Consuming probiotics foods --- especially fermented varieties --- is one of the most important, yet overlooked aspects of nutrition, according to Ann Louise Gittleman, a certified nutritional specialist and author of "The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet." These foods help to restore a healthy balance of friendly bacteria in your intestinal tract that are essential for functions such as immunity, breaking down vitamins and detoxification. However, in some cases, probiotics may also cause temporary side effects such as gas.
A Bit about Probiotics
Probiotics are healthy or friendly bacteria similar to those already living in your intestinal tract. They come in a variety of genera, species and strains; the most common groups used in the human diet are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, especially Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus. Stress, poor diet, illness and toxin buildup in your body can increase levels of bad bacteria. Ideally the balance should be 85 percent friendly bacteria to 15 percent bad bacteria. Taking probiotics will boost your levels of friendly bacteria.
The Link to Gas
The genus, species and strain of probiotics give them different properties that confer a variety of health benefits. Some probiotics may be beneficial for treating salmonella or E. coli, while others may be better for helping to treat eczema or food allergies. Taking the wrong probiotics for your condition can trigger gas and other adverse reactions such as stomach pain and diarrhea. You may also develop occasional bouts of gas when taking probiotics because your body is not used to taking them.
Recommendations
To minimize gas caused by probiotics, consult your doctor, a naturopath or nutritionist. These health professionals can recommend the best probiotics to take for general health or to treat a specific condition. Initially, take these supplements in small doses to give your body time to adjust to them and to test whether they cause gas. Whenever possible, choose fermented probiotics such as kefir, miso and fermented probiotic dairy foods. Do not use frozen probiotic products or cook probiotic foods such as miso if you want to bump up your intake; freezing and heating kills these friendly bacteria.
Considerations
If you are also consuming a diet rich in high-fiber foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, you're also likely to experience bouts of gas. This is especially the case if you're not used to eating these foods or if you have a food intolerance to any of them. Consider your entire diet when looking for reasons you may be suffering from gas. Simple solutions that can help include eating more slowly, eating fiber in small amounts at any one sitting and eliminating gas-causing beverages such as carbonated drinks.
References
- "The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet"; Ann Louise Gittleman; 2005
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: An Introduction to Probiotics
- "The Complete A-Z Nutrition Encyclopedia"; Leslie Beck, R.D.; 2010
- "American Family Physician"; Probiotics; Benjamin Kligler, M.D., M.P.H.; Nov. 2008
- MayoClinic.com: Gas and Gas Pains - Causes
