“Here are the five main takeaways from this blog. Scroll down for the full story!”

1. Long-term benefits: Research shows that regular use enhances mental flexibility, reduces stress, and supports overall gut health across all ages.
2. Daily challenges for the microbiome: Diet, poor sleep, and pollution disrupt gut health, but pro- and postbiotics help restore balance.
3. Habit formation: It takes 66 days to form a habit. Incorporating pro- and postbiotics into your routine becomes effortless over time.
4. The compound effect: Small, consistent actions like daily probiotic use can lead to significant health improvements in the long term.
5. Prevention over cure: Pro- and postbiotics strengthen immunity, reduce inflammation, and help prevent illness.

“Pro- and postbiotics are gaining attention as a natural way to support gut health and overall wellness. But why are they so effective? And how can consistent use make a difference in your health journey? Let’s dive deeper into the science and practical benefits of these powerful allies for your microbiome.”

In today’s fast-paced world, we’re constantly searching for quick fixes and instant results, especially when it comes to our health. We want the fastest, easiest solutions. But sometimes, true health benefits come from consistent, long-term care. In this blog, we’ll explore five reasons why incorporating pro- and postbiotics into your daily routine may be more effective for long-term health and well-being than relying on temporary fixes.

Daily challenges for our microbiome

Did you know that your microbiome faces daily challenges? From unhealthy food choices like processed snacks¹ and sugary drinks to alcohol consumption⁵ and air pollution^2,6, our gut microbiome is constantly impacted. And let’s not forget how sleep deprivation¹⁰ and lack of physical activity¹² can disrupt the balance of good bacteria in our gut.

While no single habit can undo these challenges, consistently incorporating healthy practices—like taking probiotics—can provide valuable support. Daily care helps maintain balance and supports overall health, even when life’s stressors take their toll. It’s all about making small, sustainable choices that add up over time and keep your gut in good shape.

Habit formation

Did you know it takes on average 66 days to form a new habit?³ Habits help make life easier by turning actions into automatic behaviors, saving your brain’s energy for more complex tasks. With practice, your brain becomes more efficient, and the more you repeat a behavior, the less mental effort it takes. This is why habits are so powerful—they help you stay consistent and reduce the mental energy needed for everyday tasks, leaving you free to focus on bigger challenges.

When it comes to supporting your health, making daily habits like taking probiotics or postbiotics part of your routine can offer significant benefits for both physical and mental well-being. The best part? Once these habits are established, they require less willpower to maintain and become second nature, allowing you to stick with them without constant effort or motivation.

The compound effect of daily habits: small actions, big results

Have you ever thought about how small actions in your everyday life add up over time? At first, making a choice that’s just 1 percent better or worse may not seem to make much of a difference. However, over time, these tiny improvements or setbacks compound, and soon enough, a big gap forms between those who make slightly better choices each day and those who don’t.

If you improve by just 1 percent every day for a year, you’ll end up thirty-seven times better by the end of it (Figure 1, source: JamesClear.com).). This is why small choices may seem insignificant in the moment, but in the long run, they can lead to substantial results. So, whether it’s taking probiotics daily or making other healthy choices, small, consistent actions can lead to big, lasting changes over time.

Prevention

Do you know what’s better than recovering fast once you’re ill? Trying to prevent getting sick in the first place! Both pro- and postbiotics have been shown to play a significant role in supporting the immune system by promoting a healthy gut microbiome ^4,7–9, which is crucial for immune function. By maintaining a balanced microbiome, these beneficial microbes can help regulate immune responses, reduce inflammation, and improve the body’s ability to fight off infections. This means that incorporating pro- and postbiotics into your daily routine may be a proactive way to bolster your body’s natural defenses and keep illness at bay.

Long-term probiotic use

While research on the long-term use of postbiotics is still limited, studies on probiotics have typically lasted between 10 days and 12 weeks¹¹. Most of these studies have focused on older adults^11,13. For example, a study with healthy adults over 65, who took Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium longum for 12 weeks, found that probiotics helped improve mental flexibility, reduce stress, and change the gut bacteria in ways that were linked to better brain function¹³. Another study with healthy young adults showed that taking Lactobacillus casei for three weeks improved immune health, reduced oxidative stress, and helped balance gut bacteria¹⁴. These findings suggest that long-term probiotic use can have a positive impact on both mental and physical health in both young and older adults.

In conclusion, incorporating pro- and postbiotics into your daily routine offers a range of benefits that can support your health over time. From helping to navigate daily challenges to promoting healthy habits, the consistent use of probiotics can improve both mental and physical well-being. While no single habit is a cure-all, the compound effect of small, daily actions can contribute to long-term health improvements.

So, instead of relying on quick fixes, consider making probiotics a part of your everyday routine for a more sustainable approach to wellness. Every small step can help support your body’s natural balance, one day at a time. What’s one thing you can do today to build 1% healthier habits than yesterday?

References

1.           Zinöcker, M.K., and Lindseth, I.A. (2018). The Western Diet–Microbiome-Host Interaction and Its Role in Metabolic Disease. Nutrients 2018, Vol. 10, Page 365 10, 365. https://doi.org/10.3390/NU10030365.

2.            Vieceli, T., Tejada, S., Martinez-Reviejo, R., Pumarola, T., Schrenzel, J., Waterer, G.W., and Rello, J. (2023). Impact of air pollution on respiratory microbiome: A narrative review. Intensive Crit Care Nurs 74, 103336. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ICCN.2022.103336.

3.            Lally, P., Van Jaarsveld, C.H.M., Potts, H.W.W., and Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. Eur J Soc Psychol 40, 998–1009. https://doi.org/10.1002/EJSP.674.

4.            Ruff, W.E., Greiling, T.M., and Kriegel, M.A. (2020). Host–microbiota interactions in immune-mediated diseases. Nature Reviews Microbiology 2020 18:9 18, 521–538. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-020-0367-2.

5.            Engen, P.A., Green, S.J., Voigt, R.M., Forsyth, C.B., and Keshavarzian, A. (2015). The Gastrointestinal Microbiome: Alcohol Effects on the Composition of Intestinal Microbiota. Alcohol Res 37, 223.

6.            Mousavi, S.E., Delgado-Saborit, J.M., Adivi, A., Pauwels, S., and Godderis, L. (2022). Air pollution and endocrine disruptors induce human microbiome imbalances: A systematic review of recent evidence and possible biological mechanisms. Science of The Total Environment 816, 151654. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2021.151654.

7.            Perdigón, G., Maldonado Galdeano, C., Valdez, J.C., and Medici, M. (2003). Interaction of lactic acid bacteria with the gut immune system. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002 56:4 56, S21–S26. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601658.

8.            Arunachalam, K., Gill, H.S., and Chandra, R.K. (2000). Enhancement of natural immune function by dietary consumption of Bifidobacterium lactis (HN019). European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000 54:3 54, 263–267. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600938.

9.            Tsai, Y.T., Cheng, P.C., and Pan, T.M. (2012). The immunomodulatory effects of lactic acid bacteria for improving immune functions and benefits. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 96, 853–862. https://doi.org/10.1007/S00253-012-4407-3/FIGURES/3.

10.         Benedict, C., Vogel, H., Jonas, W., Woting, A., Blaut, M., Schürmann, A., and Cedernaes, J. (2016). Gut microbiota and glucometabolic alterations in response to recurrent partial sleep deprivation in normal-weight young individuals. Mol Metab 5, 1175–1186. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MOLMET.2016.10.003.

11.         Gao, R., Zhang, X., Huang, L., Shen, R., and Qin, H. (2019). Gut Microbiota Alteration After Long-Term Consumption of Probiotics in the Elderly. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 11, 655–666. https://doi.org/10.1007/S12602-018-9403-1/FIGURES/7.

12.         Divella, R., De Palma, G., Tufaro, A., Pelagio, G., Gadaleta-Caldarola, G., Bringiotti, R., and Paradiso, A. (2021). Diet, Probiotics and Physical Activity: The Right Allies for a Healthy Microbiota. Anticancer Res 41, 2759–2772. https://doi.org/10.21873/ANTICANRES.15057.

13.         Kim, C.S., Cha, L., Sim, M., Jung, S., Chun, W.Y., Baik, H.W., and Shin, D.M. (2021). Probiotic Supplementation Improves Cognitive Function and Mood with Changes in Gut Microbiota in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Trial. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A 76, 32–40. https://doi.org/10.1093/GERONA/GLAA090.

14.         Mei, L.H., Zheng, W.X., Zhao, Z.T., Meng, N., Zhang, Q.R., Zhu, W.J., Li, R.D., Liang, X.L., and Li, Q.Y. (2021). A Pilot Study of the Effect of Lactobacillus casei Obtained from Long-Lived Elderly on Blood Biochemical, Oxidative, and Inflammatory Markers, and on Gut Microbiota in Young Volunteers. Nutrients 2021, Vol. 13, Page 3891 13, 3891. https://doi.org/10.3390/NU13113891.