Your Guide to Probiotics

Probiotics are important for gastrointestinal health by helping to promote a balanced gut flora. Gut flora, also called the microbiome, is made up of microorganisms in our gastrointestinal tract. We all have ‘good’ bacteria in our gut; these good bacteria are called probiotics as they provide us with health benefits. Everyone also has neutral microorganism such as yeast, as well as some ‘bad’ bacteria like e-coli. However, it is when the balance between the three groups change, and the neutral or bad bacteria can overgrow (called dysbiosis), that we lose health benefits and can begin to slide into poor digestive health.

Antibiotics are a common cause of dysbiosis. Although antibiotics are extremely important in helping us to fight off bacterial infections, they can also have the unwanted side effect of killing off good bacteria. This is why health practitioners recommend taking probiotics either during or after you have gone through a course of antibiotics. It is important to note that if you are taking an antibiotic and a probiotic on the same day; probiotics should always be taken at least 2-3 hours before or after taking antibiotics. This helps to ensure the antibiotic does not destroy the probiotic before it is able to colonize in your intestines, where it can provide health benefits.

There are several different factors to look at when choosing the right probiotic for you including age, health conditions and antibiotic use. Read below to find out what is best for you and your family.

Infants 1 month and up to Age 3
Infants receive important beneficial bacteria (probiotics) during a natural vaginal childbirth and through breastmilk.^[1] However, not all infants are receiving this benefit since 28.2% of babies are born via C-section in Canadian hospitals[^2], and not all babies are able to be breast fed.

• Probiotic Baby is for infants 1 month old and up to age three. It provides probiotics for those who may be lacking a healthy bacterial balance whether from a C-section birth, formula feeding or from antibiotic use.

Kids
Probiotics are important to support the digestive health of a child, but it can be difficult to get kids to take supplements. Jamieson provides delicious options to ensure your little one will not fight you about taking a probiotic for their daily digestive health:

• Probiotic Kids Chewable – cherry flavour for ages 3 and up.
• Probiotic Gummies - berry blast -for ages 3 and up, and yes Mom and Dad can take them too!

If your child has been on a high dose or multiple rounds of antibiotics they will likely also need a higher dosage of probiotics. Jamieson 30 Billion Extra Strength can be used by emptying the powder of 1 capsule into a cold food such as yogurt and mixing until dissolved.

Adults
Essentials Probiotic 10 Billion was formulated for everyday digestive health support, for the average adult.

If you suffer from IBS  Jamieson’s Digestive Care 10 Billion is your best choice. According to Health Canada “with daily use, [it] helps to provide ongoing relief of IBS symptoms such as abdominal discomfort, gas, and bloating.”^[3]

Adults 50+
Research has shown that our bacterial balance changes as we age; “Age-related changes in nutritional behaviour and microbial diversity during aging result in a higher susceptibility to infections and diseases.”^[4] Whether because of dietary changes or an increase of antibiotics, there are relatively low levels of Bifidobacterium as well as lower diversity of strains overall in the elderly.^[5] This is why Jamieson has formulated Adult 50+ Probiotic Complex a 10 strain formula with higher levels of bifidobacteria.

Quality is Important -Certified DNA Testing

Different probiotic species provide different health benefits. This is why it is important when taking probiotics, to ensure you are receiving each of the unique species that you are expecting. Jamieson believes in using the highest quality testing processes available. This is why they are the first company in Canada to use a 3rd party certification process from the University of Guelph, to test the DNA of our probiotics. Even though it may seem strange to think of DNA testing for probiotics, all living organism have DNA including plants, animals, humans and yes even bacteria. Just as DNA testing is common in crime investigations to verify an individual at a crime scene, DNA testing probiotics can scientifically confirm that the probiotic species listed on the label, is the exact species present in the bottle. By using TRU-ID Jamieson is going above and beyond even Health Canada regulations.

--- Sources

[1] Walker WA. (2017). The importance of appropriate initial bacterial colonization of the intestine in newborn, child, and adult health. Pediatr Res. Sep;82(3):387-395

[2] Canadian Institute for health Information. (2018). C-section rates continue to rise as birth rates decline. Accessed March 22, 2019

[3] Health Canada. Natural Product Number 80052022. Accessed March 24, 2019

[4] Landete JM et al. (2017). Probiotic Bacteria for Healthier Aging Immunomodulation and Metabolism of Phytoestrogens. Biomed Res Int. Epub 2017: 5939818.

[5] Claesson MJ et al. (2011). Composition, variability, and temporal stability of the microbiota of the elderly. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. Mar 15;108 Supple 1:4586-91.