Probiotic DF, 180 Ct

Description

Many healthcare practitioners believe that overall health begins in the digestive tract. As the science of the microbiome continues to flourish, more evidence supports that true health cannot be sustained in our toxic living environment without being supportive and mindful of our gut health. Poor digestion compromises all parts of the body because the digestion of food provides fuel for all body processes, organs, and systems. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract also plays a prominent role in immune health.

Dr. Shaw’s Probiotic DF is a non-dairy probiotic formulation produced from an all-natural source of beneficial microorganisms. It is designed to support digestive tract health and provide ingredients that support proper immune function and microbial balance in adults. Probiotic DF contains some species of the numerous microorganisms that naturally populate the human gastrointestinal tract. Probiotic bacteria, or “good bacteria,” promote favorable balance of intestinal microflora. The human intestines harbor between 300 and 1000 different species of flora. Some people estimate that there are one hundred billion or one trillion bacteria per gram of colonic content in the large intestine. This mind-boggling amount is ten times as many cells as there are in the human body!

Probiotics boost immune function, optimize digestion, inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, and increase resistance to infection by providing competition for “bad bacteria.” Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species assist in the maintenance of intestinal health by producing organic compounds that increase the acidity of the digestive tract. This increased acidity interferes with the reproduction of some harmful bacteria. In addition, probiotic microflora produce bacteriocins, natural antibiotics that kill harmful microorganisms. Studies have shown that supplementing with probiotics reduces the rate of intestinal infections.

Probiotic DF does not contain FOS (fructooligosaccharides) or other prebiotics which can worsen symptoms in some sensitive individuals. Prebiotics include FOS, inulin, lactulose, galacto-oligosaccharides, and others that are non-digestible food sources that serve as a fuel source for beneficial bacteria in the intestines. In other words, pre-biotics feed probiotics. Most people tolerate prebiotics well but some notice increased gas and bloating with intake of prebiotics. Also it is not clear if prebiotics preferentially benefit only good bacteria, or if they may also ‘feed’ bad bacteria or fungi, in effect worsening a pre-existing dysbiosis.*