How probiotics can aid digestion and reduce symptoms of bloating

This holiday season, raise a toast to digestive comfort and bid bloating farewell with multi-strain probiotics.

‘Tis the season for joy, celebration, and indulgence. However, for many, the holidays also come with an unwelcome guest: bloating. Bloating is a condition that occurs when your abdomen feels full and tight, often due to gas.¹

What causes gas?

While gas symptoms vary from person to person, common digestive tract gas symptoms may include belching, bloating and distention, and flatulence.²ᵃ While having some gas symptoms is normal, especially during or after meals, bloating may cause abdominal discomfort or pain.²ᵇ

How multi-strain probiotics can help alleviate discomfort

Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide many health benefits when consumed adequately.³ᵃ Think of these microorganisms as friendly helpers rather than harmful germs.³ᵇ They assist in breaking down food, keeping away illness-causing cells, and producing essential vitamins.³ᶜ

Interestingly, the microorganisms in probiotic products are like the ones naturally found in our bodies, making them your digestive buddies.³ᶜ

Multi-strain probiotics, as the name suggests, contain multiple species or strains of bacteria.⁴ᵃ Think of multi-strain probiotics like a team of helpful microorganisms that work in several ways, like talking to each other, interacting with our bodies, and making our immune systems stronger.⁴ᵇ They can be used to alleviate disease conditions, inhibit pathogens and restore our gastrointestinal ecosystem.⁴ᶜ

Multi-strain probiotics may help reduce bloating by:

Balancing gut microbiota:

Your gut is a bustling community of trillions of friendly and not-so-friendly microorganisms, collectively known as the gut microbiota.⁵ᵃ Most of them are good neighbours, but a few are troublemakers. In a healthy body, they coexist peacefully.⁵ᵇ

Reducing gas production:

If bloating is because of an imbalance in your gut bacteria, certain strains of probiotics have been shown to reduce the production of gas during the digestion of food, thus helping keep gas production in check.⁶

Supporting bowel regularity:

Probiotics are known to promote regular bowel movements, and help soften stools, making them easier to pass,⁷ᵃ which may be helpful in the prevention of constipation – a common contributor to bloating.⁷ᵇ

Probiotics and IBS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS for short) is a chronic digestive disorder⁸ᵃ characterised by abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea, and constipation.⁸ᵇ While the exact cause of IBS is not fully understood, probiotics have emerged as a potential therapeutic option for managing the symptoms of IBS.⁸ᶜ

The festive season challenge: 6 tips to beat bloat

As the festive season approaches, it’s essential to be mindful of the dietary choices we make. Here are some tips to help you enjoy the holidays without suffering from bloating:

1. Cooked over Raw: Opt for cooked foods, especially fibre-rich ones. They’re easier on your tummy. Soups and warm dishes are less likely to cause bloating.⁹ᵃ
2. Balancing Act: Keep your fluid and electrolytes in check. High-sodium meals minus fruits and veggies lead to water retention. Add potassium-rich fruits and veggies to your holiday menu to help you with bloating and reduce water retention.⁹ᵇ
3. Sip Smartly: Don’t chug excessive amounts of water with meals; it dilutes stomach acid, leading to indigestion and bloating.⁹ᶜ
4. Salt Sense: Be mindful of salty, fried, cheesy, and crunchy foods. They pack in sodium. Cook at home whenever possible, focusing on whole foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, and nuts.⁹ᵈ
5. Consistency Counts: Avoid meal skipping. It’s a recipe for overeating and bloating. Stick to regular meal and snack times, limit high-fat and fried foods and prioritise fibre-rich foods instead.⁹ᵉ
6. Practice Mindful Eating: Eat slowly and pay attention to your body’s natural hunger cues as overeating is a common cause of bloating.⁹ᶠ

Probiotic supplementation:

Consider adding a multi-strain probiotic supplement, such as ProbiFlora™, to your daily routine during the holiday season.

ProbiFlora™ contains multi-strains of well-studied probiotics proven to rebalance the GUT microflora.¹⁰

The ProbiFlora™ range includes ProbiFlora™ Adult Intensive Rescue – 9 Strain¹¹, ProbiFlora™ Adult Classic Bowel Support – 4 Strain¹², ProbiFlora™ Adult Everyday Flora Balance – 2 Strain¹³, ProbiFlora™ Rx Intestinal Flora Care¹⁴, ProbiFlora™ Junior Everyday Flora Balance¹⁵, ProbiFlora™ Probiotic Infant Drops 3 strain-Regular drops¹⁶, and ProbiFlora™ Junior Fit For School Chewable Tablets¹⁷.

Trust ProbiFlora™ – the PROs in probiotic health – to PROtect you and your family with PROven multi-strain benefits.

ProbiFloraTM’s range of products are available from leading pharmacies and retailers nationwide.

For more information, visit probiflora.co.za and join the conversations on Instagram and Facebook.

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References:

1. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Bloating: Causes and Prevention Tips. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/bloating-causes-and-prevention-tips. Last accessed September 2023.
2. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms & causes of gas in the digestive tract. Available from: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gas-digestive-tract/symptoms-causes. Last accessed September 2023.
3. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Probiotics: What you need to know. Available from: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics-what-you-need-to-know. Last accessed September 2023.
4. Kwoji ID, Aiyegoro OA, Okpeku M, Adeleke MA. Multi-Strain Probiotics: Synergy among Isolates Enhances Biological Activities. Biology (Basel). 2021 Apr 13;10(4):322. doi: 10.3390/biology10040322. PMID: 33924344; PMCID: PMC8070017. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8070017/. Last accessed September 2023.
5. Cleveland Clinic. Probiotics. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14598-probiotics. Last accessed September 2023.
6. LIVESCIENCE. Do probiotics help with bloating? Available from: https://www.livescience.com/do-probiotics-help-with-bloating. Last accessed September 2023.
7. Harvard Health Publishing. Probiotics may ease constipation. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/probiotics-may-ease-constipation-201408217377. Last accessed September 2023.
8. Saha L. Irritable bowel syndrome: pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and evidence-based medicine. World J Gastroenterol. 2014 Jun 14;20(22):6759-73. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6759. PMID: 24944467; PMCID: PMC4051916. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4051916/. Last accessed September 2023.
9. Cleanplates. 7 Tips to avoid belly bloat this holiday season. Available from: https://cleanplates.com/nutrition/supplements/avoid-belly-bloat-holiday-season/. Last accessed September 2023.
10. Adcock Ingram data on file.
11. ProbiFlora™ Adult Intensive Rescue Professional Information, 26 August 2021.
12. ProbiFlora™ Adult Classic Bowel Support Professional Information, 21 June 2022.
13. ProbiFlora™ Adult Everyday Flora Balance Professional Information, 20 October 2020.
14. ProbiFlora™ Rx Intestinal Flora Care Professional Information, 2 December 2021.
15. ProbiFlora™ Junior Everyday Flora Balance Professional Information, 25 August 2021.
16. ProbiFlora™ Probiotic Infant Drops 3 Strain Professional Information, 27 June 2020.
17. ProbiFlora™ Junior Fit for School Professional Information, 29 August 2022.

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