Probiotic Solutions for Balancing Bacteroides and Firmicutes in Gut Health
Discussing strategies to enhance Bacteroides levels after antibiotic use, focusing on probiotic strains, dietary approaches, and fecal microbiota transplantation as potential solutions for improving gut microbiome balance alongside a healthy diet.
Found I have very low bacteroides and high firmicutes despite eating many plants and very healthy. Which probiotic supplements can i take to increase bacteroides?
Please don't suggest eating beans, plants, fruits as I already eat a lot of those. I believe many of my bacteroides species have been wiped out due to antibiotic use. Therefore, if the species are wiped out, they cannot feed on the plants because they aren't there in the first place.Which probiotic supplements can I take along with eating diverse plants and a healthy diet to increase bacteroides?
To address the imbalance in your gut microbiota, particularly the need to increase Bacteroides levels, you may consider the following probiotic strategies:
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Probiotic-Specific Strains: While specific commercial probiotic formulations targeted explicitly at increasing Bacteroides are limited, some broader probiotics can support gut diversity generally, which may indirectly support Bacteroides growth as they help restore balance. Common strains include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium1.
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Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT): For severe cases where specific genera have been diminished due to antibiotics, FMT is a more direct medical approach to restore missing bacteria. This should be discussed with a healthcare provider1.
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Dietary Strategies: Although you already consume diverse plants, adding specific prebiotic fibers alongside probiotics might enhance the growth of beneficial bacteria. These include resistant starches that can positively influence gut biodiversity1.
While clinical studies are still exploring direct probiotic supplementation targeting Bacteroides, examining these strategies with healthcare professionals could support your goal in achieving a balanced gut microbiota.
Footnotes
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Effects of probiotics on gut microbiota: mechanisms of intestinal immunomodulation and neuromodulation, Peera Hemarajata, 2013. ↩ ↩2 ↩3
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