There has been a steady growth of probiotic products recently. Reports show that in the United States alone, probiotics were the number-one bestselling ingredient in the natural supplement channel, with 18% growth in 2016. Reports also indicate that global sum of probiotic products amounted to $40 billion in 2015. This means a lot, both for consumers and manufacturer’s. So, how good are probiotics for men? There is evidence that they are helpful in weight loss and can also treat yeast infection. All men including those over 50 years of age can benefit from probiotics. Read on find more in addition to the best brands for men.
While the men’s body’s may not have as diverse uses for the probiotics as the women body, it is also important to have better gut and intestinal health in men. Probiotics would serve to aid in strengthening the immune system amongst other health benefits.
According to doctor K.T. Park, who is a gastroenterologist at Stanford University School of medicine, the strength an evidence is not sufficient for healthy individuals, without any medical problems or digestive issues to start investing in daily probiotics. This is because most supplements provide only a particular strain while your body needs and houses hundreds of them. In order to find the right strain of probiotic for your gut is a bit a jargon/ crapshoot.
If you take the uncoated capsule of the probiotic, chances are that your acid is likely to kill quite a number of them before they are able to do the intended function. “Unless it is encapsulated and designed for delayed release, the average probiotic won’t survive long in your body”, note Dr. Burton, who is the deputy director of Canadian Center for Human Micro biome and Probiotics. Supportive study shows that only about 10 to 25% of uncoated strains survive once swallowed.
In order to aid the gut, microorganisms must be alive when consumed. However, many found in probiotic supplements have been reported dead. Consumer Lab reports that roughly half of the organisms initially put in a product are dead by the time they find themselves into the store shelves. Science based research points out that naturally occurring probiotics are of great benefit for your microbiome. You should however ensure that you consume them in whole foods- yoghurts, sauerkraut, kimchi, which are loaded with billions of colony forming units.
Instead of expensive supplements, spend that money on plant based diet that includes fermented foods. That will give your gut bacteria enough fiber to create a healthy biome” further advises Dr. Park. Similarly, look out for refrigerated bottles of lactobacillus and biffidobacterium containing at least 20 billion organisms per pill, refrigerate the pills and take them with meals.[1]
It has been shown that certain probiotics have the ability to inhibit the absorption of fat in the diet and then increase amount of it that is excreted in feces. In other words, they help you harvest fewer calories from foods in the diet that you take. The bacteria in the family of lactobacillus have been found to have this functionality.
There are similarly other ways that probiotics can help fight obesity and then in return help to cut down your weight to some extent. The ways include the following:
With regards to obesity, probiotics can also improve gut health and in return reduce systemic inflammation and protect against obesity and other diseases. This is because from evidence, it has been shown that obesity leads to inflammation in the brain. The probiotics therefore reduce the number of calories that you take in as well as affecting the hormones and proteins related to appetite and fat storage.
In some other studies, eating yoghurt with Lactobacillus fermentum and Lactobacillus amillovorus has been shown to reduce body fat by about 3 to 4 percent in a period of about 6 weeks. The bottom-line is that some specific strains of probiotics have been shown to weight gain and belly fat. Lactobacillus gasseri appears to be the most effective of all the strains.
A study published in the “European Journal of Clinical Nutrition” in June 2010 found that drinking about 7 ounces per day of fermented milk containing a type of probiotic called Lactobacillus gasseri may help with weight loss and decreasing abdominal fat. On the other hand, another study, published in the “British Journal of Nutrition” in April 2014, found that supplements of another probiotic, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, appear to help obese women lose weight and body fat when combined with a reduced-calorie diet. The women receiving the supplements lost about twice as much weight over the two-year study period as women who followed the same diet without taking the supplements.[2]
Probiotics are known to boost and keep your bones strong. Men loose bone mass after 50 years. You may benefit from supplemental calcium and probiotics in diet. Some study published in the Journal of Cellular Physiology found a connection between probiotic supplement and increased bone density in male mice. Researchers have also come to a conclusion that probiotics may help to treat osteoporosis in the future, apart from just aiding in digestive health.
Some research done in the recent past has shown that around age 60, there is a significant drop in the number of bacteria in your gut. According to Dr. Sandra McFarlane, who is from the microbiology and gut biology group at the University of Dundee, people over 60 typically have about 1,000-fold less “friendly” bacteria in their guts compared to younger adults, and increased levels of disease-causing microbes , making them more susceptible to gastrointestinal infections and bowel conditions like Inflammatory bowel disease.
As you age, your cellular immunity in addition also declines. These are the white cells that are absolutely critical to your ability to fight infection and life-threatening diseases such as cancer. A nine-week long New Zealand study of seniors between the ages of 63 and 84 found that consumption of the probiotic strain known as Biffidobacterium lactis resulted in increases in both the number and disease-fighting capacity of white cells. In fact, the greatest improvement was seen in seniors with the worst immune system responses prior to the study.
Recent research shows micro-flora in seniors living in long-term care facilities is less diverse, and significantly correlates with measures of frailty, co-morbidity, markers of inflammation and other factors that contribute to aging and death. According to the researchers, seniors may need certain dietary supplements to improve their microbial health
On the other hand, people over 60 can have as much as 1,000-fold less “friendly” bacteria in their guts compared to younger adults, and increased levels of disease-causing microbes. The best way to ensure optimal gut flora is to regularly consume traditionally fermented or cultured foods and avoid sugar and processed foods.[3]
Truly, they are very beneficial when it comes to helping out in yeast infections. You can take them in the form of foods or supplements. Yeast overgrowths may appear in or even outside the mouth on areas like the mouth, vagina or even under flaps of the skin. They may present symptoms like vaginal discharge, pus, odor, diarrhea and white tongue or even white spots on the mouth.
The remedy of probiotics for yeast infection can be done using the stepwise approach. The first step is to take the probiotics as or in foods. Probiotic foods may include yoghurt, cheese, buttermilk, and sauerkraut and soy milk. Some of the food companies include friendly bacteria in their products like nutrition bars, cereals and fruit juices. Always buy foods that contain active cultures.
The second step, consume pre-biotic. They may not contain healthy bacteria, but they help probiotic foods to work. Some of the pre-biotic foods include honey, barley, flax, legumes, wheat and bananas. According to Mayo Clinic, taking 2 to 3 grams of pre-biotic foods a day, although there are not any specific guidelines established for daily intake of pre-biotic.
The next step is to take the probiotic foods in the form of capsules, tablets available as over the counter medications. The recommendation of Maryland Medical Center or UMMC is that taking probiotics capsule or tablets can have around 1 to 2 billion live cultures each day until the yeast infection clears up.
Further to that, you can take probiotics in powder form. Ensure that you combine ¼ tea spoon of probiotic powder and 8 ounces of water in a glass. Afterwards, stir and mix then use a mouthwash for thrush, an oral yeast infection.
Probiotics may cause some side effects that include diarrhea and gas. The symptoms are however likely to clear up with continuous use. People with weak immune systems might not be able to tolerate probiotics well. Ensure that you always talk to your doctor before the use of any probiotic. This is because a yeast infection could be an indication of a more serious and deadly condition.
Always avoid consumption of sugary foods while on probiotics, at least until your yeast infection has completely cleared up. The reason behind this is that yeast feed on sugar and therefore more sugar could mean more overgrowth.[4]
What should you consider when buying or selecting?
According to WebMD, each supplement with probiotics has its own benefits and so, the best thing to always do is to talk with your doctor first. All the same, you should consider the following things in order to make the best decision in terms of the best probiotic for you:
The first thing to do is to read what is indicated on the label. If you have bought a yoghurt or a dairy product, it important that you make sure it contains live cultures. Not all yoghurts and dairy products have active and live cultures. The FDA regulates the manufacture and processing of these products. T is however regulated as foods and not medications. The firms that do the manufacturing are therefore responsible for ensuring that the labeling is in tandem with the guidelines of FDA. The things below should be indicated on the label for you to approve the authenticity of a particular probiotic:
The brands differ from one to the other but the above appear across all the authentic and quality assured products. If any of the information is missing, then it would be god that you check up more information from the company’s website.
The second thing to do is to choose a known and reliable brand. Some companies might have made probiotics and sold for some time. This therefore gives you confidence about the reliability of their products. Those who have made for some time are likely to have their products tested and verified over and over.
Apart from that, check whether the probiotic is vegan friendly. This might be based on personal preference but it is a good consideration to have it factored in. many supplements of probiotic supplements are coated in gelatin capsules. It is good to go for the ones coated in vegetarian capsules.
In addition, you could also check whether the probiotic has some pre-biotics in it. The cultures in probiotics will also need an environment that enables them to thrive. The pre-biotics therefore provide thee live cultures with an environment for growth and thriving of the live cultures.[5]
The other factor to put into consideration is the product delivery system and packaging. It is important because it will not matter which product you select if its delivery system does not work. Delivery system refers to the way in which the product is created and how the form enables the bacteria to remain alive and healthy while still on the shelves, and to reach the areas of the body where they will be most effective. The purchase of a supplement that contains many dead bacteria or bacteria that will die in the presence of stomach acid is a waste of money.
The indication of an expiration date on the package is also key. The indication of an expiration date on thee probiotic is an indicator, promise and commitment by the manufacturer that the product will remain with live and active and potent bacteria until the indicated date. If you are not able to trace the indication of an expiry date on the probiotic, then raise concerns because you are likely to buy a poison rather than an intended beneficial product.
Finally, always check whether there is money back guarantee. This is because, companies that have great trust in their products, are likely to stand by them.
The following table gives a summary[6]
| Probiotic Name/Brand | Brief Description of key/features/Strengths etc. | key Ingredients | CFU ( colony forming units) | Price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Optimal Solutions Controlled Delivery | It is an easy way to get the digestive and intestinal support that you require. The regular enteric coating protects the probiotics from stomach acid. It works different from enteric coating but delivers the probiotics continuously. | · Sodium 20mg · Lactobacillus plantarum · Lactobacillus acidophilus · Lactobacillus fermentum · Lactobacillus rhamnosus · Bifidobacterium longum · Vegetable cellulose · Pectin · Sodium carbonate · Milk ingredients | 2 billions
| $ 17.99 to $ 19.29 |
| 2. Garden of life raw probiotic colon care | The statistics about this product are amazing. It has a huge CFU count with many strains of about 33 types of bacteria. It promotes regular healthy and comfortable movements. Also maintains a healthy balance of the beneficial bacteria in the colon. | · Lactobacillus acidophilus · Bifidobacteria | 50 billion | $ 32.42l |
| 3. Mega food flora | It comes with pre-biotics like beet, burdock and dandelion root, farm fresh ginger, turmeric and cranberry. It supports intestinal health, bowel regularity and immunity. | · Bifidobacterium lactis · Lactobacillus acidophilus · Lactobacillus casei · Lactobacillus plantarum · Lactobacillus rhamnosus · Lactobacillus salivarius · Lactobacillus salivarius · Lactobacillus gasseri | 20 billions | $ 45.19 |
| 4. Custom probiotic powder
| It is a multi-strain of Acidophilus and bifidus dietary supplement. it is favored for people with the GAPS diet | · L. acidophilus · L. rhamnosus · L. salivarius · L. casei · L. plantarum · L. lactis B. breve · B. infantis · B.bifidum · B. lactis · B. longum
| 260 billion | $ 115 |
| 5. Ultimate Flora Extra care probiotics | They are enteric coated to be easy to on the stomach. It has no yeast, wheat, corn or salt, binders, filters or artificial ingredients | · L. acidophilus · L. rhamnosus · B. bifidus · B. lactis
| 30 billion | $ 18 |
| 6. VSL#3 | They are transported in temperature controlled packages to preserve the potency | · Lactobacillus acidophilus · Bifidobacteria
| 450 billion | $ 55.78 |
| 7. Multi-strain probiotic | Contains many types different species of probiotic bacteria. It helps to restore the natural diversity of your gut | · L. salivarius · L. casei · L. plantarum · L. lactis B. breve · B. infantis
| 10 billion | $ 23.99 |
| 8. Mega- Flora probiotics | It is delivered together with prebiotics that help to nourish the probiotics. It is packed with fresh farm products and therefore can be trusted with the gut. | 20 billion | $ 45.19 | |
| 9. Bio- Kult Advanced probiotic | It is gluten free. The beneficial bacteria are protected during the freeze drying process and this means that they are safe from the harsh acid of the stomach.
| · Contains 14 strains of probiotics · May contain soy and milk
| 15 billion | $ 37.27 |
| 10. Garden of life probiotic | It includes the clinically studied replenish blend making your ultimate contemporary probiotic to achieve balance thus helping to repopulate your gastrointestinal tract with good bacteria. | · Lactobacillus acidophilus · Bifidobacteria | 100 billion | $ 35.25- $37 |
Probiotics are considered safe overall for healthy people including; short-term side effects may include mild gas and bloating.
In other cases, gut bacteria might theoretically cause infections that need to be treated with antibiotics, especially in men with underlying health conditions.
Sources and References
[1] http://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/articles/the-truth-about-probiotics-w437786
[2] http://www.livestrong.com/article/535031-does-taking-probiotics-help-to-reduce-weight/
[3]http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/08/01/probiotics-for-optimal-gut-flora.aspx
[4] http://www.livestrong.com/article/367038-how-to-treat-yeast-infections-with-probiotics/
[5] http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/how-to-choose-the-best-probiotic-supplement/
[6] http://www.reviews.com/probiotic-supplement/
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