Why You Need Bacillus Coagulans in Your Gut Health Routine
10 min read

Why You Need Bacillus Coagulans in Your Gut Health Routine

Digestive Support Protein Gut Health healthy Product_clean-lean-protein-digestive-support-protein

Gut-brain axis. Microbiome. More than buzzwords, gut health is becoming widely understood as central to a healthy immune response, and key to good overall health. And as one of the key players in a healthy gut, probiotics are becoming known for their role in supporting intestinal barrier integrity, helping to feed the microbiome so it stays in balance. While the strains of probiotics are many in number, it is the robust spore variety, bacillus coagulans, which is perhaps one of the most powerful strains, able to survive the harsh acidic environment of the gastrointestinal system. That translates into a more effective probiotic, making bacillus coagulans a valuable part of your daily nutritional protocol.  

 

Table of Contents

What Are Bacillus Coagulans?

 

So, what does bacillus coagulans do? A good bacteria, it is a strain in the spore family of probiotics, a soil-based microorganism found in dirt and vegetation. But how does bacillus coagulans work? Unlike the lactobacilli and bifidobacteria species, bacillus coagulans probiotic produces spores throughout the digestive tract. The spores are naturally encapsulated, making them highly resistant to the low pH stomach acid. Safely tolerated by adults and children alike, bacillus coagulans can be taken at any time throughout the day, but like most other probiotics, are probably best taken with meals containing some fats.1

 

If you’re wondering what bacillus coagulans do for your body, you should know that this powerful probiotic is a key player in gastrointestinal health and that bacillus coagulans health benefits are many: from its potency, to its role in probiotic therapy treatment, bacillus coagulans is a good probiotic for supporting GI health and bowel regularity.   

 

Benefits of Bacillus Coagulans

 

A healthy intestinal terrain depends on balance. Balance of the trillions of bacteria, which, when a person is healthy, exist in a beneficial relationship with each other. In turn, they help the immune system, which consists of a balance between helper cells Th1 and Th2, stay in balance. But when stress, diet, lifestyle, exposure to antibiotics, and a host of other factors throw off that delicate balance, bacillus coagulans probiotics can help actively engage the immune system and keep the equilibrium of immune cells in balance. Unlike many probiotics, whose effectiveness is diminished the longer they stay in the bottle, bacillus coagulans probiotics is dormant until it enters the intestines, where it changes into a growing bacteria.2  

 

Help Support Digestive-Related Issues… and Mental Health, Too

 

Given their foundational role in supporting a healthy gut, bacillus coagulans have been studied for their role in a number of gastrointestinal symptoms, including decreasing diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain, and stool frequency.3,4 Studies have also shown improved symptoms and overall quality of life for those suffering from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).5,6 While not studied directly as a treatment or preventative for candida, bacillus coagulans can certainly also be part of a candida treatment regimen, alongside other lactobacillus probiotic strains. And since mental health is so closely linked to gut health (aka the gut / brain axis), bacillus coagulans has also been studied as an alternative strategy for minimizing symptoms of depression and anxiety.7

 

Bacillus Coagulans vs Acidophilus and Other Probiotics

 

There are a few pretty big distinctions between bacillus coagulans vs lactobacillus, bifidobacterium longum, and other probiotic strains. First off, all bacillus strains are spore-based, present in the soil and certain vegetation, including fermented foods like sauerkraut and natto, fermented soybeans. Other strains, like the lactobacillus and bifido, are naturally present in the human microbiome and other parts of the body. What this means is that bacillus coagulans, unlike other strains, can only be obtained through vegetation, certain fermented foods, or probiotics. Unfortunately, most people don’t consume many traditionally-fermented foods or raw vegetables grown in nutrient-dense soil. And while kids may get to play in the dirt from time to time, most of us, unlike our ancestors, aren’t eating vegetables straight out of nutrient-rich soil, which is where bacillus coagulans live.   

 

What About Bacillus Clausii and Bacillus Subtilis?

 

Bacillus coagulans is one of several strains of bacillus spore probiotics. Other spore probiotics include bacillus clausii and bacillus subtilis. All are similar in that they are spore-based, found in dirt and vegetation, and are very stable, able to pass through the stomach and move into the intestines, where they grow and proliferate as normal bacteria. All contain antibiotic compounds that support the immune system by defending the body against pathogens that cause illness.  

 

How to Get Bacillus Coagulans

 

While you can get bacillus coagulans from a pill or capsule form, you could also take this shelf stable probiotic in Digestive Support Protein by Nuzest. With two delicious flavors, Digestive Support Protein is easily mixed into water or your favorite plant-based milk, including smoothies. Sweetened only with organic coconut sugar, it is free from dairy, soy, artificial flavors, gums, and fillers. In addition to delivering 1.95 billion CFUs of bacillus coagulans per serving, it provides nearly 4 grams of L-Glutamine and 34 grams of pea protein for a protein-packed, allergy-friendly probiotic protein powder. Since bacillus coagulans can withstand heat while retaining its probiotic properties, Digestive Support Protein can be used in baking and the possibilities are endless. Satisfy your sweet cravings with no-sugar Flourless Vegan Brownies, 4 Ingredient Butternut Brownies, or No Bake Raspberry Chocolate Bars   

 

Why We Chose Bacillus Coagulans for Digestive Support Protein

 

With all of the many beneficial probiotic strains available, why did we decide to use bacillus coagulans as the primary probiotic in Digestive Support Protein? When it comes to supporting gut health with probiotics, it turns out that shelf-stable strains make a difference. Unlike strains in the lactobacillus or bifido families, bacillus strains are unique in their ability to withstand extreme temperatures or stomach acid. Their temperature-stable nature means they don’t need to be specially encapsulated or refrigerated to survive, making them more versatile and potent. The bacillus coagulans species has also been studied for its impact on those struggling with IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome. 

 

Affecting between 25 and 45 million people every year, IBS can cause a host of gastrointestinal issues, ranging from constipation and diarrhea to nausea and indigestion. Symptoms of anxiety and depression are also common in those with IBS. Bacillus coagulans has shown that it may help with some symptoms associated with IBS8: In one study, participants experienced reduced abdominal pain following eight weeks of its use, as well as greater stool regularity and consistency. In another study, bacillus coagulans was shown to be more likely to retain its potency inside the intestinal tract compared with traditional commercial varieties, because of its ability to pass through the stomach and germinate within the intestines.9         

 

Probiotics: Gut Support for Gastrointestinal Diseases

 

Balancing bacteria in the gut through diet, lifestyle, and a targeted supplement protocol is a lifelong process that we can benefit from practicing. By feeding the microbiome with a variety of foods and probiotics like bacillus coagulans found in Digestive Support Protein, you can help support your microbiome diversity while also helping address occasional stomach upset — all in a delicious and versatile powder that delivers probiotics where they need to go as part of your daily health regimen.   


References:

  1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22146689/#:~:text=The%20protein%20content%20of%20the,a%20meal%20containing%20some%20fats.
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4769834/
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20140275/
  4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19332970/
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4129566/
  6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6034030/
  7. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01490/full
  8. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-48554-x
  9. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464619305675
  10. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464619305675#b0210