Excessive Probiotic Intake Can Also Harm Your Gut!
Nowadays, the market is flooded with a dazzling array of probiotic and lactic acid bacteria products. Most people's understanding of them comes from advertising slogans like "optimize the gut environment" and "boost the body's immunity." Consequently, those with poor appetite or irregular bowel movements are particularly fond of these products, with some mothers eager to have their children drink several bottles a day. While enjoying these products, few people have considered whether probiotics are truly "beneficial" and if consuming too many is harmless to the human body.
When it comes to probiotics, many people consider them an "import," something that only appeared after yogurt. This is not the case. Any live bacterium that is beneficial to the host's health can be called a probiotic, including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium found in the human body. In fact, the human gut contains about 100 trillion bacteria, a mix of beneficial and harmful bacteria, which is essential for maintaining the body's micro-ecological balance.
Many people believe that consuming probiotic foods like yogurt aids digestion, but in reality, probiotics are always mentioned in the context of human immunity. Why is this? Tan Guijun, Deputy Director of the Nutrition Department at Tianjin First Central Hospital, explains that research has proven that the gut is not only a digestive organ but also the body's largest immune system. Therefore, improving gastrointestinal digestive function is equivalent to boosting the body's immunity. Numerous studies have confirmed that gut health is linked to the development of metabolic syndromes such as obesity, hypertension, and high blood sugar. In other words, a healthier gut means a healthier body.
So, is consuming probiotic foods always beneficial? Tan Guijun points out that the issue of supplementing with probiotics should be viewed from two sides. The functions of probiotics can be summarized as follows: improving indigestion, relieving constipation, preventing diarrhea, preventing stomach ulcers, and producing B vitamins. Therefore, people with digestive issues (such as constipation, chronic diarrhea, or indigestion) can find some relief by consuming foods containing probiotics in this gentle way. Experiments have already shown that daily intake of *Lactobacillus casei* Shirota (a typical probiotic) significantly reduces the incidence of acute diarrhea in children. It should be noted that people who frequently use antibiotics should also supplement with probiotics appropriately to reduce the loss of beneficial gut bacteria caused by antibiotic overuse.
However, people with a balanced gut flora do not need much external help. Because the human gut is a natural fermentation factory that produces beneficial bacteria. By consuming a certain amount of nutrients daily, which are then digested, broken down, and fermented in the gut, a large number of beneficial bacterial communities are produced. This is also an innate physiological function of the gut. Excessive supplementation of probiotics can disrupt the body's microbial balance. At the same time, not everyone with diarrhea will benefit from probiotic foods, as gut probiotics only work for diarrhea caused by gut flora imbalance.
Tan Guijun reminds us that probiotics are live, non-pathogenic bacteria. After consumption, they must "survive" the test of human stomach acid and bile. Only those that reach the gut alive and remain active can be "beneficial" to the human body. Therefore, before choosing probiotic foods, you should carefully read the product description. If you see that it can be stored at room temperature, especially for a long time, it is best not to buy it. Because probiotics thrive at lower temperatures, a refrigerated environment is best for maintaining their activity.
Currently, scientific research on probiotics is still in a relatively limited stage, so there are no authoritative standards for the recommended daily intake. As for consumption methods, probiotic foods should be refrigerated and not heated before eating, as heating will kill the live bacteria. A more scientific approach is to take probiotic foods like yogurt out of the refrigerator and let them reach room temperature before eating, especially for people with weaker digestive systems, such as the elderly and children, who should not eat them cold. Additionally, these foods should not be consumed on an empty stomach; they are best eaten as a snack to better exert their "beneficial" effects. By Zhang Zhao, this newspaper's reporter.