Can Improving Gut Health Help Asthma?

by | Mar 16, 2022 | Health Conditions, Probiotic Blog

Asthma and Gut Health: What You Should Know

Are you one of the 25 million Americans living with asthma? Asthma makes breathing difficult because the body’s airways swell. While science hasn’t advanced a cure for asthma, some things help these troubling symptoms.

Research shows gut health directly impacts the risk for allergic disease and asthma. A diverse microbiota of the gut is essential for a robust and healthy immune system. Many people don’t realize how probiotics affect asthma symptoms. Golden Software Grapher Crack

Read on to learn more about probiotic use and living with asthma.

What Is Asthma?

Asthma affects 1 in 13 Americans daily. It is a chronic disease that causes many doctor and hospital visits. While asthma is treatable, it does cause fatalities in some cases.

Three changes occur in your airways when experiencing asthma symptoms:

  1. The airways become swollen
  2. Mucus clogs airways
  3. Muscles squeeze airways tight

The restriction of the airways causes difficulty for the lungs to move air in and out. This makes breathing strenuous. Asthma flare-ups look like these common signs:

  • Coughing
  • Tight chest
  • Pain in chest
  • Wheezing breath
  • Short breath
  • Disturbed sleep

What Triggers an Asthma Attack?

Asthma and Gut HealthAsthma gets triggered by many different things. Sometimes infections trigger asthma attacks.

Viruses and bacteria cause infections in the lungs. Often, when the body is fighting a virus or bacterial infection, asthma symptoms occur.

Some common infections that trigger asthma attacks include:

  • Common cold (rhinovirus)
  • Coronaviruses
  • Pneumonia or bronchitis
  • Influenza

Having asthma also makes the risk of infections from these viruses higher. This is because the lungs are already irritated and inflamed. Keep the immune system strong and improve gut health to minimize the risk.

Importance of Gut Health on the Body

The digestive tract is home to trillions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This is what makes up the microbiome. The balance between healthy and harmful microorganisms determines how effectively the immune system works.

The health of the gut microbiome is influenced before a baby is born. Then, the birth process exposes a child to various amounts of microbes. Studies show babies born by C-section get exposed to fewer microbes, affecting their gut health negatively.

A diverse and flourishing microbiome helps the body digest fiber and fats. The microbiome communicates with the digestive tract. It prevents harmful bacteria from staying in the intestines.

Many people understand the role our gut health plays in conditions such as IBS or diabetes. And now, the gut-immune link regarding asthma is finally becoming better known. When the microbiome balance is unhealthy, asthma symptoms are more severe.

Asthma is an autoimmune disease. This means the immune system can’t tell the difference between harmful cells and the body’s cells. The immune system attacks everything, causing inflammation and other symptoms.

Gut-Immune Link to Asthma

Many people who suffer from asthma also have digestive issues. Acid reflux is a complex symptom of an unbalanced digestive tract. Acid reflux also affects the esophagus, triggering coughing and other asthma symptoms.

Research shows that patients with asthma have far less diversity in their microbiome than people without asthma. The more unhealthy the gut microbes are, the worst asthma and allergy symptoms appear.

When antibiotics are taken, the medication doesn’t merely kill the disease-causing bacteria. Oral and IV antibiotics wipe out good and bad bacteria alike, causing an imbalance in the microbiome. Harmful fungi and bacteria may flourish.

A higher number of Clostridium and Eggerthella lenta gut bacteria exist in people with asthma. Findings show that rates of asthma increase when antibiotic use is prescribed in children.

The gut-immune link is present in other ways as well. There is also plenty of evidence that shows a direct link between leaky gut syndrome and asthma. By treating leaky gut, symptoms of asthma lessen.

How Probiotics Help Asthma

Positive results to reduce asthma symptoms are shown with probiotic use. Taking oral probiotics improves the gut colony. Both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium show positive effects on asthma wheezing and improving breathing.

Asthma and Gut HealthProbiotics help other autoimmune disorders such as eczema. Probiotics introduce more helpful bacteria to the microbiome. This improves the gut-immune link.

A strong immune system can be influenced by many factors. This includes stress. Probiotic supplements are shown to help manage stress levels.

Excessive stress is a trigger for asthma symptoms. Stress also negatively affects the gut. Stress flares up irritable bowel syndrome, as well as other conditions that affect our immune system.

Living with asthma raises the risk of infection. This is because asthma weakens the immune system by keeping it chronically taxed. It is important to heal gut health to ensure a healthy, balanced microbiome.

Supplementing a diet rich in fiber with probiotics may support your immune system’s needs. A diet with naturally occurring probiotics is also beneficial. Kefir, yogurt, kimchi, and miso are all staples of a diet rich in probiotics.

Probiotics, such as L. fermentum, are shown to help resist common strains of illnesses. It is capable of stopping the growth of harmful bacteria and helping fight off influenza. This probiotic strain also reduces respiratory inflammation and could benefit those living with asthma.

Strains such as L. salivarius decrease inflammation in the lungs’ airways. There is evidence that shows this strain also helps recover inflamed tissue in the respiratory system. L. salivarius is shown to help balance the gut microbiome.

Improve Gut Health With Probiotics

The evidence is clear. Probiotics are beneficial supplements for improving the gut-immune link.

Living with asthma may improve when gut health is boosted. At Humarian, the medical and scientific team holds a commitment to improving digestive health.

The Probonix liquid probiotic drops from Humarian are organic and non-GMO. And they’re easy for the whole family to use!

Start improving your asthma and gut health with Humarian Probonix. Shop the formulas we offer now!

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