How Long Does It Take for Probiotics to Work?

In this day and age, people are used to instant gratification. 

People want to see the effects of any cause just as soon as the action is taken. Especially so when it comes to medication or the ingestion of special diets. Probiotics are no exception, as they have garnered a reputation for showing numerous health benefits, it’s only natural for people to be curious about how long it will take for these things to actually work.

People want to know if what they’re taking is effective and they want to see almost instantaneous effects. Now, if you’re wondering how long it takes for probiotics to work, you might be asking the wrong question at first. Because it’s not a matter of how long does it take to have an effect but, rather, what effect you want these probiotics to have in the first place. 

Depending on what you want these probiotics to do, the timeline of effects will vary.

Probiotics: A Definition

Probiotics are bacteria. 

Now, bacteria in and of itself may receive a bad reputation and instantly evoke images of diseases, illnesses, and the like. But in truth, they are simply a fact of life. There are both good and bad bacteria that are already present in your body at any given moment in time and this is true no matter the species. 

The balance of both will always be present in your body, on some level. In fact, there are an estimated over 100 trillion microorganisms that are in a single bowel movement. The presence of bacteria in the body is healthy. Probiotics just so happen to be the good kind of bacteria.

By definition, probiotics are beneficial live bacteria that live in the digestive tract. They can be found in the food we eat These are additional supplements that you take in order to add to beneficial bacteria that already exist in your gastrointestinal tract, or to balance out your digestive system from an excess of the bad kind of bacteria. 

The Probiotic Purpose

Now, you might be asking… what is the point of having good bacteria?

Well, the live bacteria found in probiotics have been reported to be beneficial when treating or preventing several illnesses such as diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, children’s eczema, recurring bladder cancer, and more. The good bacteria that lives in the gastrointestinal tract help battle the existence of harmful microorganisms from overpowering the body. 

These good microorganisms in the body are partially responsible for ensuring that human bodies are fully capable of processing food and disseminating the nutrients and energy towards the rest of the body. They prevent bad bacteria from reigning supreme in the gut so that you can filter out toxins, process food, and boost your immune system healthily as so much of your immune system is located in the gut. When there is too much bad bacteria present, health concerns start to rise up such as constipation and high cholesterol, for a start.

The benefits of taking probiotic supplements is a long list. For example, probiotics can be taken to help better digest foods with higher fat content so that the excess fat will not enter the bloodstream, preventing both cardiovascular problems but also skin-related issues such as the creation of excess sebum or skin infections. 

Taking probiotics can have a number of health benefits — but the real question is, how quickly does it take for them to take and show any sort of effect?

The Effectivity of Probiotics

There is medical evidence that supports there are benefits into ingesting food and supplements that contain live culture or strains of good bacteria. However, “how long does it take” for probiotics to work is highly dependent on what you are taking the probiotics for. 

Excessive gas or bloating

For example, if you are taking probiotics to relieve instant distress such as excessive gas or bloating, the effects should not take more than a few hours when taken correctly. Should you be taking in oral probiotics supplements, you must pay special attention to not only the intake of these supplements but their storage as well. 

Skin, cholesterol and arthritis

And on the other hand, if you are using probiotics in order to treat more difficult illnesses such as high cholesterol, skin concerns, arthritis and the like, it requires the regular and correct intake of your probiotics over the course of five weeks even see initial, comparative results for things like hay fever, diabetes, diarrhea caused by cancer treatments, et cetera. 

It depends on the strain you consume

No two bodies are the same and so it is important to know the right kind of probiotics that work for you. One strain of good live bacteria might be more effective for your concern than another. There are other factors to consider such as the lifestyle you lead, your current diet, whether or not your immune system has been compromised or is recovering from an illness and the general state of your overall health.

Additionally, if you are only taking probiotics for preventive purposes, their effects might not even be something that you would notice, other than your prolonged and continued good state of health. 

Kinds of Probiotics

There are many kinds of probiotics that you can incorporate into your routine or diet. Food and drink such as yogurt, kombucha, soft cheeses, miso soup, soy beverages, and fermented milk can have high concentrations of good, live bacteria. And of course, there are the probiotics supplements that come in several forms as well such as in tablets, capsules, liquid formulas, and even powders that you can turn into shakes. 

Your choice of supplementary probiotics that suit your concerns and your lifestyle is one only you can decide for yourself. 

Something to note, however, is that in order to see real results from the use of probiotics, you will need to ingest millions to trillions of microorganisms. There are trillions of bacteria that are already living in your system at any given moment, and only in healthy, regular helpings will you see any sort of effectivity of the benefits of probiotics. 

So long as you ensure a well-balanced, healthy diet with a proper balance of bacteria in your digestive system, the good bacteria will continue to show its benefits as you continue on with a healthy, comfortable lifestyle. 

Its also important to be aware of any potential side effects of taking probiotics if you’re using it over the long term.

The 7 Key Benefits of Probiotics

As a rule, everything we need, we already have. 

Of course, there are always exceptions, but in the literal case of the body, it is anatomically designed to not only survive but to thrive. However, every narrative needs a villain and in the case of human life, there are things that work against us and effectively do everything in its power to halt this intricate design. 

Stress, excessive sugar and alcohol, pollutants and environmental toxins — these are all things that are very much present in any modern person’s lifestyle, and it has its negative effects. For example, these are often the culprits responsible for the death of friendly and necessary bacteria in the body. 

Now, when speaking of bacteria, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that they’re all bad. But as it turns out, there are the good kind of bacteria that is designed to live harmoniously with the design of the human body.

Probiotics, for example, are kinds of good bacteria as they are live microorganisms that help in more ways than one. 

Thanks to modern science and technology, there are now probiotics that you can take in order to aid in what your body already creates. And there is more than one effect that taking these probiotics can do for your body — and for the better.

1. Restoring Bacterial Balance

First and foremost, physicians prescribe probiotics when there is an imbalance present — when there is too much of the bad bacteria that is creating problems in the body. 

Consequences of there being too much bad bacteria can lead to several health complications that include, but are not limited to, allergies, mental health complications, problems with bowel movements, etc.

IN SUMMARY: Taking probiotic supplements can help restore balance to the digestive system when there is too much of the bad kind. 

2. Detoxifying from Within

In recent news, detoxing has come under fire due to the malevolent nature of some supplements that promote “detoxing” as a way to lose weight quicker. This is simply not the case.

As a rule, the body usually already has everything that it needs in order to properly remove toxins from the body. However, modern diets being what they are and the popularity of stress and lack of sleep and water, more people are holding on to more toxins than they should. Introducing probiotics into the routine helps the body’s already natural processing and helps to combat against the external stressors that get the body keeping in toxins unnecessarily.

For example, it’s more than healthy for a human body to pass excrement at least twice a day. Nowadays, most people only defecate a few times a week, which means their bodies are holding onto those toxins that should have already passed. 

A benefit of taking probiotics, then, is a helping hand to the body’s natural detoxifying process.

3. Clarifying the Skin

benefits of probiotics

A recent 2015 study suggests probiotics also have an effect on the body’s largest organ: the skin. The skin is, of course, the first thing that people see when they want to know if they’re sick. The skin gives off warning signals when there’s something wrong. The biggest sign of a healthy body is healthy skin.

When there is too much acne or blemishes that occur on the skin, that could be a sign that the body is not processing the food that you’re intaking as well as it should. When your body cannot process this food that you’re eating very well, it finds other ways to retreat from the body such as through the pores. When your pores then become clogged with toxins and excess sebum, it leads to unsightly blemishes and in some cases, severe acne.

IN SUMMARY: Taking probiotics can help the digestive system break down food that your body may not normally digest as well, letting it process through your body more naturally without creating excess sebum or stress. In some cases this has led to a glowing, more radiant and blemish-free complexion. 

4. Calmer Allergies

There are many food-specific allergens that can be diminished or even disappear entirely over time, when the body is introduced to a healthy balance of internal bacteria. 

Introducing the body to good, external bacteria such as probiotics could allow the gut to heal itself from allergens and effectively train the body from the inside so that it then learns to accept the foreign food substance as the food that it is instead of an internal invader of the bloodstream. 

5. Easier Digestion

As probiotics are concerned primarily with the digestive tract, and helping your system process food better, it goes without saying that digestion is further aided by the introduction of good, friendly bacteria. It all boils down to the restoration of bacterial balance, and yet the side effects continue to branch out.

For example, when the digestive system is too clogged up or sluggish, it could lead to the body feeling and looking more bloated. 

When healthy, friendly bacteria is there to help the digestion process along while you eat, your body processes food particles better and further aids in the detoxifying of the body.

6. A Strengthened Immune System

probiotic benefits

Most of your immune system can be found in the gut. This is the center of processing so that your body continues to function in the way that it was designed to thrive. According to a recent 2019 study maintaining a healthy balance of good, friendly bacteria in the gut can assist in keeping the immune system as strong as it can be. 

When your body lacks necessary good bacteria, it becomes more susceptible to common illnesses such as colds, flus, and infections which could then grow to more serious ailments such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and more. 

IN SUMMARY: Introducing healthy bacteria in the form of probiotics to your diet could further strengthen your immune system, keeping you as strong as possible.

7. A Healthier Heart

It is no secret that with modern diets, more and more good have higher fat, sugar, and carbohydrate content than ever. It has never been more important to maintain healthy, balanced bacterial flora in the gut in order to protect your heart as well. 

As you may know, food that is high in bad fat and sugar can lead to higher cholesterol and blood pressure.

IN SUMMARY: According to some research, taking probiotics could allow your digestive system to process food better so that it does not clog up your heart, protecting you from potential cardiovascular problems. 

There are many probiotic benefits that taking supplements can assist with. It is important to keep yourself informed before taking them and if negative symptoms arise, consult your physician immediately. Remember to always consult your doctor before trying anything new.