In the United States, the cold season lasts from early September to around April. The peak of the cold season is during the late fall and winter months. Contrary to a popular misconception, the cold and flu peak in the fall and winter is not because of the cold weather.
The driving force of illness during the cold season is school being in session, meaning that children and adolescents are at an increased risk of catching or spreading cold germs; people spend more time indoors, which means more people close to each other; and finally, because the low humidity can dry out nasal passages that cause cracks in the tissue, allowing germs and viruses to enter the body more easily.
One way to prevent catching a bad cold this cold season is by taking a probiotic supplement. Research has shown that probiotics and the “good bacteria” they contain may help to support our body’s ability to mount a healthy immune response. to put it simply, the better our body’s immune response, the better prepared our bodies are to fight off some potentially harmful organisms.
The Mayo Clinic agrees, finding that taking probiotics regularly lowers your chance of catching a cold. Not only that, but if you regularly take probiotics, even if you do catch a cold, your symptoms may be less severe and last for a shorter amount of time.
Probiotics also do more than just aid our immune system. They also help to:
- Fight off bad bacteria
- Control inflammation
- Help our bodies digest food
- Absorb vitamins from the food we eat
- Help the body absorb medication
So don’t overlook probiotic supplements during the cold season. Not sure what to buy? Then check out the follow three probiotic supplements from NutriDyn, Pharmax, and Natural Healthy Concepts.
UltraBiotic Daily Powder – NutriDyn
UltraBiotic Daily Powder from NutriDyn is an advanced probiotic supplement featuring two of the most thoroughly studied probiotic strains to support healthy gut flora, immune function and digestion – Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-0. Both are at an above-clinical dose. The findings of over 50 human clinical trials on these specific strains continue to support Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 synergistic use to support healthy gut flora balance, immune function, and proper digestion of vital nutrients.
HLC High Potency Capsules Probiotics – Pharmax
If you’re looking for a probiotic designed to balance the bacteria in your gut, look into HLC High Potency Capsules Probiotic from Pharmax. This formula is a probiotic supplement with 10 Billion CFU of a Human Lactic Commensals (HCL) probiotic consortium. Human Lactic Commensals (HLC) are human-derived strains, including Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus, and are the only product line of their kind in North America. This supplement is formulated for those over 50 to help maintain healthy amounts of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum in the GI tract, as levels of these friendly bacteria can decline with age. Along with supporting GI tract maintenance, this supplement may also support food allergy issues.
Probiotic 4 Strain DF – Natural Healthy Concepts
Probiotic 4 Strain DF from Natural Healthy Concepts is a dietary probiotic supplement that provides four strains of live bacteria that may promote gut health and support the digestive system. The proprietary supplement blend contains Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14, Bifidobacterium longum Bl-05, Lactobacillus plantarum Lp-115, and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019, for a total of 30 billion CFUs per capsule. These capsules are part of an extended slow release formula to support more areas of digestion.
What probiotic supplements do you turn to during cold season?