In recent years, probiotics have become the third most popular dietary supplement taken. A study by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health division of the National Institutes of Health found the use of probiotics quadrupled between 2007 and 2012. A probiotic regimen can be a game-changer for women over 50. Before you jump on the bandwagon, there are a few things to consider.
According to Harvard University, there are several benefits to taking probiotics. It’s important to understand what probiotics do. Any discussion of probiotics comes down to the microbiome. These are the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live inside our body and, in particular, the intestines. The gut microbiome regulates digestion and contributes to a healthy immune system.
Before anything else, first, check with your doctor before adding them to your daily routine.
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Menopause and Probiotics
The average age when women start experiencing menopause is 52. In menopause, women are not producing a lot of estrogen hormones. The lack of estrogen affects the different systems due to the body’s changes. One system that is influenced by the lower estrogen level is a women’s microbiome. A healthy gut has healthy bacteria. These bacteria that live in our gut help us with all our functions. The bacteria of the Microbiome help us digest and internalize the right ingredients and nutrients. If we don’t have a healthy gut, we’re going to have a lot of inflammation, and irritable bowel, diarrhea, and constipation.
Conditions Where Probiotics Might Help
Many in the medical field have documented dramatic improvement to patients with a variety of health issues after the addition of probiotics to the health regimen. If you fall into any of these categories, a probiotic might be the way to go. When it comes to probiotics, it’s tempting to “go with your gut,” but the mantra, “go with your doctor’s advice” is a better approach. The use of probiotics needs to be individualized, as there are only very few specific generalizable guidelines at our disposal.
Colitis
If you’ve been diagnosed with colitis, you’ve probably experienced two major symptoms: abdominal pain and diarrhea. Probiotics will assist in the re-creation of a healthy gut. The healthy, balanced gut can solve a lot of the problems that come with colitis
Bladder Infections
The bladder also contains some microbiomes. A bladder containing a healthy, balanced microbiome will enhance a woman’s resistance against bladder infections. Estrogen is the number one protection against bladder infections. As estrogen production lowers through menopause, bladder infections can become more frequent and problematic.
An increase in lactobacilli probiotic, which is what estrogen does, can help prevent bladder infections. Probiotics contain different combinations of lactobacilli, and women over 50 with recurring bladder infections can find great relief with the addition of this probiotic.
Probiotics and Nutrition
Women over 50 are advised to approach probiotic supplements with caution. Prebiotic- and probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, fermented foods like kimchi have a lot of probiotics in them. Prebiotics include the roughage found in leafy vegetables, cruciferous veggies, and extra virgin olive oil—these are non-inflammatory foods that also promote a healthy microbiome. These “All Natural” foods are a great way to start to balance the microbiome without too drastic action.
For overall health, a diet that includes prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods and avoids foods that promote inflammation. Sugar feeds the inflammation within our bodies; it’s the poison of the 21st century. Animal proteins are also inflammatory. To age well and maintain a healthy body you should reduce inflammation. Reduce sugar, reduce processed food, and reduce animal products.
Probiotics can go a long way to maintaining a healthy microbiome for women over 50. If you have any of the above conditions, or if you take an antibiotic, ask your doctor about adding a probiotic supplement. Focus on your intake ensuring that you have probiotic-rich foods as part of your regular healthy diet. Promote the health of your gut microbiome, which will contribute to you staying healthy at any age.
Editor-Recommended Probiotic Supplements
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1 thought on “Probiotic – What Women Over 50 Need to Know”
Very true! probiotics help fight a lot of diseases and are very beneficial but taking the doctor’s advice is always important.