Do probiotics cause gas, stomach pain and bloating?
Bad news: Yes. Good news: Not all of them. Keep reading to learn more about probiotics side effects and how to pick the ones that will give you all the benefits with fewer of the burps.
Did you know that probiotic supplements are tiny pills full of live bacteria? Yes, to work their magic, the bacteria in your probiotics have to be alive… Otherwise they’re completely useless. Replenishing this good bacteria in your gut keeps your entire gut microbiome in balance and positively impacts your overall health.
You can take probiotics for a variety of reasons – whether you’re looking for the best probiotic to take after antibiotics, managing the symptoms of a medical condition or looking for a way to improve digestion. You might even want to get rid of unnecessary bloating, because let’s face it, no one has ever been thrilled to wake up puffy.
Because these bacteria are so powerful, your body might need a little time to adjust. Especially if your gut health is garbage – in which case you might notice some probiotics side effects for a couple of days to weeks. These side effects can include gas and bloating… but that’s just your body’s way of telling you that the probiotics are doing their thing, and you’ll be feeling brand new in no time.
Can lactobacillus acidophilus and other probiotics cause bloating and gas?
The sudden rush of extra bacteria can cause gas… Don’t worry, this won’t last forever. This is probably just a result of your body adjusting, and will subside within a week’s time. You might also have mild diarrhea when you first start taking probiotics. It’s likely this is also just an adjustment phase, and nothing more serious. But if your frequent bathroom trips persist, you should contact your doctor.
This isn’t just a “probiotic supplement” thing. Eating large amounts of probiotic foods like yogurt can also cause similar side effects. Luckily, Jetson is about quality over quantity when it comes to bacteria counts.
In most cases, any probiotics side effects are just your body adjusting to your new probiotic routine. Be patient – all good things take time, remember?
Do probiotics cause stinky gas?
Yes… we have to address it, okay? Maybe this is TMI (too much info) but you deserve to know: If you’re taking a yeast-based probiotic, you may find the gas is a little smelly. Why? Well, because it’s gas… but also because yeast is a live active agent, with very busy and sometimes volatile bacteria. It’s why we put it into bread, as it rapidly expands and has quicker chemical reactions. Fortunately, none of Jetson’s probiotics are yeast-based, so you can check your concern at the door.
Many people are conscious of the fact that taking probiotics cause bloating and gas, but they’re also worried it might not be wise to take them before work (for the same reasons you’d never take a laxative before heading to the office).
This is an easy fix: take probiotics that are not solely yeast-based. Although Saccharomyces boulardii is a common probiotic bacteria that is known to cause gas build-up, taking a probiotic blend of yeast and spore based probiotics can help to eliminate these uncomfortable side effects.
Keep in mind that limiting complex carbs and moderating the fiber in your diet will also help limit gas, especially when you’re adjusting to probiotics.
What about eating probiotic foods like whole grains? Well, not only can they cause gas, but they also don’t normally change the gut flora in your intestines (which is kind of the point of probiotics in the first place). Whole grains do, however, play a role in moderating your blood sugar levels, so everything in moderation.
Can probiotics cause bloating?
The short answer is yes… but not for long. In fact, in the long haul they have the opposite effect. Keep in mind that your system is being introduced to billions of living things that all move around, react to their surroundings and will take time to settle in.
Achieving your best gut health isn’t going to happen overnight. Bloating is simply a byproduct of your body needing to push all this bad bacteria out. You’re usually introducing a strain of bacteria that loves to eat what you’ve eaten.
The hard to digest foods like starch, fiber and some sugars, will bring out the strongest bacteria. They are tasked with doing the heavy lifting and releasing strong enzymes which break down very tough molecules. So yes, all those carbs and sugars you’ve been eating are going to be a little tougher to break down.
You may find that switching to less complex foods and fibers will help your gut remain balanced and not so gaseous. Foods that are low in starch, and complex sugars and high in fiber might be the better choice.
Why? Because foods that are rich in starch and fiber will be tougher to break down and thus more gas is produced – which will cause bloating. Make sense?
Can prebiotics cause gas?
We talk a lot about probiotics, but taking a prebiotic is just as important for your gut health. Prebiotics are non-living, non-digestible ingredients which feed all that good bacteria that your probiotics are bringing you. That bacteria has got to stay alive too!
Dietary fiber is one of the best prebiotics. But the problem is, most Americans don’t get enough of the right kinds of fiber. So the alternative option is supplements – the problem with that, though, is that they are often derived from fiber or carbs, and cause gas and bloating.
We created a prebiotic supplement that uses a novel bacteriophage – that’s free of starch and fiber – which gives you all of the benefits of prebiotics without any of the discomfort.
Remember that probiotics side effects, like gas, stomach pain or bloating, is just your body is getting used to the amount of good bacteria working to get your gut healthy. In the meantime, reduce the amount of complex carbs and fibers you’re eating to limit further.
