If you are taking a high quality, multispecies and multistrain supplement, you can expect to notice initial improvements and health benefits of probiotics in your digestion as early as the first 1-2 weeks after starting your probiotic. Depending on how sensitive you are, many people feel a difference after a few days.
Some people may see results within a few days, while others may need to take probiotics for several weeks before seeing any improvement. If you are experiencing bloating, gas production, or inflammation, probiotics may be able to help reduce these symptoms.
Probiotics may quickly treat some minor issues. For example, a person with minor diarrhea may see symptoms go away in a few days. For overall digestive health, it can take a few weeks of regular use before a person notices the effects.
When first using probiotics, some people experience gas, bloating, or diarrhea. Changes in the gut microbiota can result in bacteria producing more gas than usual, which can lead to bloating. However, these side effects usually clear up within a few days or weeks of taking the probiotics.
Consuming probiotic food such as yoghurt (make sure there's “live active cultures” under the nutritional label) and Yakult, helps extract nutrients and break down food for the body, effectively regulating digestion.
The short answer: It takes most people 2 to 3 weeks to feel significant benefits when they start taking probiotics. That's because probiotics need time to accomplish their three key goals: increase your good bacteria count, decrease your bad bacteria count, and reduce inflammation.
Some studies suggest that probiotics may aid digestive symptoms like bloating by boosting the number and types of bacteria in your gut. In turn, this may reduce inflammation and your awareness of tension and gases in your gut ( 5 , 34 ).
Reason #1 People Feel Worse When Taking Probiotics-
The specific strain within your probiotic formula, is the wrong kind or you already have too much of that strain in your gut. Remember that the bacteria and the bacterial diversity found in your microbiome is highly unique to you. There is no one size fits all.
Research shows the best time to take a probiotic is first thing in the morning before eating breakfast or before going to sleep at night. Probiotics are most effective when taken on an empty stomach.
Because microbes used as probiotics already exist naturally in your body, probiotic foods and supplements are generally considered safe. They may trigger allergic reactions, and may also cause mild stomach upset, diarrhea, or flatulence (passing gas) and bloating for the first few days after starting to take them.
A common question about probiotics is whether it is ok to take probiotic supplements every day. Whilst there may be a few exceptions to this rule, the general answer is yes, it's safe, and usually recommended, to take them daily. It's important to understand that probiotics are a natural supplement and not a medicine.
Less Bloating
If your bloating is subsiding, it's a sign that probiotics are doing their job well, and you can continue using them for better health.
Because of this, the short answer is yes. Probiotics will make you poop, and the size and frequency of your bowel movements have much to say regarding your overall health. Their mission is to improve your gut microbiome, and this is typically done in an effort to get you more regular in your pooping.
Probiotics may help you lose weight and belly fat
In particular, studies have found that certain strains of the Lactobacillus family can help you lose weight and belly fat. In one study, eating yogurt with Lactobacillus fermentum or Lactobacillus amylovorus reduced body fat by 3–4% over 6 weeks (29).
It might be as simple as eating too much too fast, or you could have a food intolerance or other condition that causes gas and digestive contents to build up. Your menstrual cycle is another common cause of temporary bloating. Sometimes a bloated stomach can indicate a more serious medical condition.
Probiotics can sometimes help ease symptoms, including stomach pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation.
NICE guidance suggests people who wish to try probiotics be encouraged to select one brand and take it at the recommended dose for at least four weeks while monitoring the effect.
In other words, you need to keep taking the probiotic supplements for the effects to last. If you stop taking them, your gut bacteria are likely return to their pre-supplementation condition within one to three weeks. You may be able to get longer-lasting changes by “feeding the healthy bacteria”.
Some may wonder about possible safety concerns associated with long-term use of a supplement. The good news is probiotics are not likely to cause harm over the long term. While there haven't been any long-term studies yet, numerous studies and reviews have found probiotics to be safe for adults, children, and infants.
To keep belly bloat at bay, reach for peppermint, ginger, or fennel tea, Doyle says. “These teas have different properties, which may relax the digestive tract and relieve bloating and gas,” Fullenweider says.
Peppermint tea
Peppermint tea is an herbal tea that's widely used to treat a range of digestive conditions. Peppermint oil, in particular, has been shown to decrease inflammation and treat symptoms of IBS like stomach pain, constipation, and bloating.