Leaky Gut: Here’s Why Spore-Based Probiotics Might Just Be the Answer to Healing

It turns out, there is new scientific evidence that shows how certain probiotic bacteria strains have a gut healing benefit. This means – when taking the right probiotic – you could experience significant improvement in a very short period of time, whether you’re experiencing gut issues or not.

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Leaky Gut: Here’s Why Spore-Based Probiotics Might Just Be the Answer to Healing

*Thank you to Just Thrive for providing the article*

We Get It

We know, the probiotic puzzle can be a hard one to piece together. Mainly because science can be hard to understand (again, we know!).  And what’s right for YOUR body might be different for others. After all, no two people have the same gut composition. We are literally ALL different, inside and out!

It turns out, there is new scientific evidence that shows how certain probiotic bacteria strains have a gut healing benefit. This means – when taking the right probiotic – you could experience significant improvement in a very short period of time, whether you’re experiencing gut issues or not.

In today’s post, we’ll demonstrate how new science and research in the industry has led to a probiotic revolution, led by companies that are on the forefront of scientific research.

Probiotics Through Time

Did you know that many popular name brand probiotics on the market today were actually developed 10 or more years ago, when researchers knew very little about the complex nature of the human microbiome (microbes and genetic elements that live in your digestive tract)? In fact, the formulations were based on hypothesis, not on scientific fact.

During that time, researchers were barely starting to grasp the wide-scale impact that gut health has on whole-body health. Our understanding of the gut (and its microflora) has improved significantly since those first probiotic products went on the market.

Today, we have a much more profound understanding of how the microbiome is formed, how it functions, and how it controls the entire body. As researchers evaluate new products that are being developed, based on new science and extensive research, they have discovered a paradigm shift (a probiotic revolution!) being led by formulations like Just Thrive Probiotic – a science and research-based spore probiotic that is changing the way people think of (and experience) probiotics.

Diving deeper, researchers looked to find a probiotic that truly lived up to its definition, which is to protect its host. With Just Thrive Probiotic, they found a specific strain that is not only protecting its host from toxins and pathogens, it also protected its host from leaky gut – the root cause of the vast majority of chronic illnesses.

Leaky Gut: A Driving Force Behind Chronic Illness

Leaky gut (scientifically referred to as metabolic endotoxemia) is a condition that is estimated to affect more than 50% of the western population. Leaky gut is a process where your intestinal barrier (your gut lining) gets “leaky” thereby allowing toxins, food components, chemicals, bacterial components, viral components, and more to leak through the gut lining into your bloodstream, resulting in inflammation that is chronic and significantly damaging.

A growing number of people are experiencing issues with their gut and digestive functions, and researchers suspect that sedentary lifestyles (thanks to TV, smart phones, tablets, social media, video games and more) – combined with a poor diet of highly-processed, calorie-dense food – is to blame. Of course, the excessive use of antibiotics, pesticides and household chemicals also compounds the problem by adding stress and toxins to even a balanced microbiome.

Why is leaky gut so bad? Leaky gut is a major driver of chronic illness. Chronic leaky gut and the associated inflammation has been shown to be linked to the risk or onset of autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and even mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Spore Probiotics Show Healing Promise

As per its definition, a probiotic – and let’s take that a step further to say the right probiotic  – should be able to influence the microbiome and the gut lining in such a way that it protects its host from this condition of leaky gut.

In addition to outdated formulations, one of the major issues with most probiotic products on the market is that they do not survive the body’s harsh digestive environment, through which the probiotic enters the small and large intestines alive, intact and viable. When taking these outdated products, you are simply getting billions of dead bacteria (an ingredient in those formulations) moving through your system.

Specialized strains of spore-based probiotics, however, DO have the capability to survive the harsh gastric passage, naturally, thereby entering the intestines 100% alive and completely viable. Because these unique spore-based strains enter the intestines and get to the site of action alive, they have the capability to influence significant change to the rest of the microbiome. They have been shown to balance good and bad bacteria, strengthen the intestinal barrier and modulate the immune response in the digestive tract. With these unique capabilities, to date, spore probiotic bacteria are some of the only strains that have been shown to successfully heal leaky gut.

Proof in Science

A recently published study showed that spore probiotics could improve gut permeability and halt inflammation associated with leaky gut.

The spore probiotic strains contained in Just Thrive Probiotic were the subject of a University, double blind, placebo controlled study that evaluated the ability of these strains to reduce or prevent leaky gut. In addition to assessing changes in leaky gut from dietary input (high calorie, highly processed, fast-food meals), the researchers also measured how these probiotic strains altered transient changes in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, other novel disease risk biomarkers – and the entire immune system itself – following the fast-food challenge meal.

In the study, a combination of bacillus probiotic strains (found in Just Thrive Probiotic & Antioxidant) significantly reduced endotoxins that can appear in the bloodstream after meals. These endotoxins leak from the lumen (the tube in the intestines) into the bloodstream after a meal. Once in the bloodstream, these toxins stimulate a highly potent and damaging inflammatory response, which has been shown to be the root cause of the vast majority of chronic diseases.

For 30 days, researchers gave subjects either a placebo or a combination of bacillus spore probiotic strains (Bacillus indicus HU36®, Bacillus subtilis HU58®, Bacillus coagulans SC208, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus Clausii SC). Those who took the probiotics saw a 60% reduction in leaky gut, compared to the placebo group, after just 30 days of taking the supplement. The probiotic group also saw a 24% reduction in triglyceride levels and a significant reduction in over 6 different systemic inflammation markers.

Interestingly, the placebo group experienced a 36% increase in endotoxin levels. “We found that several of our exploratory biomarkers [of inflammation and immune activation] were either significantly reduced or trended toward reduction with this formulation of spore-based probiotic supplementation,” wrote the researchers.

Specifically, researchers believe that the powerhouse probiotic strain Bacillus indicus HU36® was instrumental in the leaky gut study because oxidative stress is a major driver of leaky gut or intestinal permeability. Bacillus indicus HU36® is the only probiotic strain that produces potent antioxidants in the intestines, exactly where the antioxidants need to be absorbed (making them the most bio-available source), where they go to work to reduce inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, support the immune cells and the beneficial bacteria.

Summary

The data shows a clear improvement to a protective microbiome within just 30 days of supplementation by spore probiotics, specifically when formulated with HU36®, as with Just Thrive Probiotic. The post-study results of all probiotic subjects showed a drastic and significant reduction in endotoxemia (leaky gut), while subjects in the placebo group experienced no change (or the toxic response increased). Making sure your probiotic has HU36® is one of the most important ways you can filter for high-quality, research based probiotic, versus “corner store probiotics” that are formulated with dead bacteria and low-quality ingredients.

This shows that these particular strains of spore probiotics are likely the most promising therapy for leaky gut, as no other mainstream probiotics or compounds have demonstrated this effect. To take that one step further, the spore probiotic strains in Just Thrive Probiotic are the only strains on the market that are clinically proven to heal leaky gut…and they’re changing the way people understand – and experience – the profound improvements that spore probiotics can have on your health.

References

• “Oral Spore-Based Probiotic Supplementation Was Associated with Reduced Incidence of Post-Prandial Dietary Endotoxin, Triglycerides, and Disease Risk Biomarkers” by B.K. McFarlin et al., World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology, 2017
• “AAPI’S Nutrition Guide to Optimal Health Using Principles of Functional Medicine & Nutritional Genomics Part 3” Chapter 14, Metabolic Endotoxemia by Kiran Krishnan

What do you think? I would like to hear your thoughts or experience with this.

• Get help with leaky gut.
  
• Get your personalized plan for optimizing your gut health with my new book.
• Healthcare providers looking to sharpen their clinical skills, check out the Future of Functional Medicine Review Clinical Newsletter.

Dr. Ruscio is your leading functional and integrative doctor specializing in gut related disorders such as SIBO, leaky gut, Celiac, IBS and in thyroid disorders such as hypothyroid and hyperthyroid. For more information on how to become a patient, please contact our office. Serving the San Francisco bay area and distance patients via phone and Skype.