Probiotics for IBS: Bio-Kult Advanced Review

Bio-Kult were kind enough to send me their Advanced Multi-Strain Formulation to review. Some of the facts in this post were provided to me by Bio-Kult. All opinions are my own and honest.

Probiotics are one of the main things recommended to try for IBS but there are so many different ones out there that it can be hard to choose. Bio-Kult was one of the products recommended to me by a professional so I decided to give it a go.


How can probiotics help?

To understand how probiotics can help with digestive conditions such as IBS, we first need to understand the microbiome.

Our bodies are made up of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses and yeasts, this is known as the microbiome. In the large intestine alone there is thought to be around 100 trillion bacteria. Some types of microbes are helpful to us, some appear to have no function and others can cause disease if they are not controlled. All of these types can live together if their levels are balanced. When an imbalance occurs, our health can be negatively affected.

How does the microbiome help us?

Bacteria in the gut have many different functions, this includes helping to protect us from disease, providing us with nutrition, detoxifying heavy materials and allowing us to absorb more nutrients from what we eat.

Some things can negatively affect the microbiome. These include some antibiotics and medications and diets that are high in sugar, fats, processed foods and food which is low in fibre. Stress, lack of sleep and environments that are too hygienic are also thought to impact the microbiome.

A healthy microbiome is very important in supporting regular bowel movements. An imbalance in the microbiome, or dysbiosis has been associated with digestive conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). For example, bloating can be an indicator that dysbiosis has occurred.

Additionally, the majority of cells that support immunity can be found in the gut. The gut is also thought to affect brain health and mood in something called the gut-brain axis.

How can we support the microbiome to aid our digestive system?

Research is currently showing that it is helpful to us to have lots of different beneficial species in our microbiome. You can increase these by:

  • Eating more plant foods
  • Eating foods high in prebiotic fibres such as onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, under ripe bananas, asparagus, dandelion greens and Jerusalem artichokes. (Although foods such an onions, garlic and leek can trigger IBS symptoms so be careful when trying these if you do not know what your trigger foods are)
  • Eating fermented foods such as live yogurt, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, miso and kombucha
  • Improving your sleeping routine through methods such as going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, ensuring your room is cool and dark and avoiding using your phone before bed
  • Eating organic and home-grown foods and consuming filtered water
  • Trying to reduce stress through activities such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga or trying cognitive behavioural therapy. You can also take time for self-care, this can include going for a walk, taking a bath, doing deep breathing or reading a book
  • Finally, probiotics can be used to increase the number of beneficial bacteria in our gut

So what is Bio-Kult Advanced and how can it help?

Bio-Kult Advanced contains 14 strains of live bacteria that work well with the microbiome that we already have. It has been scientifically developed to target the digestive system and it has been proven to survive in stomach acid. Essentially, Bio-Kult Advanced increases the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut which can support the microbiome and improve symptoms associated with digestive conditions such as IBS.

Did Bio-Kult Advanced help me?
To see any improvement from probiotics it is recommended to try them for at least 4 weeks. I took two capsules a day for 30 days. I found that after a few days I started to notice a difference and I noticed it more the longer I took the capsules. Some of my symptoms did improve slightly, particularly my stomach pain seemed to reduce in severity and frequency.  

What are my thoughts going forward?

I think that from everything I have learned over the years about managing IBS, that it is worth trying probiotics alongside other things such as having a healthy diet. What works for one person may not work for another. We are all different and there is no one treatment for IBS. If you would like to try probiotics, I would recommend giving Bio-Kult Advanced a try.

4 comments:

  1. I have used Bio-Cult several times, particularly after I have been a bit poorly. I take them for about a week or two after. I find it works really well for me, still have some left actually. I definitely agree they are really good and I would recommend them also x

    https://sarahsdreamscapes.blogspot.com/

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    1. That's great! I'm glad that they have helped you!

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  2. This was such an interesting post to read. I have been taking bio-kult for a while now after it was recommended to take them in order to stop the sickness feeling I had with another tablet. For me, it definitely helped, but I completely agree that what works for one person, might not for the next.

    www.thekellydianereport.co.uk

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