If you’re dealing with chronic diarrhea, gas, constipation, fatigue, headaches, skin issues or any other telltale signs of a leaky gut, you’ve probably been “prescribed” a probiotic. Maybe by a well-meaning friend. Maybe by a natural health specialist. Or maybe you “prescribed” it to yourself after a bit of online research.
In theory, taking probiotics for a leaky gut makes perfect sense. Leaky gut, after all, is a condition where the gut lining becomes unhealthy. It develops holes or leaks that allow partially digested food, toxins and bacteria to seep into your bloodstream. That causes inflammation and triggers disease.
And research shows that probiotics can help strengthen the intestinal barrier and prevent gaps and holes from developing. The problem is not all probiotic works.
In fact, a new study shows there may only be one probiotic that can truly plug your leaky gut and prevent disease.
SPORE-BASED PROBIOTICS PACK A PUNCH AGAINST LEAKY GUT
Here’s something you may not know…
A lot of the probiotics you see on supermarket and drugstore shelves never make it to your intestines. That’s because they’re destroyed by your stomach acid before they get there. So, the chances of them doing any good for your leaky gut (or any other gut problems you may have) is slim.
But there is one type of probiotic that’s resilient to stomach acid. That means it’s more likely to make it your intestines, where you need it. What type is it?
Spore-based probiotics!!
A study from researchers at the University of North Texas found that taking a spore-based probiotic can significantly reduce the amount of partially digested food particles that end up in the bloodstream after a meal.
First, researchers figured out which study participants probably had a leaky gut. They did that by measuring the amount of toxins in their blood after a high-fat, high-calorie meal. People whose toxin levels rose five-fold or more five hours after eating were believed to have a leaky gut.
Then, half of study participants received a spore-based probiotic for 30 days and the other half received a placebo. The difference between the two was remarkable…
Even though they kept their diet and lifestyle habits the same, people who took the spore-based probiotic saw a 42 percent reduction in the amount of toxins that seeped into their blood. They also saw a 24 percent decrease in bad cholesterol circulating in their blood. Plus, they had better appetite control.
As a result, researchers believe that spore-based probiotics must change the gut microbiome, gut permeability or both for the better.
WHAT IS A SPORE-BASED PROBIOTIC? AND SHOULD YOU TRY ONE?
A spore-based probiotic is made from soil bacteria. These bacteria form spores. And the walls within these spores (known as endospores) are resistant to stomach acid, which means the bacteria makes it to your intestines, unlike many other probiotics.
So, if you’re going to invest your hard-earned cash in a probiotic supplement, a spore-based probiotic is probably the one to get. After all, what’s the point in taking a probiotic if it won’t even make it to your intestines?
In the study, researchers used a spore-based probiotic called MegaSporeBiotic, and participants took two capsules per day. But there are plenty of options.
Just look for something that has the same combination of spore probiotic strains they used in the study: Bacillus indicus HU36®, Bacillus subtilis HU58®, Bacillus coagulans SC208, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus Clausii SC.
Sources:
Oral spore-based probiotic supplementation was associated with reduced incidence of post-prandial dietary endotoxin, triglycerides, and disease risk biomarkers — World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology
Protection and Restitution of Gut Barrier by Probiotics: Nutritional and Clinical Implications — Current Nutrition & Food Science
Leaky gut: What is it, and what does it mean for you? — Harvard Medical School