supplement options for you to make the world of nutrition supplements a little bit easier to navigate.
As always, be sure to check with your main nutrition letter at healthcare provider before starting anything new. As we can't know your full medical history to make a personalized recommendation. So without further ado, let's jump into today's video.
What are prebiotics?
Prebiotics are non-digestible substances that serve as food for the beneficial bacteria in our gut. They pass through the upper GI tract and reach the colon intact once in the colon. They selectively nourish and promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
Prebiotics are found naturally in various plant-based foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
There are many different types of prebiotics, including fructans, which you'll see as inulin, fructose, oligosaccharides. You'll also see galactooligosaccharides, resistant starches, and glucose derived oligosaccharides.
And because these prebiotic fibers are not broken down and absorbed in the small intestines, they make the ideal food source for that beneficial bacteria in the colon.
What is the difference between prebiotics and probiotics?
While prebiotics and probiotics are often discussed together in the context of gut health, they are distinct and serve different functions. So prebiotics, like we mentioned, are non-digestible fibers found in plant-based foods or supplements that are act as food for that beneficial bacteria, creating an environment that supports their growth and survival.
Probiotics are live bacteria or yeast found in fermented foods or supplements that directly introduce that healthy bacteria into the gut, helping to restore a healthy gut microbiome. While prebiotics and probiotics have different roles, they work synergistically to support our gut health and for optimal gut health, it's recommended that we consume both prebiotics and probiotics through a balanced diet or through supplementation.
So how can we use prebiotics for optimal gut health?
Well, a healthy microbiome is characterized by a diverse and balanced community of beneficial bacteria, and there are many factors such as a poor diet, stress, antibiotics, and other environmental factors that can disrupt this delicate balance leading to gut dysbiosis, which we know is that imbalance of good to bad bacteria in the gut.
Now, gut dysbiosis has been linked to various different health issues, including digestive disorders, autoimmune conditions, mental health conditions, and skin issues, just to name a few.
Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is essential for our overall wellbeing, and prebiotics can play a significant role in achieving this goal. Now, prebiotics support our gut health in many different ways.
The first thing that it does is it helps to increase our beneficial bacteria. As we mentioned before, prebiotics serve as the food for beneficial bacteria like bifido, bacteria and lactobacilli, allowing them to really thrive and multiply in the gut.
The second thing it supports is the production of our short chain fatty acids. So prebiotics are fermented in the gut by our gut bacteria, and through this fermentation process, it produces short chain fatty acids such as butyrate, propionate, and acetate.
Now, these short chain fatty acids have many different benefits, including providing energy for the cells of the colon, reducing inflammation, and promoting or improving our gut barrier function.
The next thing it can help with is inhibiting pathogenic bacteria.
So prebiotics can selectively inhibit our harmful bacteria by creating an environment that is going to favor the growth of our beneficial bacteria.
And then lastly, it helps to support our immune function. So a healthy gut microbiome plays a crucial role in our immune system as over 70% of our immune system resides in the gut. Prebiotics help to maintain a healthy gut microbiome, which in turn is going to support a well-functioning immune system.
So by supporting the growth of our beneficial bacteria and helping to produce short chain fatty acids, prebiotics can improve digestion and the absorption of nutrients enhance our immune function as well as positively impact our mental health.
So how do you incorporate prebiotics for optimal gut health?
So in order to reap the benefits of prebiotics, it's important to incorporate prebiotics into your diet regularly. You want to choose a variety of different prebiotic fibers such as garlic, onions, bananas, apples, beans, chicory root, and Jerusalem artichokes.
If you find it challenging to incorporate these prebiotic fibers in, you can also consider taking a prebiotic supplement. You do want to introduce prebiotic fibers gradually into your diet to allow your gut microbiome to adjust.
Sudden increases in prebiotic fiber can lead to some digestive discomfort such as gas, bloating, or diarrhea.
While prebiotics are essential for gut health, it's also really important to maintain a balanced diet with various nutrients, including fiber, rich carbohydrates, healthy fats, and proteins. It's also important to note that the effects of prebiotics on our gut health is going to vary from person to person, depending on factors such as individual gut microbiome, diversity, diet, and lifestyle.
Now, remember, everybody's gut microbiome is unique, so it may take a little bit of experimentation to determine the best prebiotic sources and dosages that work best for you.
So what are some precautions to be aware of?
While prebiotics are generally considered safe and well tolerated, there are individuals that may experience some side effects, especially when first introducing it into your diet or trying to increase your intake.
So some potential side effects include some digestive discomfort like gas, bloating, or diarrhea, especially when take consumed in large amounts.
There may also be some potential interactions with medications. So that's why it's always super important to talk to your healthcare provider before starting anything new, especially if you already have underlying medical conditions or on any other medications or supplements.
It can also sometimes make the symptoms of existing conditions worse. So for instance, it can for some individuals worsen your symptoms of IBS or SIBO, particularly if consumed in large amounts.
So in order to minimize your risk of side effects, it's always recommended to start at a low dose and gradually increase as tolerated over time to really allow your gut microbiome to adjust.
In Summary
So to wrap up our topic for today, prebiotics can make a significant difference in our gut health by nourishing and promoting our beneficial bacteria, helping to produce short chain fatty acids and creating an environment that is going to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria.
Prebiotics play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy and balanced gut microbiome.
Incorporating prebiotics into your diet, either through prebiotic rich foods or supplements can be a valuable step in promoting your gut health.
If you're interested in trying prebiotics, I'll have a quality option linked below. All right. That's it for today's topic.
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Bye.
Check out the high-quality supplements we discussed in this video - links below for your convenience!
2) ALL PROFESSIONAL QUALITY SUPPLEMENTS: https://flussonutrients.nutridyn.com & https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/flussonutrients