How long does it take for probiotics to work?

How long does it take for probiotics to work?

The time period in which it takes before you see the results from taking a probiotic can vary. This can vary on several factors, such as your current lifestyle, habits and your diet can play a part also. In short, the answer is that is takes most people up to 3 weeks before they start to feel significant benefits from taking probiotics.

The reason behind this is that probiotic supplements need time to increase your good bacteria count, reduce any inflammation in your gut and decrease the bad bacteria count. It is also worth considering the balance of your gut flora before you started taking a probiotic supplement. Remember, the more unbalanced your gut flora was to start with, the longer it will take to achieve a healthy balance again.

In order for the above to effectively work, a probiotic supplement needs to be taken on a regular, consistent basis before you start to see the long lasting benefits.

Probiotic supplements may be able to treat minor issues such as acute diarrhoea, within a few days. But for overall digestive health, it may take the suggested few weeks of regular dosage before the supplement takes full effect for other issues.

Habitually taking a probiotic supplement daily may offer overall reduction in any symptoms and offer beneficial support for gut health.

How do you know if a probiotic supplement is working?

After continuously taking a probiotic supplement, you may notice several positive changes in your body such as better moods, clearer complexion and of course most important of all – an improved digestion! Generally speaking, an improvement in digestion is the biggest change that individuals notice.

But how do you know the probiotic supplement is actually working? Without a doubt, you should be able to notice a difference with any digestive issues you may have had in the past such as regularity of bowel movements, excessive gas and uncomfortable bloating. Over a period of time, the positive effects of taking a probiotic bacteria supplement should go further than just improved digestion. Upon research, we have come across other benefits from taking a probiotic supplement. Such as better skin health, a balance in cholesterol levels, improvements in mental health,  alleviation with certain allergies and maintaining good oral health.

A well-stable gut microbiome should hopefully strengthen your guts barrier function, which will then in turn prevent toxins and disease-causing bacteria from entering the body via your gut.

It is worth remembering that not all differences you achieve from taking a probiotic supplement will be necessary visible to you, but your body will most definitely recognise it. You could consider making a diary and taking notes so you can piece together a timeline of any differences you may notice over a period of time from when you first started taking the probiotic.

How do you know if a probiotic supplement isn’t working?

This is a hard question to answer! As we said before, in order to see the long term benefits from a probiotic, you will need to take the supplement on a daily basis, or as stated on the product label.

The easiest way to tell if your probiotic supplement isn’t working for you would be that you are experiencing symptoms such as stomach discomfort, excessive bloating and gas after consistently taking the probiotic supplement for a period of time.

It’s important to remember that with probiotic supplements, its not a case of one size fits all. A probiotic that works for your friend or relative, may not work for you and vice versa. This is why we advise you to do some research as to which probiotic will potentially work best for you before you make your purchase.

Why is my probiotic supplement not working?

We have listed a few points below for you as to why your probiotic supplement may not be working:

• The does of CFU (colony forming units) may not be strong enough.
• The supplement is the wrong strain of probiotics for you. Different strains of probiotic supplements work differently dependent on your symptoms.
• The products shelf life has expired - it is important to read the label carefully when you purchase your supplement as by the time the supplement reaches you its shelf life may have expired.
• They have been stored incorrectly. Please read the supplements label carefully to ensure you are storing the probiotic correctly.

If you suffer with any ongoing symptoms after taking a probiotic for a period of time, please do remember to consult a medical professional or your Doctor. It is also recommended that you speak to a medical professional prior to taking any new supplement.