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The Gut-Brain Connection: How Probiotics Support Mental and Cognitive Health

How Probiotics Support Mental and Cognitive Health

When most people hear “probiotics,” they think about digestive health. But did you know your gut does much more than help you digest pizza or salad? Scientists now know that your gut and brain are in constant communication, and the right probiotics can make a big difference for your mood and ability to think clearly—no matter your age.

The Gut-Brain Axis: Your Body’s Secret Communication Superhighway

Your gut and brain are connected by a network called the gut-brain axis. Think of it like a super-fast messaging app between your stomach and mind. The “texts” they send travel through:

Nerves: The vagus nerve runs from your gut up to your brain, passing along important signals from your gut/digestive symptoms to your brain.
Chemicals: Your gut also uses neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine, the brain’s happy messengers, to talk directly to your brain.
Immune Signals: Gut bacteria help control inflammation, which can protect your brain by ensuring the pathways described above maintain their peak performance.

When your gut bacteria, also called your “microbiome,” are healthy, it boosts both your brain and mood. When your microbiome is out of balance, it affects how well you process stress, remember things, or handle anxiety. Clearly, if you’re under stress or suffering from anxiety, it’s important to keep your gut-brain axis as healthy as possible.

How Probiotics Influence Your Mind and Mood

Probiotics are the “good microbes” that live in your gut and come from either probiotic supplements or gut-friendly foods like yogurt and fermented foods like kombucha. Research shows that probiotic bacteria help your mental health by:

Calming Stress: Probiotics can lower stress hormone levels (like cortisol) and send relaxing signals to your brain.
Boosting Mood: By helping your gut make more serotonin, probiotics are shown to help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Improve Focus and Memory: Recent clinical studies, especially those using multi-strain probiotics, found improved reaction time, sharper thinking, and better executive function by enhancing your brain’s command center for decision-making.

Neuroimaging research (think: brain scans) has shown that taking probiotic supplements doesn’t just help your gut; they actually change how your brain works!

In fact, studies show that people who take probiotics regularly have:

Stronger Connections In Regions of the Brain Linked to Maintaining Focus
Reduced Activity In Areas That Lead to Negative Thoughts Or Feeling Distracted
A Boost In Regions of The Brain That Handle Emotion And Stress

What Does the Latest Science Say?

Recent experiments and meta-analyzes have found that regular probiotic use can:

Decrease Anxiety And Depression Scores on Mental Health Tests
Reduced Physical Stress Responses – Like a Racing Heart When Nervous
Help With Emotional Balance and Sharper Thinking, Even Under Pressure

One review from 2024 used brain scans to show that probiotics increase brain connectivity in networks that help you stay calm and collected, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed. This means probiotics really help your brain handle stress better.

Myth Busting

There is a lot of misinformation out there about gut health, gut diseases, and probiotics. Especially probiotic supplements. Don’t fall for these common misconceptions:

“Probiotics are Only for Digestion.” This is False! Probiotics Have Direct Impacts on Your Mood And Cognitive Function via the Gut-Brain Axis.
“All Probiotics Are The Same.” Not True. Multi-Strain Probiotics (Using Different Bacteria) Offer The Biggest Mental Benefits According to Recent Peer-Reviewed Studies.
“You’ll Feel Changes Overnight.” This is Another Misconception. Perceptual Mind and Mood Benefits Typically Emerge/Appear After A Few Weeks Of Regular Use.

The Key is regular use. If you take intermittent doses of probiotics, either through eating a healthy diet without processed food or through probiotic supplementation, your results will be reduced.

Simple Definitions

Gut Microbiome: The Collection of Good and Bad Bacteria Living Inside Your Digestive System.
Probiotics: Good Bacteria, Often Found In Healthy Foods, or in Probiotic Supplements, That Help Your Gut and Brain Function Better.
Neurotransmitters: Chemicals Like Serotonin and Dopamine That Pass Signals Between Your Gut and Brain.
Executive Function: Your Brain’s Ability to Plan, Focus, Remember, and Make Decisions.
Serotonin: A Chemical In Your Body Associated With Calmness, Focus, and Well-Being. It Also Plays a Significant Role in Digestive Functions, Appetite, and Sleep.
Dopamine: A Chemical In Your Body Linked to the Brain’s Reward System, Motivation, Pleasure, and Motor Control.

Everyday Tips for a Healthier Gut-Brain Connection

Here’s how to boost your gut-brain health today:

Eat More Fiber-Rich Foods – Veggies, Fruits, and Whole Grains are Your Gut’s Favorite Food and Diets Rich with Fiber Reduce the Need For Probiotic Supplements.
Try a Quality Multi-Strain Probiotic. Products like EndoMune Advanced Probiotics are Formulated Specifically to Support Both Gut and Mental Wellness.
Limit Sugary Drinks and Processed Snacks, Which Feed Bad Bacteria and Hurt Gut Health.
Manage Stress Through Activities You Enjoy – Music, Sports, or Quality Time with Friends Help Your Mind Reduce Stress and Anxiety.
Get Plenty of Sleep. Your Gut And Brain Both Need Rest to Perform at Peak Efficiency.

Key Takeaway: Take Charge of Your Brain—From the Inside Out

With new scientific research showing how important the gut-brain axis is to your mental health and mood, repairing or enhancing your gut health could be the key to thinking faster, feeling better, and staying resilient in tough times – without drugs or other medication. A simple daily addition like a multi-strain probiotic could help unlock both a healthier gut and a happier mind.

References

“What Is the Gut-Brain Connection?”, Cleveland Clinic: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/the-gut-brain-connection clevelandclinic
“The gut-brain connection: What the science says”, Stanford Medicine: https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2025/03/gut-brain-connection-long-covid-anxiety-parkinsons.html
“4 Fast Facts about the Gut-Brain Connection”, NCCIH: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/news/events/4-fast-facts-about-the-gutbrain-connection
“Probiotics as modulators of gut-brain axis for cognitive development”, Frontiers in Pharmacology: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1348297/full
“From gut to brain: unveiling probiotic effects through a neuroimaging perspective”, Frontiers in Nutrition: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1446854/full
“Probiotics reduce negative mood over time: the value of daily self-assessment”, Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44184-025-00123-z
“Gut–sleep–brain axis: Probiotics may improve sleep & mood”, NutraIngredients: https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2025/07/23/gutsleepbrain-axis-probiotics-may-improve-sleep-mood

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Probiotics for Heart Health: The Surprising Cardiovascular Connection

Diet, Healthy Aging, Probiotics / By Staff Writer

Quick Summary: Clinical research demonstrates that certain probiotic strains, particularly Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, may help reduce blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels. These beneficial bacteria create compounds that fight inflammation and support blood vessel health, working most effectively alongside healthy lifestyle choices.

Could Your Gut Hold the Key to Better Heart Health?

The connection between gut bacteria and heart health might sound unusual, but recent scientific discoveries reveal a fascinating relationship for how probiotics support heart health. Those trillions of microorganisms in your digestive tract don’t just help you digest food but actively communicate with your cardiovascular system.

When researchers first proposed this gut-heart connection, many were skeptical. Today, mounting evidence shows that specific probiotic strains produce metabolites that directly influence blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood vessel function.

Three Ways Probiotics Support Heart Health

Blood Pressure Regulation

Nearly 45% of American adults struggle with high blood pressure, yet research suggests certain probiotics might offer natural support. Studies focusing on Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus rhamnosus show these strains can influence both systolic and diastolic readings.

The mechanism involves several pathways:

Probiotic Metabolites Help Blood Vessels Stay Flexible
Anti-Inflammatory Compounds Reduce Arterial Stress
Enhanced Nitric Oxide Production Improves Circulation
Balanced Gut Bacteria Send Beneficial Signals Throughout the Body

Cholesterol Management

While probiotics won’t replace cholesterol medications for high-risk patients, research indicates they can provide meaningful improvements over time. Multiple clinical trials document reductions in both total cholesterol and LDL levels among regular probiotic users.

The cholesterol-lowering effects appear linked to how certain bacteria process dietary fats and bile acids, essentially helping your body manage cholesterol more efficiently.

Vascular Protection

Probiotics also produce short-chain fatty acids and other bioactive compounds that protect blood vessels. These substances:

Combat Chronic Inflammation That Damages Arterial Walls
Reduce TMAO Production (A Heart Disease Risk Factor)
Strengthen Intestinal Barriers, Preventing Toxins from Entering Circulation
Support Immune Responses That Maintain Cardiovascular Health

What Recent Studies Tell Us

Current research paints an encouraging picture, though scientists emphasize we’re still learning about optimal dosing and duration required to achieve meaningful results with probiotic supplementation. Nevertheless, the data is encouraging.

Study Findings on Blood Pressure: Participants with hypertension who used probiotics consistently for two months or more showed statistically significant improvements in both blood pressure measurements – diastolic and systolic readings.

Cholesterol Research Results: Several 2025 trials confirmed that probiotic supplementation improves cholesterol, particularly when combined with dietary changes.

Duration and Consistency Matter: The best benefits emerged after at least eight weeks of regular use, suggesting these effects accumulate gradually.

Strain Specificity Counts: Not all probiotics deliver the same cardiovascular benefits—research consistently highlights Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus rhamnosus as particularly promising.

Understanding the Gut-Heart Communication Network

Scientists call this relationship the “gut-heart axis,” and it operates through sophisticated biochemical signaling.

When beneficial bacteria ferment dietary fiber, they generate compounds like butyrate and propionate. These molecules travel through your bloodstream, reaching your heart and blood vessels where they:

Reduce Inflammation That Threatens Arterial Health
Enhance Blood Vessel Elasticity for Improved Circulation
Help Regulate Blood Pressure Naturally
Minimize Production of Harmful Metabolites
Reinforce Your Intestinal Barrier Against Toxins

Imagine that your gut bacteria are microscopic chemists, constantly producing compounds that help your cardiovascular system.

Practical Steps for Heart-Healthy Gut Support

You don’t need dramatic lifestyle changes to benefit from this gut-heart connection. Consider these friendly strategies:

Incorporate Probiotic Foods Daily

Start your morning with plain Greek yogurt topped with berries. The live cultures provide beneficial bacteria while the fiber feeds them. Alternatively, try kefir in smoothies—it contains more diverse probiotic strains than most yogurts.

For lunch or dinner, experiment with fermented vegetables. Sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickled vegetables add probiotics plus interesting flavors to meals. Those who enjoy beverages might appreciate kombucha as an afternoon refresher.

Choose Quality Supplements Wisely

If whole foods don’t provide enough probiotics, supplements can help bridge the gap. Look for products specifically containing Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the strains most studied for heart health.

Products like EndoMune Advanced Probiotic offer these recommended probiotic strains with at least 30 billion CFUs per serving.

Nourish Your Existing Gut Bacteria

Your current gut bacteria need proper nutrition to thrive. Fiber-rich foods like beans, vegetables, and whole grains are “prebiotic” fuel for beneficial microorganisms.

Garlic, onions, bananas, and asparagus are particularly rich in prebiotic compounds. Meanwhile, limit your intake of processed foods and excess sugar, which can disrupt the healthy bacterial balance. Don’t forget to stay well-hydrated, as proper fluid intake supports optimal digestive function and bacterial metabolism.

The Realistic Outlook on Probiotics and Heart Health

Probiotics represent one facet of a comprehensive heart health strategy, not a standalone solution. While research shows promise, these benefits work best when combined with regular exercise, stress management, adequate sleep, and a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Probiotics shouldn’t replace prescribed medications or other proven interventions for existing heart conditions. The gut-heart connection opens exciting possibilities for natural cardiovascular support, but it works best as part of an integrated approach to wellness.

Important Reminder: Discuss any new supplements with your healthcare provider, especially if you take medications or have existing cardiovascular conditions.

Citations:

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Gut-Brain Connection, probiotics and Alzheimer's

Probiotics and Alzheimer’s: Unlocking the Gut-Brain Connection for Healthy Aging

Digestive Health, Healthy Aging, Probiotics / By Staff Writer

Have you ever heard the phrase “trust your gut”? Science now shows that your gut health doesn’t just affect your stomach; it also affects your brain. Exciting new research reveals that probiotics, the “good” bacteria found in probiotic supplements and certain foods, might play a key role in keeping your brain healthy as you age and could even help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Ready to explore how probiotics can support your brain health? Keep reading to discover the latest research and practical steps you can take today.

The Gut-Brain Connection: Why Your Stomach Talks to Your Brain

Your gut and brain maintain constant communication through what scientists call the gut-brain axis. This network of nerves, hormones, and immune signals connects your digestive system directly to your brain. When your gut thrives, it sends positive signals to your brain, supporting your memory, mood, and thinking skills. However, when your gut falls out of balance, it can trigger inflammation and other problems that may harm your brain.

What Are Probiotics and How Do They Work?

Probiotics are live microorganisms—mainly bacteria—that benefit your digestive system. You can find probiotics in foods like yogurt, kefir, and fermented vegetables. You can also feed your gut probiotics with probiotic supplements such as EndoMune Advanced Probiotics. Probiotics help keep your gut’s ecosystem in balance by crowding out harmful bacteria and supporting your immune system.

Think of probiotics as your gut’s personal security team, working 24/7 to keep harmful invaders out while supporting the good guys.

Alzheimer’s Disease: A Growing Challenge

Affecting millions of people worldwide, Alzheimer’s disease is increasingly a more common form of dementia. Alzheimer’s causes memory loss, confusion, and changes in behavior. While scientists haven’t found a cure yet, they continue searching for new ways to slow down or prevent this disease. That’s where probiotics enter the picture.

How Probiotics May Help Protect Your Brain: The Gut-Brain Connection

Recent studies show that certain strains of probiotic bacteria do more than just support digestion; they may also help protect your brain. Here’s how probiotics seem to work to support healthy brains:

Key Brain Protection Mechanisms:

Reducing Inflammation: Chronic inflammation in the body and brain is linked directly to Alzheimer’s. Probiotics lower inflammation by balancing gut bacteria and calming the immune system.
Strengthening Critical Barriers: A healthy gut keeps harmful substances out of your bloodstream, while a healthy blood-brain barrier protects your brain. Probiotics help maintain these barriers, which may reduce Alzheimer’s risk.
Boosting Antioxidants: Probiotics increase antioxidant levels in your body, helping fight damage caused by free radicals—a major factor in aging and brain diseases.
Improving Memory and Thinking: Clinical trials show that people with Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment who take probiotics often experience improved memory, attention, and overall thinking skills.

What Does the Research Say?

Let’s break down some of the latest findings in:

Animal Studies

Researchers found that a special mix of human-origin probiotics reduced memory loss and harmful protein buildup in mice brains. The mice also showed less inflammation and healthier gut and brain barriers.

Human Studies

Reviews of clinical trials of people with Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases show probiotics improve cognitive function, lower inflammation, and boost antioxidant levels. Scientists observed these benefits in both older adults with mild memory problems and those with Alzheimer’s.

How to Support Your Brain with Probiotics

If you want to support your brain as you age, here are some actionable steps you can take:

Dietary Approaches:

Eat Probiotic-Rich Foods: Include Yogurt, Kefir, Sauerkraut, and Kimchi in Your Diet and Avoid Highly Processed Foods.
Add Prebiotic Foods: Feed Your Good Bacteria with Fiber-Rich Foods Like Cabbage, Onions, and Bananas (Especially Green Bananas).
Maintain Dietary Diversity: Eat a Variety of Colorful Fruits and Vegetables to Support Gut Bacteria Diversity.

Lifestyle Factors:

Stay Active: Exercise Regularly to Boost Both Gut and Brain Health.
Engage Your Mind: Mental Activities also Play a Big Role in Keeping Your Brain Sharp.
Manage Stress: Chronic Stress Can Harm Both Your Gut and Brain Health.

Ready to Support Your Brain Health?

If you want to explore high-quality probiotic options that help protect your brain and achieve overall wellness, consider a multispecies advanced probiotic supplement like an EndoMune Probiotic.

Take the next step in supporting your gut-brain connection today!

Don’t wait—your future self will thank you for taking steps today to protect your brain health.

Key References Supporting Probiotics for Brain Health and Alzheimer’s

1. Protection of Alzheimer’s disease progression by a human-origin probiotics cocktail Nature, Scientific Reports

URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-84780-8

Summary: Demonstrates that a unique probiotic cocktail reduces cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s pathology in a mouse model by improving gut and blood-brain barrier integrity and reducing inflammation.

2. Effects of Probiotics on Neurodegenerative Disease-Related Symptoms and Systemic Inflammation: A Systematic Review PubMed

URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39678681/

Summary: Systematic review of 22 RCTs showing that probiotics improve cognitive function, reduce systemic inflammation, and enhance antioxidant capacity in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s.

3. Effect of probiotics on cognitive function and cardiovascular risk markers in Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment: An umbrella meta-analysis PubMed

URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40200373/

Summary: Meta-analysis of 13 studies involving over 3,900 patients finds that probiotics significantly improve cognitive function and metabolic health in AD and MCI, likely via anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms.

4. Probiotics for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review PMC (PubMed Central)

URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8746506/

Summary: Systematic review summarizing evidence that probiotics can slow AD progression by modulating gut microbiota, reducing inflammation, and counteracting oxidative stress, with minimal adverse effects.

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Can You Meditate Your Way to Better Gut Health?

Digestive Health, Healthy Aging, Probiotics / By Staff Writer

Can a meditation practice improve the health of your brain… and your gut?

Meditation is one of the best things you can do to support the health of your mind and body. Many people use meditation as a drug-free alternative in a myriad of ways, including reducing stress levels, controlling anxiety, improving concentration and supporting better sleep.

No doubt, investing a few minutes each day in a quiet place away from the world to meditate is a peaceful, mindful way to better health.

But, can you meditate your way to better gut health? Let’s travel across the globe to find out…

Let’s meet some Tibetan monks!

A team of Chinese researchers put the powers of meditation to the test with the help of 37 Tibetan Buddhist monks in a study appearing in BMJ Journals: General Psychiatry.

Scientists analyzed stool and blood samples from those monks who had practiced mediation for an average of 19 years, then compared them to samples taken from a control group of 19 residents in neighboring areas.

None of the patients participating in this trial had taken any antibiotics, antifungal drugs or probiotics that would affect their gut health for the previous three months, and both groups were matched for age, diet, blood pressure and heart rate.

You probably won’t be too surprised to learn that the makeup and volume of bacteria in the guts of monks was very different and much healthier, than those found in the control group.

Although the gut health of the monks wasn’t as diverse, their microbiomes were populated in far higher volumes with beneficial bacteria that reduced incidences of depression and promoted better behaviors.

What’s more, meditation was associated with healthier metabolic functions that are critical in protecting the integrity of the gut barrier and better regulating immune functioning.

You don’t need to move to Tibet to protect your gut health!

Despite the good news about the benefits of meditation for your gut health, scientists acknowledged the geography issue with this study.

Tibetan monks live very, very differently than we do. Their diets comprise a more limited range of foods and they live in higher altitudes away from almost all modern distractions.

There’s no doubt that meditation is a great practice that serves as a springboard to cultivate better mental health, but that probably doesn’t mean you can ignore the health of your gut either.

The safest and best way to protect the health and diversity of your gut — whether you meditate or not — is also the simplest, if you take a probiotic formulated with multiple strains of beneficial bacteria like those found in EndoMune Advanced Probiotic.

Resources

BMJ Journals: General Psychiatry

PsyPost

Healthline

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Woman laying in bed unable to sleep with her hand over her head. Text reads "Sleep Challenges: Sarcopenia & your gut"

Sleep Challenges, Sarcopenia and Your Gut

Healthy Aging, Mental Health / By Staff Writer

Sleep Challenges, Sarcopenia and Your Gut

We never get tired of reminding you how much a good night’s sleep can do for your health as a natural way to reboot your body, a lot like your home computer, to repair and restore itself after the stresses of the day.

Staying up too late, following a work schedule that includes 24/7 shift duty or traveling across multiple time zones not only disrupts your body’s natural circadian clock, but it takes away valuable time your body needs to replenish itself.

Over time, these sleep deficits can harm you significantly, leaving you more vulnerable to the cluster of health problems better known as metabolic syndrome.

As you know, the gut plays a major role in your sleep too, and even short-term, drastic changes can harm the balance of gut bacteria you need to maintain good health.

Sleep problems and gut disruptions may also play a key role in worsening sarcopenia, the age-related and progressive loss of strength and muscle mass that often contributes to functional declines especially among seniors, according to a study appearing in the journal Sleep.

Analyzing The Data

A group of European researchers based these conclusions about the links between sarcopenia, gut imbalances and poor sleep based on an analysis of 11 clinical studies conducted with health patients ranging in age from 4-71.

In many ways, sleep problems and gut health issues go hand-in-hand in creating an environment in which sarcopenia emerges as one more serious health challenge.

At the gut level, sleep problems influence an unhealthy balance of gut bacteria that also reduces the structural integrity and functionality of the wall of the gut (which could lead to leaky gut problems).

Bad sleep may also be a trigger for imbalances in gut bacteria that can also create the production of pro-inflammatory chemicals. Even one sleepless night creates an environment that favors anabolic resistance and muscle breakdown.

Muscle Growth and Your Gut

We know this initial review of studies is a toe in the water when it comes to understanding the collision of gut bacteria imbalances, poor sleep and sarcopenia, yet there’s no denying the link between muscles and good gut health is a real one.

Interestingly, another recent review of studies published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle found a very gut-healthy way to improve muscle mass and muscle strength with the help of probiotics.

In fact, researchers noted significant improvements in global muscle strength among adults older than age 50 after taking a probiotic for at least 12 weeks. Also, among the strains of beneficial bacteria cited in this report included several featured in EndoMune Advanced Probiotic.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about the connections between muscle growth and the gut, but we do know how a healthy gut and a good night’s sleep work hand-in-hand to give your overall health a major boost.

If you need some help improving your sleep hygiene, check out our Sleep 101 article that includes many common-sense steps you can implement today to help your health and your gut too!

Resources

Sleep

Nutra Ingredients USA

Cleveland Clinic

Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle

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Make Exercise Count For Your Gut Health

Diet, Healthy Aging / By Staff Writer

Make Exercise Count For Your Gut Health

Not only is exercise one of the best things you can do for the health of your mind and body, it’s also great for your gut and your muscles too!

Still, you may be wondering how exercise really makes a difference in the health of your gut. Is it the intensity that matters or how much you exercise every week?

Researchers from the University of Calgary answered this question among others in a recent study appearing in The FASEB Journal.

More Sweat Or More Time?

Scientists discovered some interesting findings in their recent study that tracked the exercise habits, diet, hand-grip strength and gut health of 443 middle-aged non-athletes who maintained a healthy BMI or were overweight.

These findings may be a little surprising, especially if you’re in the camp who believes exercise intensity makes a gut healthy difference.

The people who enjoyed the most gut healthy benefits were people who maintained a healthy BMI under 25 and exercised with moderate intensity for at least 150 minutes each week.

The same was not true for people who had higher BMIs because “poor dietary habits outweigh some of the beneficial influences of exercise on the gut microbes,” says Dr. Chunlong Mu, a co-author of the study who works in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Calgary.

Everything In Moderation

We’re not surprised patients who worked out with more intensity benefitted less, given that extreme exercise generally reverses the benefits people want to achieve and promotes symptoms of leaky gut in as little as two hours.

Maintaining moderation in many aspects of your life — diet, movement and sleep — goes a really long way toward preventing you from becoming a fatality in the war against metabolic syndrome.

The good news: The health of your gut goes hand-in-hand with your ability to lose weight and keep it off, but you may need some help to get started.

If you do need some extra support, consider EndoMune Metabolic Rescue, a probiotic formulated with Bifidobacterium lactis and the prebiotic XOS (Xylooligosaccharides) that stimulates the release of hormones in your gut that reduces your appetite naturally by promoting a greater sense of fullness.

And, if your weight is healthy and stable, give your body a gut-healthy boost with the 10 beneficial strains of bacteria contained in EndoMune Advanced Probiotic.

References

The FASEB Journal

UCalgary News

Make Exercise Count For Your Gut Health Read More »

Improve Your Blood Pressure With Prebiotics

Diet, Healthy Aging / By Staff Writer

Improve Your Blood Pressure With Prebiotics

We never tire of reminding you about the benefits of prebiotics, the unsung heroes of good gut health.

Derived from carbohydrates and non-digestible plant fibers, prebiotics are commonly known as the food that feeds the bacteria in your microbiome.

More recently, prebiotics have taken center stage for a multitude of reasons, including their natural cancer-fighting abilities and their use as a sleep aid.

Add lowering blood pressure to that list of important prebiotic benefits, according to findings appearing in Nature Cardiovascular Research.

Just Like A Drug

Australian researchers at Monash University conducted a small trial of 20 patients that compared the benefits of taking a high-fiber supplement (20 grams of a resistant starch) contained in meals twice a day to an inert placebo separately for three weeks.

Among the criteria for participating in the study, all patients were required to be untreated for hypertension. Over the course of the trial, patients also maintained dietary diaries and tracked their blood pressure numbers multiple times each day.

The real difference noticed by researchers was more than a 4-point drop in overall systolic blood pressure numbers among patients during the high-fiber phase of the study.

The benefits of this decrease in blood pressure alone were equal to a patient taking blood pressure medication along with lowering the risk for death due to coronary issues by 9 percent and stroke by 14 percent.

How did systolic blood pressure numbers drop so much? Scientists believe taking a high-fiber supplement increased production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and bacteria in the gut that produces them.

Where We Go From Here

Despite the good news reported in this study, Australian scientists believe larger studies will be needed to confirm these findings.

But considering that nearly half of all Americans suffer from hypertension (having a systolic blood pressure reading above 130 or a diastolic blood pressure reading above 80), knowing there’s a non-drug solution that can go a long way toward protecting the health of your gut too is very appealing.

However, you don’t need fiber supplements to take advantage of these extra benefits. In fact, you only need to consume 25-35 grams (about 1 ounce) of prebiotic, non-soluble fiber each day to make a healthy difference.

You can get your daily dose of prebiotics and some extra cardiovascular protection when you take EndoMune Advanced Probiotic, formulated with 10 battle-tested strains of beneficial bacteria from Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium families and the proven prebiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOS).

Resources

Nature Cardiovascular Research

Nutra Ingredients Asia

Improve Your Blood Pressure With Prebiotics Read More »

IBS and Your Unbalanced Microbiome

Digestive Health, Healthy Aging / By Staff Writer

IBS and Your Unbalanced Microbiome

How much does an unbalanced microbiome really affect your health?

Eating a nutrient-poor diet largely made up of highly processed foods — a tell-tale marker of an unbalanced microbiome — is so harmful that some experts believe it may exert a greater effect on your overall health than other factors like your genes.

So, it should come as no surprise that a lack of diversity in your gut may be one more indicator of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the most common condition gastroenterologists diagnose.

Comparing Data By The Numbers

A trio of Korean scientists came to this conclusion based on an analysis of data that compared the balance of gut bacteria among 567 IBS patients (360 adults and 207 children) to 487 healthy controls (244 children and 243 adults) for discrepancies between both groups.

Not only are the microbiomes of adult IBS patients less diverse, the abundance of 21 key strains of gut bacteria differed between healthy controls and IBS patients.

Although researchers believed the sample sizes of children weren’t large enough to make that same conclusion, the first step in this study (a comparison of 19 IBS patients to 24 healthy patients) also showed some significant differences in diversity between those with IBS-D (diarrhea-predominant) and healthy patients.

The Probiotic Way

Although Korean scientists say they will learn much more about the connection between unbalanced microbiomes and IBS in functional studies in the future, there are many steps you can take right now to treat both problems.

Lifestyle modifications like getting more sleep, eating more nutrient-dense, fiber-filled foods and avoiding gluten and reducing your stress can make a gut-healthy difference if your IBS symptoms are on the mild side.

Doctors can prescribe a drug, but that can be challenging depending on whether the main symptoms are diarrhea (IBD-D), constipation (IBS-C) or a mix of both (IBS-A).

But, if you want to avoid a drug, taking a probiotic is a safe and effective option that treats diarrhea safely, eases constipation and keeps your gut-brain axis in balance.

Just be sure you’re taking a probiotic formulated with multiple strains of bacteria like those from the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium families found in EndoMune Advanced Probiotic that support the healthy diversity of bacteria in your gut.

Resources

Microbiology Spectrum

American Society for Microbiology

Healthline

WebMD

IBS and Your Unbalanced Microbiome Read More »

Acne, Antibiotics and Your Bones

Children’s Health, Drug interactions, Healthy Aging / By Staff Writer

Acne, Antibiotics and Your Bones

The human body develops as much as 40 percent of its peak bone mass during our teenage years, and at the same time our microbiome matures.

For many teens, those puberty years are often plagued with raging hormones leading to problems with acne.

When over-the-counter skin care products don’t do the job, often, dermatologists recommend prescription-strength creams in combination with an antibiotic.

Fortunately, most health experts recognize the damage antibiotics can do to deplete the beneficial bacteria in the human gut, especially when antibiotics are taken for extended periods of time.

What happens to a teenager’s health when dermatologists prescribe antibiotics for as long as two years?

The damage goes way beyond the human gut and may affect the development of a teenager’s bones as they mature, according to research appearing in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Here’s how…

Getting To The Gut

Scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina had previously conducted a study that showed how high doses of antibiotics triggered an inflammatory response that impaired the maturation of bones and increased the activity of osteoclasts that break down bone tissue.

These previous results led this team to study the effect one dose of a common antibiotic — minocycline, a member of the tetracycline class of drugs — would have on the bone growth of mice at a similar age as humans during puberty (6-12 weeks old).

Three concerning takeaways that affect gut health:

Mice didn’t experience an inflammatory response as before, but the presence of an antibiotic changed the healthy mix of gut bacteria that triggered a decrease in bone mass and affected how their skeletons matured.
The long-term use of antibiotics prevented the tiny microbiomes and skeletons of mice from recovering to a stable state even after the antibiotics were stopped.
Not only did the presence of an antibiotic disrupt the composition of gut bacteria, it also affected the way the liver communicates to the small intestine via bile acids, triggering significant decreases in the formation of bones.

Probiotic Protection

While antibiotics still remain one of the go-to treatments for acne, health organizations like the American Academy of Dermatology recommend taking them for the shortest effective duration to prevent future problems with antibiotic resistance.

However, if you really need to take an antibiotic, a recent report we shared with you points to evidence that taking a probiotic can be effective for treating acne as well as protecting the health of your gut.

To get the protection you need, be sure that any probiotic you take is formulated with multiple and proven strains of beneficial bacteria from the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium families like the healthy mix contained in EndoMune Advanced Probiotic.

Resources

The Journal of Clinical Investigation

Medical University of South Carolina

American Academy of Dermatology

Mayo Clinic

Acne, Antibiotics and Your Bones Read More »

Reduce Inflammation With Multi-Strain Probiotics

Diet, Healthy Aging / By Staff Writer

Reduce Inflammation With Multi-Strain Probiotics

If you’ve experienced a cut, low-grade fever or a broken toe, you know what inflammation feels like.

Inflammation is a very necessary signal from your body’s immune system in the form of pain, warmth, swelling or redness that lets you know healing is on the way. Fortunately, much of the inflammation our bodies experience is acute and gets resolved pretty quickly.

However, chronic inflammation is a much more serious problem that can be triggered in the very same ways, but it often doesn’t go away, even after the initial problem gets resolved.

The real challenge, especially for seniors, is preventing chronic inflammation, and there’s many lifestyle modifications you can make to lower your risks.

Maintaining a healthy weight.
Managing your stress.
Eating a healthier diet.
Making time for exercise.
More relaxing sleep.

Adding a multi-strain probiotic and an omega-3 supplement (with vitamin D) every day to your anti-inflammatory to-do list may help too, according to a recent study appearing in Nutrients.

Curbing Chronic Inflammation

A team of European scientists were eager to study simple, non-drug ways to curb the effects of inflammaging, a chronic, low-grade form of inflammation that develops as seniors age, increasing their risks of health problems.

Over the course of eight weeks, researchers tracked the health of 76 elderly patients (ages 65-80) who took placebos or a multi-strain probiotic containing Bifidobacterium lactis and Lactobacillus acidophilus, along with an omega-3 supplement (consisting of fish oils and vitamin D).

(These probiotic strains tested in this trial are among the 10 featured in EndoMune Advanced Probiotic for adults.)

The benefit for seniors battling inflammation came from an upward trend in levels of the anti-inflammatory chemical cytokine IL-10 and a big increase in beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) among patients taking the multi-strain probiotic/omega-3 combo.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time we’ve talked about the benefits of fish oil when taken with a multi-strain probiotic like EndoMune, fortified to maintain and protect your immune system by increasing the good bacteria in your gut.

Resources

Nutrients

Nutra Ingredients.com

WebMD

Cleveland Clinic

Harvard Health Publishing

Reduce Inflammation With Multi-Strain Probiotics Read More »