Digestive Health

Are Stress and Autoimmune Disease Linked by Gut Bacteria?

Each of us has a community of microorganisms that thrive in an area of our large intestines known as the gut microbiome. This part of the gut serves as a home to trillions of bacteria and other microbes that interact with the rest of the body. While some bacteria are harmful and contributes to the development of disease and infection, other types of bacteria are actually beneficial. New research finds gut bacteria play a role in the relationship between stress and autoimmune disease, suggesting a healthier lifestyle may reduce risks.

The Gut Microbiome Plays an Important Role in Overall Health

In a normal, healthy gut microbiome, there up to 1,000 different types of bacteria. This is important, because each strain serves a different function, affecting health in a unique way. For instance, Bifidobacteria is a type of bacteria that helps infants digest the sugars that are present in breast milk. Similarly, other types of bacteria help the body digest fiber more efficiently. Once digested the compounds in fiber help the body protect against heart disease, cancer and obesity.

Research in recent years has found that the beneficial bacteria in the gut can strengthen the immune system and reduce the risks of a variety of medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders. Since the gut microbiome serves so many functions, it’s now considered to be an extra organ in the body, and continuing research is finding that it benefits health in more ways than previously known.

Stress and Autoimmune Disease Linked to Gut Microbiome

While there are several illnesses that can be categorized as autoimmune diseases, all of these develop as the result of a similar process. Essentially, the immune system erroneously identifies a group of cells, an organ or some other tissue in the body as a harmful bacteria or virus. This causes the immune system to turn on the body and attack healthy tissue. Some examples of these types of illnesses include rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and lupus.

A study conducted at Israel’s Bar Ilan University found that there was a link between stress and autoimmune disease, which may involve microbial activity in the gut. Working with mice, they found that social stress caused an increase in the production of effector T helper cells. These cells are responsible for the immune system’s response to threats, indicating that stress may play a role in instigating autoimmune diseases.

The researchers also found an increase of two specific types of bacteria in the gut microbiomes of the mice. These bacteria, Bilophila and Dehalobacterium, are also found in higher amounts in the gut microbiomes of people with multiple sclerosis. The increase of these types of bacteria may have something to do with the alterations of genes in the gut which occur as a result of stress. The changes to the genes in the gut help bacteria travel to other parts of the body, thrive and grow, and relay signals to various organs in the body.

As a result of the genetic changes, the bacteria travel to the lymph nodes, where they can manipulate immune responses. Essentially, stress promotes changes to the genes in the gut, which, in turn, results in changes to the how the lymph nodes manage immune responses.

This increases the risk that an individual suffering from excess stress will ultimately develop autoimmune diseases. The opposite may also be true, suggesting that managing stress can help you keep your risk of autoimmune disorders low.

Tips for Managing Stress

Exercise

Physical activity is essential to your physical health, but it also has positive effects on your mind and emotions. By working out for a minimum of 30 minutes per day, you’ll experience a release of endorphins that will boost your mood and reduce stress hormones.

Reduce Substance Use

You may think that alcohol and drugs are making you feel better, but they’re actually exacerbating the problem. Once that euphoric feeling wears off, stressful feelings will return. This will prompt you to take more drugs or drink more alcohol. In addition to running the risk of developing an addiction, this cycle will cause you to feel more stressed over time.

Eat a Healthy Diet

The foods you eat will also impact your emotional health. Natural foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, contain essential nutrients and vitamins that help your body and brain function. When your diet consists primarily of processed foods, you’re depriving your body of these nutrients. As a result, your brain won’t function as efficiently as it should, which can result in a more concentrated release of stress hormones.

Manage Time More Efficiently

For many people, stress is increased by a lack of time to get everything accomplished. Even though you may have a lot on your plate, you can get through each day more easily by planning ahead. Just before bedtime each night, make a list of everything you need to get done on the following day and assign a block of time for each task. This will help to ensure you get everything done without feeling overly burdened.

Relax

Each day, you should set aside some time to do something that relaxes you. Whether that’s meditating and practicing yoga, reading a good book or listening to your favorite podcast, you can choose any activity you enjoy. In addition to reducing stress levels and helping you stay healthy, taking this time to unwind will also help you sleep better.

Prebiotics Promote Sleep, Soothe Stress and More

May 26 by Ewcopywriting

Recent research has found that prebiotics promote sleep, suggesting that adding these natural compounds to your diet can help you to get a better night’s sleep.

What Are Prebiotics?

One of the systems that regulates your overall health is the gut microbiome, which is located in your large intestines and serves as a home to trillions of microbes. While some bacteria can be harmful, the microorganisms in your gut microbiome are helpful, assisting your body by regulating digestion, immune system functioning and dozens of other processes throughout the body. While this system functions on its own, you can help it to work optimally by ensuring it has a broad and diverse community of microbes.

This is where prebiotics come into the picture. The microorganisms in your gut microbiome need nourishment to survive, so it’s up to you to eat the right foods that provide this sustenance. The types of foods that feed your gut microbiome contain prebiotics, which help the bacteria in your gut thrive and grow.

Prebiotics are found in the fiber of plant-based foods, which is just one reason eating fruits and vegetables is important to your health. This type of fiber isn’t digested easily, which means it can be passed through your digestive system and into your gut. Once the fiber makes it to your large intestine, the bacteria in the gut microbiome feed on it to get essential nourishment.

It’s more common to hear about probiotics in the media, but probiotics are not the same as prebiotics. While prebiotics help the bacteria in your gut to grow, probiotics introduce new microorganisms into your gut microbiome. This is also important to the health of your gut, but it should be understood that probiotics perform a different function. Additionally, recent research has found that prebiotics may perform other roles in maintaining health.

How Do Prebiotics Promote Sleep?

In order to understand how prebiotics promote sleep and reduce stress, it’s important to understand the connection between the gut microbiome and the brain. These two areas of the body interact in three known ways by affecting how cells in other parts of the body are regulated. For instance, both the brain and the bacteria in the gut affect the immune system’s cells, and this allows these two systems to interact with one another as well.

The brain and gut also share an endocrine system pathway, where they can exchange hormones. This helps hormones, such as dopamine, serotonin, melatonin and cortisol, cross the blood-brain barrier. Finally, the vagus nerve acts as a superhighway that provides direct access between the brain and the gut. This enables the gut to directly influence brain activities, including regulating the release of neurotransmitters that affect sleep patterns.

A study conducted at the University of Colorado in Boulder focused on the link between prebiotics and sleep. The researchers used two groups of male rats, feeding the first group a diet heavy in prebiotic foods. The second group was deprived of prebiotics, but fed a regular diet. During the five-week study, all of the rats were exposed to stimuli intended to produce high stress levels. The researchers found that the rats receiving the prebiotic diet experienced lower stress levels and slept more deeply. They confirmed that the prebiotic-fed rats spent more time in REM sleep, which is vital to mental health.

The researchers found that these benefits were the result of changes to metabolites in the gut, which are a specific type of microbial life. By altering the development of metabolites, prebiotics help them to influence the brain’s response to stress. This process also helps promote more frequent REM sleep.

Ways to Add More Prebiotics to Your Diet

Essentially, prebiotics work together with probiotics to ensure your gut microbiome is as diverse as possible. If you think you may not be getting enough prebiotics and probiotics in your diet, taking a high-quality supplement that’s engineered to provide both prebiotics and probiotics can help. Adding the following foods to your diet will also help keep your gut healthy and the microbiome diverse.

Garlic

The sweet flavor of garlic is the result of a prebiotic called fructooligosaccharides (FOS). About 6 percent of each garlic clove’s fiber is comprised of FOS. Garlic also has antioxidant properties, helping to fight against cancer and other degenerative conditions.

Onions

Garlic and onions belong to the same family, and they contain the same measure of FOS. The prebiotics in onions are also helpful in breaking down fat in the gut, so they may assist with weight loss. Onions help the body produce more nitric oxide, which aids in strengthening the immune system.

Asparagus

As a great source of fiber, asparagus is also an excellent source of prebiotics. Additionally, asparagus has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, making it a helpful food in protecting cellular health and improving heart health.

Bananas

Providing a high content of starch as well as fiber, bananas are a great source of prebiotics. In addition to helping you maintain a healthy gut microbiome, bananas have been shown to be helpful in lowering abdominal bloating.

Oats

Adding more oats to your diet will help you boost the prebiotics in your gut as a result of the large beta-glucan fiber content in each serving. In addition to helping you maintain a thriving gut microbiome, oats will help you lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol, and help to regulate your blood sugar levels.

Apples

Finally, apples are another excellent source of prebiotics. In this case, the pectin in apples, which makes up more than half of the fruit’s fiber, provide the gut with a substantial supply of prebiotics. The polyphenol antioxidants in apples also help protect against cancer, and help to reduce LDL cholesterol.

Is Resveratrol Responsible for the Health Benefits of Red Wine?

Apr 30 by Ewcopywriting

While there are many proven health benefits of red wine, the majority can be attributed to one specific compound found in the grapes used to make the wine. This plant constituent is called resveratrol, and it’s the compound that helps give color to the skin of red grapes. It also helps protect grapes from fungal infections, droughts, extreme sun exposure and other environmental threats. While the resveratrol in red grapes helps the plant thrive in adverse environmental conditions, the protections it provides are not restricted to plant life.

Resveratrol: A Potent Antioxidant

Aside from the protective role it plays in grape plants, resveratrol contains antioxidants that are also extremely beneficial to human health. The high content of resveratrol in red wine delivers powerful antioxidants into the blood supply, which help to protect against free radicals in the body.

Free radicals are molecules that oxidize the cells throughout the body, making them more susceptible to damage and infection. The number of free radicals rises during times of stress and when an individual suffers from chronic inflammation, causing an increase in the risks of developing obesity, metabolic syndrome, cancer and other disorders. However, the antioxidants that resveratrol provides help to destabilize free radicals and eliminate their ability to negatively affect other molecules throughout the body.

Antioxidants protect us from free radicals in other ways as well. By allowing free radicals to oxidize the antioxidants themselves, the free radicals are discouraged from going after the healthy cells in the body. This reduces the overall number of free radicals circulating in the body, helping to decrease the risk of certain illnesses.

Resveratrol is one of the best compounds from which to derive antioxidant support because the body is able to absorb it with little difficulty. This plant constituent is also very active, which means its antioxidant power is readily available for use. So, in addition to being beneficial once introduced into the body, resveratrol makes it easier for the body to absorb antioxidants. This process allows resveratrol to promote several specific health benefits, such as those listed below.

What Are the Health Benefits of Red Wine?

Heart Health

There have been several studies over the years that have established a link between drinking red wine in moderation and exhibiting better heart health. In particular, a study conducted last year found that drinking red wine could reduce the risks of developing coronary heart disease, which is a condition that’s responsible for the most U.S. deaths. To achieve these benefits without experiencing the negative effects that alcohol can bring, men should limit themselves to two glasses of red wine per day, while women should only drink one glass daily.

Gut Health

The gut microbiome is a community of trillions of microorganisms that help the body function. This community relies on the introduction of a diverse selection of bacteria, derived from natural sources. The resveratrol and other compounds found in red wine act as prebiotics, which the gut uses to promote a more varied array of helpful bacteria. While research concerning the effects of red wine on the gut microbiome continue, current findings suggest the prebiotics red wine provides are helpful in maintaining a healthy gut.

Type 2 Diabetes

While drinking other types of alcoholic beverages may actually pose a greater risk to those suffering from type 2 diabetes, drinking red wine may be helpful. In a 2015 study, subjects who drank red wine exhibited lower blood sugar levels, which researchers attributed to the ethanol in the wine. They believe the ethanol and the natural compounds in the red grapes used to make the wine worked together to improve the metabolism of the subjects.

Hypertension

One of the more commonly known benefits of red wine is that drinking it in moderation can help to lower blood pressure. It does this by increasing the level of HDL, or good cholesterol, in the blood supply. Resveratrol contains compounds called procyanidins, which act to improve the health of blood vessels throughout the body. In addition to raising HDL levels, this helps ensure healthy blood flow throughout the blood vessels.

Post-Stroke Brain Damage

Drinking red wine after suffering a stroke can help protect against secondary brain damage. This is largely due to the fact that that the antioxidants in resveratrol help to modulate inflammation and oxidative stress, which would otherwise promote more cell death in the brain.

Vision Loss

As we get older, we become more susceptible to conditions that can affect our ability to see well. Partial or complete vision loss can result from glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts or macular degeneration. Since the antioxidants in red wine help to protect against oxidative stress, the inflammation that increases the risks of developing these conditions is also reduced. While it’s necessary to take other steps to protect your vision, moderate red wine consumption can also help.

Cancer

While excessive alcohol consumption can cause a broad range of health problems, including raising the risks of certain types of cancer, the moderate consumption of red wine can be beneficial. Observational studies have found that women who moderately consume red wine on a regular basis are less likely to develop breast cancer. Researchers believe this is because the wine reduces estrogen levels, while increasing testosterone in older women. While research is ongoing, the occasional glass of red wine may help protect against more types of cancer.

New Study Bolsters Claim That Resveratrol Supports Healthy Aging

Apr 23 by Ewcopywriting

Multiple research studies have now confirmed that the compound resveratrol supports healthy aging by protecting the body from a host of potential issues. Read on for more information about what resveratrol is, how you can incorporate this powerful naturally-occurring compound into your diet and how it can help you to lead a healthier and longer life.

What is Reservatrol?

Reservatrol is found naturally in red grapes, red wine, peanuts, pistachios, blueberries, raspberries and dark chocolate. The compound is most highly concentrated in the skin of red grapes. This polyphenol antioxidant is an antimicrobial compound produced by plants to protect against environmental challenges such as harsh climate changes and too much dangerous ultraviolet light. In recent years, researchers have discovered promising ways that resveratrol may slow down the aging process, as it offers the body a multitude of protections.

Studies Discover Resveratrol Supports Healthy Aging

Research from two major studies support the belief that resveratrol supports healthy aging. A study in 2013 by Harvard Medical School revealed that resveratrol stimulates the production of SIRT1. This serum serves a powerful function by blocking diseases as it accelerates the cell’s natural energy centers.

While most drugs strive to slow or block the production of SIR1, resveratrol actually speeds it up. This enhanced SIR1 production leads to the anti-aging benefits attributed to resveratrol. More recently, a study out of London’s King’s College found that resveratrol in red wine will protect the health of the gut as well.

The Benefits of Resveratrol

It is easy to see how resveratrol could potentially be a vital part of your anti-aging efforts when you examine all of its vast health benefits in detail.

Cognitive Benefits

New research is now showing encouraging results in the use of resveratrol for supporting a healthy mood. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of resveratrol also show promise in fighting off age-related cognitive issues such as Alzheimer’s disease. By guarding against cognitive decline, resveratrol can be a useful addition to your diet as you age.

Gut Health

The gut protection provided by resveratrol is thought to be a result of the compound working to support a more diverse range of bacteria in the essential gut microbiome. As a result of experiencing improved gut health, the red wine drinkers in the study at London King’s College enjoyed a reduced risk of developing obesity while also lowering their overall levels of cholesterol. A healthy gut can also boost the body’s natural immunity.

Pain Relief

Resveratrol may also help to soothe minor joint pain caused by conditions such as arthritis by helping to prevent cartilage from breaking down. As the resveratrol protects against inflammation in the body, joints are less likely to experience damage.

Diabetes Research

Reservatrol may also help protect against type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity. In addition, those with diabetes may see benefits from resveratrol, as it helps the body to metabolize glucose more effectively by activating the AMPK protein while also decreasing inflammation and protecting against oxidative stress. Taken together, these benefits can significantly alter the way the body is able to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Overall Health Advantages

In addition to boosting a healthy gut microbiome and providing cognitive benefits, resveratrol also guards against a myriad of afflictions that plague people as they age. By increasing the production of nitric oxide, resveratrol may also be helpful in helping to maintain blood pressure within normal ranges and protecting heart health. While there is not as much research on this particular benefit yet, many researchers are hopeful that resveratrol may have a place in helping to support cellular health by promoting healthy cell growth.

What the Study Results Mean

With so many benefits spread across many facets of physical and mental health, resveratrol deserves a prominent spot in everyone’s daily diet. Because many Western diets do not naturally include this compound, you may have to be purposeful about consuming it; you can find a high-quality resveratrol supplement online or at your local health food store.

Be warned that health experts agree that too much resveratrol is not necessarily a good thing. While it is a good idea to be intentional about consuming foods rich in resveratrol in order to encourage healthy aging, remember that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. As with most things in life, moderation is key. As researchers continue to unlock more about this powerful antioxidant, there will certainly be more guidance on how to use it to potentially slow down the aging process.

Next time you raise that glass of red wine, you can do so with the knowledge that you are providing your body with proven anti-aging benefits. Being intentional about consuming resveratrol will pay significant health benefits both now and further down the road.

How Probiotics Boost Immune System Health

Apr 06 by Ewcopywriting

As we all know, the world is full of both beneficial and harmful types of bacteria that we ingest in our food, breathe in the air or otherwise come into contact with on a daily basis. Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that are commonly found in fermented foods and help protect the body in a variety of ways. New studies find probiotics boost immune system functioning, leading to a renewed interest in finding natural ways to get more of these “friendly” bacteria.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that play a host of helpful roles in the human body. While there are hundreds of probiotic supplements on the market today, that wasn’t always the case; in the past, people had to rely on healthy diets to get a good supply of these beneficial forms of bacteria. In addition to modern supplements, probiotics are found in foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, tempeh and plain yogurt.

There are several different strains of probiotics, which is why it’s still important to eat a broad range of fermented foods. Each strain provides a different benefit to human health. Once ingested, probiotics make their way to a part of the large intestines called the gut microbiome. Once there, they join trillions of other microorganisms to make up a thriving community that interacts with the immune system and other systems throughout the body.

The microorganisms in the gut microbiome help the body fight off disease and maintain good organ functioning, among other things. While more and more research focuses on how probiotics interact with the body, scientists are finding evidence that probiotics are essential to the efficient functioning of our immune systems.

How Do Probiotics Boost Immune System Functioning?

Up to 80 percent of the immune system’s focus is in the digestive system, including the large intestines. The reason is that this where the largest percentage of harmful microorganisms enter the body, and the immune system tries to attack harmful organisms as soon as they are detected. This is also why the gut microbiome and all of the beneficial bacteria that it contains are located in the large intestines. The helpful bacteria in the gut work together with the immune system to protect against disease and infection.

The probiotics that exist in the gut microbiome help the digestive system function more efficiently and ensure nutrients are more thoroughly absorbed from the foods we eat. Additionally, they work to protect us from developing certain diseases, suggesting that probiotics boost immune system in some very significant ways. Even though their primary focus is on gut health, research suggests probiotics have an even bigger impact on overall health.

In 2005, a study was conducted involving a group of several hundred subjects, which were divided into a test group and a control group. The test group was given a daily probiotic supplement, while the control group took placebos. After a three-month period, over 35 percent of the subjects in the control group reported suffering from digestive health issues and had developed other physical health problems. The group taking the probiotics didn’t report any health issues.

This same experiment was repeated in 2008, except that researchers were specifically interested in how probiotics would affect allergic rhinitis. After a five-month period, the subjects taking the probiotics were examined for the condition. The researchers found that their production of cytokines had increased, strengthening the immune system’s response to the condition.

A recent study focused on how probiotics interacted with the immune system to help protect the body. The scientists participating in the study included Fang Yan of Nashville’s Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and D.B. Polk of the University of Southern California. The team found that once in the gut, certain genes and other compounds in probiotics target the immune system and help to regulate how it responds to diseases and infections.

While research suggests that probiotics can help the body react to diseases in this way, they also demonstrated an ability to prevent certain conditions from developing. This was especially true for immunological diseases such as allergies and viral infections. While the results so far are promising, researchers hope future studies will reveal more about how probiotics help regulate the immune system’s responses.

How Can You Get Probiotics Naturally?

There are many ways to ensure you’re getting the beneficial bacteria you need in your diet to support a healthy microbiome.

Yogurt

Plain yogurt is made from fermented milk, which means it’s full of helpful bacteria, including bifidobacteria and lactic acid. These microorganisms have been shown to strengthen bone density and help prevent bone loss. Some research also suggests they can help maintain healthy blood pressure.

Kefir

If you’re unfamiliar with kefir, it’s made from kefir grains that are mixed with milk from a cow or goat. Since kefir grains contain lactic acid, this food also helps benefit bone health. Additionally, it has been found effective in improving digestive health and guarding against infection.

Sauerkraut

Served with sausage and other traditional dishes, sauerkraut provides a broad range of nutrients that are essential to human health. In addition to being rich in fiber and containing vitamins B, C and K, it also contains powerful antioxidants that protect eye health. Unpasteurized sauerkraut is preferred, because the pasteurization process kills the probiotics that it contains.

Tempeh

This product is made from fermented soybeans and rolled into a patty. It’s flavor and texture has been compared to mushrooms and it’s often used as a meat substitute. The fermentation process helps make it easier for the gut to absorb the nutrients it contains, including a large supply of vitamin B12.

Kimchi

Primarily served in Korea, kimchi is a side dish that’s made from cabbage, crushed red pepper, salt, ginger, garlic and scallions. It’s high lactic acid content means it helps improve digestive health.

There are many more natural foods that will give you a good supply of probiotics, Additionally, a high-quality probiotic/prebiotic supplement will contain a variety of probiotic strains, providing you with a broader range of health benefits. While research into the benefits of probiotics is still ongoing, there’s no doubt that they help regulate digestive health and help the immune system function more efficiently.

Probiotics Benefit Parkinson’s Disease, Says New Study

Mar 04 by Ewcopywriting

Parkinson’s disease is a disorder that affects motor skills by way of the central nervous system. While symptoms may be mild at first, this condition inevitably worsens gradually over time. Currently, more than 500,000 people in the United States have Parkinson’s, with approximately 50,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Since motor skills are affected, symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can vary in type and severity from person to person. New research has discovered that probiotics benefit Parkinson’s disease, providing additional evidence of a link between gut health and this debilitating disease.

What Causes Parkinson’s Disease?

It’s believed that Parkinson’s is the result of low dopamine levels in the brain, which eventually causes nerve cells to die off. Dopamine has been identified as the neurotransmitter responsible for communicating messages that control coordination and physical movement. As neurotransmitter levels drop, the affected individual finds it more difficult to control their movements. They may also notice a stiffening of the muscles.

While the direct causes of the disease are unknown, there is some evidence that it may be an inherited condition in some individuals. Alternatively, there is a slightly higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease if you already have an autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Parkinson’s Early Warning Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

Some of the early warning signs of Parkinson’s include:

hand tremors
coordination and balance problems
change in posture, causing the individual to lean forward
fixed facial expressions
speech difficulties
cramped or messier handwriting
inhibited sense of smell
sleep disorders

While there is no cure for the disease, there are a number of medications that can help control the symptoms. The drugs prescribed for Parkinson’s won’t eliminate the symptoms completely, but they can significantly reduce the symptoms of the disease. Treatments include both medications that the brain converts to dopamine and or drugs that mimic the effects that dopamine has on the brain. The type of treatment received depends on the stage of the disease.

Link Between Parkinson’s And the Gut Microbiome

Studies have shown that people with Parkinson’s disease have an abnormal presence of a protein called alpha-synuclein, which the vagus nerve carries from the brain to the gut. This may explain the higher presence of protein aggregates in the gut microbiomes of people with Parkinson’s disease.

Since researchers know that alpha-synuclein is linked to the disease, a higher presence of the protein in the gut may help diagnose the disease before symptoms manifest. If the research can be confirmed, this may lead to more effective treatments in both preventing the illness and in controlling the symptoms for those who already have the disease.

Probiotics Benefit Parkinson’s Disease in New Study

In a laboratory study using roundworms, researchers think they may have found a way of using probiotics to treat Parkinson’s disease. The researchers suggest that administering a specific strand of probiotic bacteria could prevent the accumulation of the alpha-synuclein in the gut. The way that these probiotics benefit Parkinson’s may lead to a more effective treatment of the disease if these findings are confirmed.

The study, which was conducted at the University of Edinburgh, involved genetically engineering a worm to develop with the human equivalent of the alpha-synuclein protein. Once they reached adulthood, the worms were fed a supplement that contained Bacillus subtilis PXN21, which is a strand of probiotic bacteria.

Upon examining the results, the researchers didn’t find a difference in the levels of the alpha-synuclein protein itself, but they did observe that it didn’t react with the gut in the same manner. Aggregates of the protein were cleared from the guts of the worms as the probiotic was introduced into their bodies. When compared to normal worms on a traditional diet, the genetically altered worms exhibited far lower levels of the aggregated protein while on the probiotic diet. The low level of protein aggregates remained consistent throughout the lives of the test worms.

The researchers concluded that the B. subtilis PXN21 probiotic was effective in both inhibiting and reducing the protein aggregates in the roundworms. The probiotic does this by forming bio films and producing more nitric oxide, both of which are essential components in the prevention of protein aggregates. The team hopes that future research will confirm their findings and uncover more about the positive effect that probiotics have on the development and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

What Else Can a Probiotic/Prebiotic Supplement Do for You?

Supplementing with a probiotic formula, or otherwise ensuring that you are getting adequate levels of probiotics in your everyday diet, can do wonders for your overall health. A healthy balance of probiotics in the gut has been linked to everything from stress resilience to liver health. Recent studies have found that in order to receive the full benefit of probiotics, it’s essential to find a high-quality supplement that provides both probiotics and prebiotics.

Probiotics Aid Digestive Health

In particular, one study found that patients who suffered from diarrhea that was caused by taking antibiotics experienced relief from the condition. Another study found that preterm infants had a reduced risk of necrotizing enterocolitis upon receiving probiotic supplements.

Probiotics Help Relieve Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Additional research has found that taking a probiotic helps improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The probiotic bacteria is especially helpful in relieving the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other similar conditions that can affect the digestive system.

Prebiotics Aid in the Processing of Carbohydrates

Some research has found that prebiotics, which are closely related to probiotics, can help the body absorb carbohydrates more efficiently. This may help regulate blood sugar levels and also aid in better weight management.

Probiotics and Prebiotics Improve the Gut Microbiome

Prebiotics can also help promote greater probiotic growth in the gut microbiome. Some researchers believe this means they can help improve the body’s metabolism and help to encourage a healthier digestive system.