Helping your patients get enough good gut bacteria with probiotics and B vitamins

Probiotics are not the same as prebiotics — probiotics increase good bacteria in the gut, while prebiotics are substances that help feed these bacteria

Bacteria often received a bad rap, especially when part of a disease or illness. But there is a difference between bad and good gut bacteria, with good bacteria — which can be obtained from probiotics — playing an important role in maintaining or restoring optimal patient physical and mental health via the gut. For patients, Intrinsic Factor and vitamin B12 also play a large role.

Good gut bacteria and physical health

A 2020 review in the European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine explains that probiotic bacteria consumed in both supplement and food form can help improve the body’s function in terms of nutrition, immunity, and even physiologically. The bacteria contained within probiotics achieve these effects by contributing to better intestinal health and supporting a proper digestive process.

The review adds that probiotics have been found to enhance physical health in many different ways. Some research has found that they offer benefits related to the prevention and/or treatment of cancer, for example, also reducing the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Other studies connect probiotic use with improvements in:

• gastrointestinal conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD);
• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS);
• lactose intolerance;
• rotavirus;
• and traveler’s diarrhea.

For enhanced absorption, patients also need a bioavailable vitamin B12 to take advantage of Intrinsic Factor. Intrinsic Factor is an enzyme-like substance secreted by the stomach. It is present in the gastric juice as well as in the gastric mucous membranes. Without the proper amount of Intrinsic Factor, orally-administered Vitamin B-12 is not optimally absorbed and utilized. If a patient has Intrinsic Factor deficiency, they cannot receive maximum benefit from the oral administration of vitamin B-12.

Effects of good gut bacteria on mental health

Gut microbiota also has an impact on one’s mental health. According to a 2019 article published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, the gut’s microbiome can significantly affect both a person’s mood and cognition. Additionally, increasing the levels of good bacteria in the gut offer many mental health benefits.

Among these benefits are the reduction of depression and anxiety symptoms, lower levels of social anxiety, lessened neuroticism, and a reduced reaction to stress. Probiotics can also improve memory, reduce inflammation, and lower cortisol levels.

The latter effect is important as elevated cortisol secretions have been identified as an indicator of greater mental disorder severity according to a 2021 article in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

Increasing good bacteria via probiotics

Probiotics can be found in various food sources, some of which include yogurt, sauerkraut, dill pickles, kefir, and tempeh. They can also be obtained by taking a dietary supplement.

Probiotic supplements contain live bacteria and yeasts that help promote digestive health by increasing the number of good bacteria in the gut’s microbiome. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) indicates that they work by aiding in food digestion, destroying cells that could lead to disease, and enhancing vitamin production.

It’s important to note that probiotics are not the same as prebiotics. While probiotics increase good bacteria in the gut, prebiotics are substances that help feed these bacteria. Put another way, prebiotics are food for probiotic bacteria.

What to look for in a probiotic

Chiropractic professionals can help patients select a high-quality probiotic. This increases the likelihood that the probiotic chosen is both safe and effective.

One of the first things to look at when selecting a probiotic is the bacteria it contains. Three common forms of bacteria found in probiotics include:

• Lactobacilli, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Lactobacillus casei
• Bifidobacterium, including Lactobacillus bifidum and Bifidobacterium thermophilum
• Gram positive Cocci, including Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Streptococcus salivarins

Each of these bacteria has different effects.  For instance, some research suggests that Lactobacillus casei can be beneficial for improving brain function, modulating immunity, and resisting pathogens. Other studies link certain strains of Bifidobacterium with greater metabolic health, making them important components in the fight against obesity.

It can also be helpful to select a probiotic freeze-dried with inulin. Research published in Biotechnology Reports in March 2022 notes that, when compared to sucrose and maltodextrin, freeze-dried inulin was the best cryoprotectant for the probiotic Lactobacillus platarum.

Dee Cee Laboratories offers practitioners the ability to help patients increase their good gut bacteria with products such as Super Probiotic, a dietary supplement that contains 10 strains of probiotic bacteria that, together, supply 30 billion good bacteria. Dee Cee’s Biotrinsic provides Intrinsic Factor, folate and methylcobalamin B-12 for enhanced absorption and utilization of orally administered vitamin B-12

Super Probiotic is freeze-dried with inulin and designed to help support healthy intestinal flora. It contains no sugar, dairy, starch, soy, wheat, or fish, while also being free from preservatives and artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.