Dr Adam Killpartrick
I did a webinar on probiotics recently. I invited one of my colleagues, and his response was, ‘What are you going to tell me about probiotics that I don’t already know?’. Fair point. He has been in the industry for a long time and has recommended probiotic products to patients for years to support healthy digestive function. I began talking to him about the broader application, he sort of rolled his eyes and gave me one of those, ‘Yeah, sure.’ looks but I continued…When you start delving into the research, it’s really incredible to see how many different systems probiotics support. While probiotics have become one of the ‘four horseman’ of the supplement world alongside multivitamins, Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin D, the practical application of probiotic bacteria has expanded far beyond the traditional use for supporting a healthy digestive system*. The recognition of the interconnectedness of the digestive system with other systems in the body has served as a driver in terms of emerging research and clinical application. This research, which has focused on particular species and specific strains, has spurred the infusion of probiotic therapy into a variety of protocols and interventions.
To the Gut and Beyond!
The obvious application has always been to support digestive health and consistency, which is a staple in most practices and was supported by an article published in JAMA in 20121*. Beyond digestive support, the therapeutic application of probiotics to support the synthesis of critical B vitamins as a novel approach to supporting healthy nutrient levels is a concept that has been published in the Journal of Microbiology in 20112*. This has incredible clinical implications when aiming to support energy levels, homocysteine levels, blood iron levels, and even thyroid health*. Relative to thyroid health, while specific B vitamins are vitally important to the health of the thyroid, probiotics can also support the healthy conversion of T4 to T3 in two different ways*. Bifidobacterium has the capability to support the detoxification pathways in the liver, which is the primary site of this conversion*. An additional site of conversion is the gut. With that in mind, it stands to reason that supporting healthy, diverse gut ecology would also provide T4 to T3 conversion support*.
Tell Me I'm Beautiful
Then, of course, there is the emerging research highlighting the use of probiotics for healthy skin complexion and integrity due to its effect on substance P in the gut and the skin as well as supporting healthy sebum production4,5*. The role of probiotics in the health and function of the brain, both to support GABA receptor health as well as promoting a healthy outlook and mood, has also been the subject of numerous articles6,7*.So as we move forward crafting the most appropriate, effective nutritional strategies to support an array of systems, the application of probiotics should continue to represent a novel adjunct to a great number of therapeutic protocols.
My colleague ended up listening to the webinar and claimed he totally knew all of that info. Whether he did or not (kind of think he didn’t know ALL of it), at least now his patients will benefit.
How are your patients going to benefit? Are probiotics something you’re going to recommend for your patients that need thyroid support, mood support or even skin support?* It might just make all the difference, but like my friend, I’m sure you already know that.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
- JAMA, May 9, 2012—Vol 307, No. 18
- J Appl Microbiol. 2011 Dec;111(6):1297-309.
- J Cardiovasc Dis Res. 2010 Oct-Dec; 1(4): 213–214
- Eur J Dermatol.2010 Nov-Dec;20(6):731-7.
- Gut Pathog. 2011; 3: 1. Published online 2011 January 31.
- Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 September 20; 108(38): 16050–16055.Published online 2011 August 29
- Gut Pathog. 2009; 1: 6. Published online 2009 March 19.
by Erin Stokes, ND, Medical Director at FoodState®
This afternoon, I worked with a patient who shared a big breakthrough in her healing journey. When I first saw Eva (name changed to protect patient privacy) two years ago, she was depleted in every way. A mom of three young children, she wasn't able to find the time to care for herself, and was starting to feel the negative effect. After years of waking up to take care of babies and toddlers in the middle of the night, the kids were sleeping through the night fine, but Eva didn't seem to know how to sleep anymore. She reported the classic “tired and wired” feeling of being exhausted but not being able to rest. Eva was also unhappy with the way she was snapping at her kids and didn't feel like she was managing even small stressors very well anymore.
Listening to Eva, the first herb I thought of was Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), and I specifically wanted to suggest Ashwagandha in its standardized extract form - Sensoril®. A plant with thousands of years of traditional use in India, I've seen this adaptogen outperform the rest for that “tired and wired” state.* It seems to support a healthy stress response for people with a wide variety of different presentations , and is often the foundation of any treatment protocol to nourish the adrenal glands and support a healthy stress response.* For Eva, I knew that she wasn't going to be taking time off from being a mom anytime soon! So, I felt that I needed to include another botanical that would allow her to maintain strong, day-to-day energy, while nourishing and restoring her endocrine system.* Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) was the plant that best fit this description, and it would complement Ashwagandha beautifully in this situation.
Today, Eva reported feeling like a completely different person than she did 2 years ago. She believed the daily adrenal support helped her turn the corner in her health journey; back towards having more energy, sleeping well, and responding to life’s daily setbacks with greater ease. She said, “Everything I was experiencing, all of it… It all started with how I was responding to chronic stress in my life.”
What adaptogens do you use in your practice and why? Share with us and the practitioner community!
Dr. Erin Stokes, ND is the Medical Director at FoodState. Erin received her Naturopathic Doctor degree from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington, in 2001. Erin combines her experience as a Naturopathic Doctor with an extensive retail background in the natural products industry. She truly enjoys educating others, and has taught Western Pathology and Psychology of Healing at Southwest Acupuncture College. Erin lives and and practices naturopathic medicine in Boulder, Colorado.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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