Are immuni+ and probiotics actually good for you???

[Michelle]

Ok so im always seeing these commercials about yogurt having immuni+ or probiotics in them and they make it seem like its such a big deal. But i dont get it, what are these things and are they really worth spending more money to get a yogurt or food that has them?? I am wondering if its just another health craze that makes us spend more money for nothing...

 

Any one have an answer for this

[Birdie07]

In a short answer yes. I'm not clear on the Immuni but probiotics yes. Probiotics are small bacteria that help balance out your stomach flora. It helps you digest food and when your stomach bacteria is balanced it boosts your immune system.

 

Think about it like this..if your stomach "bacteria" is out of wack you can't digest your food very well so you're not getting the nutrients from the food that you should and need to. So taking a probiotic helps balance everything so when you eat you get what you need. Also if you eat alot of Gluten that our body doesn't digest well anyway, probiotics can help you digest it better. It helps also to regulate your BMs (if you have a problem in that area). Bromilin can also help you digest food better and its found naturally in pineapples!

I called my DH to make sure I got all that right. He said if you don't really have a problem though they won't do anything. So they won't harm you if you're all good. I actually know a few parents around here that give their kids Probiotics everyday. And my boss gives it to their dog regularly b/c of his stomach issues.

 

Anyways I hope that helps. Sorry I don't know about the immuni stuff though but I'm guessing its similar.

[rodent]

regular yogurt has the "good bacteria" in it so you don't have to spend the extra money for the probiotic stuff. it's extra important when you are sick or after taking antibiotics. also, when visiting a forein country it helps to eat a lot of yogurt. we had yogurt with ever meal while in mexico.

[roo66]

All i can say is for a good while my tummy has been out of whack my gp said my bloods are clear and i have ibs.Without much though ive been eating activia yougurts for about a month.Last weekend i forgot to pick them up and by yesterday i began to feel bloated and without giving to much info away have had a few problems going plse excuse me.!!!1 so lesson learnt this weekend im putting them in my trolley for sure.

[Rhonda]

Probiotics are "friendly" bacteria that are needed for a healthy digestive and immune system. Many things like poor diet, stress, medications, alcohol, tobacco, and aging can cause an imbalanced digestive system and lead to sickness and disease. It is important to maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria. By taking foods with probiotics each day you can do this, but, keep in mind that not all foods that claim to be probiotics actually are. For instance, many yogurts contain "live and active cultures" but that does not necessarily make them probiotics. THere is no legal definition of probiotics right now, but, generally they are live microorganisms that show a health benefit when given is adequate amounts. Before choosing a probiotic, find out what the exact strain is in the product (e.g. Lactobacillius Casei Shirota). ALso, find out the # of good bacteria found in the product (should have 5-10 billion), if it's less, it possibly may not be effective. Also, it's good to find out if there's been any human studies that show any effectiveness.

 

Sorry, if I'm rambling...I happen to know a fair amount about this topic. And, there's still a lot that is unknown. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to help.