Did you know that 40L of yoghurt a day is equal to the required amount of probiotic flora a human body needs to maintain a healthy gut?
Probiotics are not only important for when you are taking antibiotics but they play a vital role in protecting the human gut all year round.
Considering that 70 percent of the body’s immune system is housed in the gut, this can really have a significant impact on maintaining a healthy immune system. This is according to Prof. Leon Dicks from the University of Stellenbosch
When prescribing antibiotics, healthcare professionals will commonly recommend probiotics be taken during the course. This makes good sense as probiotics reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and help replace the good bacteria that antibiotics strip away.
What many people don’t know, however, is that probiotics are not only important when you’re taking antibiotics. Daily probiotic use plays a vital role in protecting your gut all year round – something worth doing, considering that roughly 70 percent of the body’s immune system is housed here.
This is especially true during these vulnerable Covid-19 times, as lockdown restrictions continue to be lifted. In the absence of a vaccine, maintaining a strong, healthy immune system has never been more important.
But not all probiotics are created equal.
Our gut houses billions of bacteria (microflora) – some good, but others really bad. This is where maintaining a daily dose of a probiotic offers a balance for overall immune system health by fighting off bad bacteria.
Research also suggests that using a daily probiotic can assist with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhoea, delay the development of eczema in children, and prevent vaginal and urinary infections.
One of South Africa’s fastest-growing probiotics, Entiro, which lines, binds and protects the entire gut – has been developed through research of renowned scientist Professor Leon Dicks from the University of Stellenbosch.
“The strains in entiro colonises different sections of the gut to ensure optimal protection. Unique protein structures on the surface of entiro cells ensure strong binding and solid lining of the gut wall, which prevents binding of pathogens,” says Prof Dicks.