Growing older usually means you grow in wisdom and experience while enjoying the benefits of a slower-paced life in North Denver, Colorado. But aging also means you may face unique health challenges that go beyond the basics of eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and having routine medical checkups. Gut health plays a big role in your quality of life, and probiotics can be a game-changer when you need some extra help with digestion.

What Are Probiotics?

In a word, probiotics are bacteria and yeasts — but they’re the good kind, we promise. These living microorganisms serve as your biggest allies when it comes to gut health, playing an essential role in balancing your digestive system. This matters because your digestive system is the home of your “second brain,” the enteric nervous system that sends signals all over your body when something’s amiss in your gut. Probiotic supplements for seniors provide a boost to these microorganisms so they can do better at things like maintaining your metabolism and ensuring good nutrient absorption.

Helping Your Gut Age Gracefully

The beautiful journey of graceful aging includes changes that aren’t always pleasant, especially when it comes to your digestive system. Aging guts lose their efficiency at processing and absorbing nutrients, and you may even become susceptible to issues such as bloating, diarrhea and constipation. These issues not only affect your quality of life but may also lead to more severe issues with your digestive system — and overall health —down the road. In that regard, probiotics may help turn back the hands of time on your gut to help you feel more like yourself.

The Role of Probiotics in Gut Health

Probiotics offer a whole host of benefits to your digestive system, potentially helping older adults improve their gut health. Here’s why these microorganisms may be a valuable addition to your other senior supplements.

Digestive Health Improvers

The major benefit of probiotics is the potential for improved digestive health. Probiotics help balance out gut flora and keep it healthy, which can, in turn, help alleviate digestive issues common in older adults. They not only aid in regulating bowel movements but also in reducing indigestion-related discomfort and bloating.

Nutrient Absorption Enhancers

Aging means living with a less-efficient digestive system, which may lead to difficulties absorbing vital nutrients from the foods you eat. Probiotics help prevent deficiencies in minerals and vitamins that you need for continued well-being. They do this by assisting your gut in absorbing these key nutrients to help you make the most of your diet.

Immune System Boosters

Since your digestive system plays a major role in your immune heath, probiotics help aid its response like frontline soldiers that defend your body against invaders with the potential to harm. Your gut, in fact, controls much of your immune response, so by strengthening the flora that lives there, you may be less susceptible to illness and infection.

Mood and Mental Enrichers

The gut-brain connectivity alluded to in recent medical studies suggests that these two systems are far more intertwined than previously thought. This means that what you process through your digestive system may affect your mental health. For that reason, taking probiotics that balance your gut flora may lead to improvements in emotional well-being.

Pain and Inflammation Reducers

Age-related health problems like arthritis usually have their cause in chronic inflammation. This means the anti-inflammatory properties of probiotics have the potential to reduce stress on joints, thus decreasing pain and discomfort.

Picking the Perfect Probiotic

First, a word of advice — be sure to speak with your health care provider before incorporating a probiotic supplement into your everyday routine. In many cases, these professionals can recommend suitable products that can assist with specific needs and any medical history-related issues. Look for these factors, however, if you’re picking out probiotics for yourself:

• Multiple strains: Different probiotic strains have varying benefits, so it’s usually more advantageous to choose products with multiple strains. This provides you with access to a broader spectrum of gut flora-enhancing bacteria and yeasts for a more comprehensive health solution.
• Prebiotic boosters: Some probiotic blends also contain prebiotics, and that’s a good thing. Found in foods like bananas, garlic and onions, prebiotics feed good gut bacteria and create the necessary conditions for them to thrive. You can take prebiotics as a supplement or simply eat foods rich in these substances.
• Refrigerated options: To maintain their potency, some of the best probiotics need to be refrigerated. You can typically find some probiotics at big-box stores, but if you want refrigerated ones, you may have to visit a specialty vitamin shop. When you get your selections home, be sure to check the label and keep them at the proper temperature.

Though by no means a magical panacea to cure all your ills, probiotics can be an invaluable addition to your other senior supplements. Probiotics have the potential to enhance your immunity and mood, not to mention your digestive health, and they can even reduce inflammation to aid you in staying active during your golden years. Whether you’re off on some new adventure and want a health boost or need something to smooth out the kinks in your leisurely lifestyle, probiotics have the potential to make a positive impact on your well-being and graceful aging at Bethesda Gardens Thornton.