Dr. Leia on Benefits of Probiotics for Weight Loss

Question for Dr. Leia: I have heard about the benefits of building friendly bacteria and want to take the best probiotic.

I have a bit of extra weight and would like you opinion of probiotics for weight loss. Can the condition of your digestive abilities speed weight loss?

Or is weight loss really about calories and exercise? Perhaps there is an ultilmate probiotic complex that will help me with my weight loss goals and improve my health digestive health too. Thank you, Paula.

Dr. Leia's Answer: Dear Paula, probiotics, also commonly referred to as acidophilus or lactobacillus, are very important supplements for staying healthy in our modern world. They are versatile, inexpensive, safe, effective, and have virtually no side effects and can be taken for long-term.

Their main function is on the gastrointestinal tract, creating a balance and restoring the natural microflora of the gut. They are absolutely necessary if one has to take an antibiotic. Antibiotics wipe out most bacteria from the body, including the good along with the bad bacteria, so restoring the good bacteria via probiotics is important after finishing a round of antibiotics.

Probiotics have helped many people with gas, bloating, indigestion, stomach problems, diarrhea and constipation, immune disorders, irritable bowel and colon problems, vaginitis, food intolerances, allergies, and food assimilation.

You asked about the connection between acidophilus and weight loss. There is really no easy way to lose weight, except by exercise, counting calories, and watching your food intake and making healthy diet choices, but probiotics for weight loss can assist the body in absorbing the required nutrients which it needs during a diet. Probiotics are important for maintaining the normal healthy flora of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and as such, they are major players in optimizing one's health.

Since old-time naturopathic doctors have told us that all disease begins in the gastrointestinal tract, it is important to make sure that it is functioning properly. Luckily, we have many signs and symptoms which tell us that our GI system is not functioning properly. It is important to note that not all probiotics are created equally. It is important that the product you buy be standardized for the highest number of good lactobacillus, and usually, it is a good idea to check the expiration date on the bottle to make sure that the product is fresh. And it is best to have the product refrigerated to ensure the potency of the product.

Today's modern science has found many different beneficial strains of lactobacillus, so it is best to find an ultimate probiotic complex which contains the largest variety of strains in it. Usually, I recommend a product which contains FOS or fructo-oligo-saccharides, in addition to the various lactobacillus strains. FOS help to "seed" the product in the gut or gastrointestinal tract, and thus insure that the good bacteria will continue to populate and grow there, rather than be quickly washed away.

Good luck on your weight loss goals. Using the best probiotic products will contribute not only to your balanced digestive health, but also to promote your overall general health and well being and enhanced immune system, too.

By Dr. Leia Melead

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By Michelle
2008-09-21 16:56:04
 

What exactly does Bromelain do for the body? I'm a diabetic, not of my own choice, and I take Bromelain and have type 2 diabetes.Can you give me some insight on how it can help someone like me. I would greatly appreciate it.

 
By Dr. Leia
2008-09-21 16:56:14
 

Dear Michelle, Bromelain, as you know is an enzyme which is extracted from the fruit and the stem of the pineapple plant. It is a proteolytic enzyme, which means that it digests protein. Since you are on a vegetarian diet, hopefully, you are obtaining enough protein and not just relying upon carbohydrates, such as grains, rice, breads, wheat, macaroni, and spaghetti as your major source of food. Since you are a type 2 diabetic, I am sure that you are familiar with the carbohydrate allowances and restrictions which you are allowed in your diet. Bromelain is not specific for diabetes, but it has two different functions. When taken with meals, bromelain acts as a digestive enzyme to help digest the protein in your foods. When taken on an empty stomach between meals, it acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Some of Bromelain's indications include any type of inflammation, sinusitis where it reduces swelling and inflammation in the nasal passages, arthritis and joint pain swelling, carpal tunnel syndrome, excessive mucous production in colds, asthma, and respiratory problems, and varicose vein pain. Side effects of bromelain could also be an allergic response to it, vomiting, diarrhea, and increased menstrual flow because of it's ability to thin the blood. It should be avoided in people who have ulcers or inflammation of the lining of the stomach, pregnant or nursing women, small children, and people who are allergic to pineapples. If you are taking any blood thinning medications such as Coumadin, aspirin, heparin, red clover, ginkgo biloba, or garlic, then there could be an increase risk of bleeding. I hope this helps you understand the functions of bromelain.

 
By Paige
2009-05-18 20:03:06
 

Hi, I would like to know what is the difference between protease and bromelain? What are the pros and cons of using one verses the other? Don't you need to have the three main digestive enzymes in a supplement to digest the foods? I thought they were protease, amylase, and lipase? Also, what are the recommended dosage amounts for effectiveness of the digestive enzymes?

 
By Lilly
2009-05-28 20:28:28
 

Hi, I read one of the questions above about if probiotics can assist in weight loss, and the answer was really no. But what about digestive enzymes? If so which ones, and what are the amounts that would be most effective?

 
By Admin.
2009-06-05 19:52:17
 

Hi Lilly, yes enzymes can help with weight loss. The following page on enzymes and weight loss will answer many of your questions > Enzymes and Weight Loss.

 
By Dee
2009-06-11 07:44:01
 

Hi Paige, some enzymes are made by the body while others are acquired by eating raw foods. Bromelain is an enzyme that is obtained from the pineapple plant and it helps with the digestion of protein. Protease is a group of enzymes that breaks down protein, and Bromelain is a protease.

 
By Steph Y.
2009-08-18 18:40:24
 

I suffer from migraine headaches. I have seen a nutritionist about this through the Headache and Pain Relief Center in Toronto. She has me taking digestive enzymes and acidophiles, because she said that I am not absorbing the nutrients from my food properly. What are the benefits for someone with migraines to take these enzymes? Are there studies that prove there are benefits for migraine patients. I was having daily migraines at one point earlier this year. They are now 3-4 per week. I also have changed my diet to an anti-inflammatory diet. Do you have any suggestions?

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