Recent research has shown that probiotics are good for the body as well as for the mind. They are good for the body because they help in better digestion as well as absorption of required nutrients in the body. They also facilitate better protein absorption by accelerating their disintegration into amino acids. On the other hand, their association with neurotransmitters makes them good for mental health. So, while on one side they impact the bodybuilder’s physique, on the other they can deal with the anxiety and stress that comes with the training process.
Should You Take Probiotics For Bodybuilding?
Bodybuilders must take probiotics to improve their overall performance for multiple reasons. We all know that exercise is good for our health but exercise without a cap can harm our body too. This is exactly what happens with athletes and bodybuilders. Because of their excessive workout sessions, their immunity often gets stressed. It means they are more prone to viral and bacterial diseases than the rest of us. This might not just be costing their body but also their time and energy, particularly at times of competition.
Impacting Immune System
Research shows how a healthy balance brought by good bacteria in the gut microbiome can reduce diseases. Moreover, in a lot of clinical trials, strains of some probiotics have shown to positively impact the immunity of the body. These include Bifidobacterium lactis Bl-04 and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07.
Athletes have also very commonly complained of diarrhea which also can be cured by the probiotic strain Saccharomyces boulardii. So, probiotics might not be directly responsible for the bodybuilder’s professional growth but it helps them in innumerable ways by preventing illnesses and bettering the immune system.
Improving Digestive System
More and more stress on the body due to bodybuilding exercises can also land bodybuilders in a situation called the leaky gut. In this case, their gut or the intestinal lining leaks important nutrients instead of absorbing them because of increased porosity.
It might also be due to an alteration in the direction of blood flow away from the gut to the muscles. Probiotics have been found to enhance the intestinal lining function thereby preventing the leaky gut to a large extent.
Professional bodybuilders also often intake a lot of calories to fight weight loss which might result in bloating. For them, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM can be a great help as it cures digestive issues while also boosting general immunity.
How Does Probiotics Help In Building Muscle
Probiotics help in developing the muscle mass of the body. Bodybuilders often take in a lot of proteins for their muscular growth. However, it would become useless if not absorbed properly after being broken down. Studies show probiotics help in accelerating their disintegration into amino acids such that the gut can absorb them easily.
Moreover, some complex proteins may be difficult to disintegrate. Probiotics also catalyze this by producing protein-digestive enzymes. Therefore, probiotics like the strain B. coagulans GBI-30, 6086 allow athletes to get the best of proteins. Often protein bars and powders designed to be taken after a rigorous workout session to develop muscles contain these.
However, various protein bars and shakes also often cause digestive and gastrointestinal issues like gas, diarrhea, etc from intolerance of certain elements or sudden increment of fiber content, etc. But, if a probiotic is taken along with them, the good bacteria will increase in the gut facilitating easy digestion while absorbing proteins.
Probiotics For Increasing Energy
With the help of probiotic gut supplement like Colon broom, the entire process of digestion is accelerated, as well as easier absorption in the gut, It leads to better assimilation of the nutrients facilitating body metabolism. If your food is utilized to the maximum, it is obvious that greater energy will be produced.
However, this is not the end of it. Probiotics belonging to the Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli genera produce Vitamin B which escalates energy production. We must always keep in mind that different probiotics produce different nutrients and are therefore suited to different purposes. This makes it difficult for a particular probiotic to be assigned for boosting energy levels.
Since B12 is instrumental in RBC production, it has a lot to do with producing energy and Lactobacillus reuteri CRL1098 facilitates its production. B1, B2, and B9 can be synthesized by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Therefore, probiotics that help you in absorbing minerals and vitamins will be great for producing energy.
Moving Towards A Healthy Mind
Mental health plays an extremely important role in the professional specter of any athlete including bodybuilders. Many athletes suffer from mental discomfort including anxiety and depression. It becomes more crucial for athletes because constant competitions and stressful practice sessions take away the mental strength that they need to be good professionally. This often results in nausea, lethargy, gastrointestinal defects, and so on.
So, probiotics bettering the condition of the gut is also expected to better the mental condition of the athlete. It allows them to tolerate pain and control their mood which is integral to training. Due to their association with neurotransmitters, probiotics also keep the bodybuilders happy which is important in the face of exhaustion and sleeplessness.
Final Thoughts
There are various ways in which probiotics might be beneficial for a bodybuilder. To sum up, it will accelerate your protein digestion and facilitate its absorption. There are various probiotic strains that produce vitamin B which will boost energy levels in the body. Also, most probiotics help in the greater absorption of vitamins and minerals. Most importantly, they support the microbiome that develops the overall immunity of athletes.
