Do Probiotics Help with Bloating?

Updated on December 9th, 2019
probiotics for bloating

It may surprise you to know your belly is filled with bacteria. However, such bacteria are essential for boosting digestion and keeping the system in balance. The gut-friendly probiotics for bloating fulfill an important function, when it comes to warding off digestion-related issues. Through the action of so-called “good bacteria,” probiotics for stomach bloating serve to restore the digestive balance and enable the body to return to prime condition.

According to the Academy of Nutrition & Diet, probiotics are live cultures or good bacteria used for warding off dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, and even bloating. Here’s how the best probiotic for bloating can serve to boost digestive health.

The Best Probiotics for Bloating: What You Need to Know

The active cultures found in probiotics help in different ways when it comes to combating abdominal discomfort and stomach bloating.

[Also Read: How to Relieve Bloating Naturally]

1. Bacterial Action of Probiotics for Stomach Bloating

why you need probiotics
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The live cultures or gut-friendly bacteria found in the best probiotics for gas and bloating modify or repopulate intestinal bacteria for balancing your gut flora(1). Considerable research shows that some probiotic strains specifically alleviate bloating(2) and associated symptoms like gas.

For this reason, probiotics have also been used in the management of gastrointestinal health and medical conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome associated with bloating.

2. Probiotics for Better Health Outcomes

In general, probiotics like fermented dairy foods include yogurt, kefir, aged cheeses, and products. These contain live cultures like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Non-dairy foods also have beneficial cultures like miso, tempeh, kimchi, sauerkraut, and cultured non-dairy yogurts. Since the nineteenth century, probiotics have been associated with longevity and better health outcomes, including relief from stomach symptoms.

3. Probiotics Ward off Sickness

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Besides restoring bacterial balance, probiotics for stomach bloating is often useful, especially when medicines like antibiotics or illnesses have harmed the balance. Antibiotics destroy good bacteria, and this can lead to bloating as well. For preventing good bacteria from being decimated, gut-friendly microbiota can be supplemented, especially in individuals with functional bowel disorders(3) facing bloating, gas, and cramps.

[Also Read: Natural Ways to Reduce Gas Pain]

4. Lower Bad Bacteria

By limiting harmful bacteria, probiotics work their magic. Further, these probiotics contain gut-friendly bacteria that take up space, leaving less room for harmful microbes in the system. Research shows that side effects are virtually nil, while the results are mostly positive.

How Can the Best Probiotics for Gas and Bloating Be Taken?

The best probiotics for warding off gas and flatulence can be either dairy or non-dairy fermented foods. Probiotics can be taken in pill or food form. You can try them in a capsule, or packet form. Sometimes, you can even mix them with liquids for easier ingestion. Probiotics are generally sold at health food stores, health aisles of supermarkets and pharmacies. Here’s how to choose the best probiotics for bloating:

1. Check the Health Benefits

Study the label and find out if the probiotic meets your needs. Does it solve the problem for which you need it? Probiotics must be passed through the digestive system to work.

So, it’s best to take them in dairy form. The reason for this is because dairy items are kept cold, and this protects the probiotics from stomach acids in the body.

[Also Read: Supplements For Bloating]

2. Ensure the Right Bacterial Strain

Probiotics should name specific bacterial strains. The most common types of strains are the small intestine probiotics or lactobacillus acidophilus and the large intestine probiotic or Bifidobacterium bifidum. So, depending on which part of the stomach and which GI problem you need to tackle, choose the right bacteria.

3. Choose Probiotics with Care

Probiotics Benefits
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For instance, look for seals from regulatory authorities while eating yogurt or other dairy items containing probiotics. If your food has the right probiotics, it should have one billion units per serving of that particular strain of probiotics.

A yogurt, for example, maybe anywhere from 10 million to 100 million CFUs and yet be useful as a probiotic. Remember that probiotics react to unique body chemistry, too. Take care not to ingest too much or too little by experimenting and seeing if you feel gassy or bloated.

[Also Read: Foods For Bloating]

The Benefits of Probiotics for Stomach Bloating

Probiotics help to fend off harmful bacteria that attack gut-friendly flora and so, they are great for warding off bloating and other gastric ailments that result from bacterial infections, according to research. The probiotics for bloating also keep the balance of harmful and good bacteria in balance and recover good microbiota.

According to experts, probiotics also boost the body’s immunity to fight bacterial infections on its own and dispel gas, bloating, and other GI conditions. Cure gastrointestinal diseases like diarrhea associated with bloating by consuming Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidophilus bifidum, Lactobacillus sporogenes, and Saccharomyces boulardii, besides different useful strains of probiotics. Such probiotics also fend off inflammation associated with abdominal discomfort and bloating.

Thus, gut-friendly so-called “good” bacteria or live cultures found in probiotics are perfect for warding off that bloated feeling. Whether the bloating is due to infections, diseases, or inflammation, probiotics serve as a useful and comprehensive cure for the condition.

Most medical experts recommend these nutrient-rich probiotic foods like miso, tempeh, yogurt, and sauerkraut in daily diets. Give your stomach a break and try these among probiotics for boosting healthy microbiomes in your gut.


FAQs

1. Which Probiotic is Best for Bloating?

Probiotics come in many different strains. Choose ones that offer the right impact on your condition. For example, probiotics belonging to the Lactobacillus acidophilus strain can cure small intestine issues, while Bifidophilus bifidum is best for the large intestine. Different types of probiotics, like Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus sporogenous, may also suit your unique body type.

2. What Are the Different Types of Probiotic Strains for Bloating?

Most probiotics can be categorized into Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Lactobacillus strains are found in fermented foods like yogurt. These are effective for treating diarrhea, colic, IBS, infections caused by bacteria, and bloating associated with it. Bifidobacterium is also found in yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products and can ease constipation, IBS and bloating linked to these conditions.

3. What Precautions Should Be Taken While Choosing Probiotics for Bloating?

Choose your probiotics from a reputable pharmacy or drug store. Read the label carefully and study the impact of the probiotics on your body. Remember that each human body has a unique chemistry and probiotics react differently depending on the individual. Experiment and evaluate what works best and always look for seals of approval from food regulatory authorities before consuming a store-purchased probiotic.

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