While there are plenty of products claiming benefits for your gut, the evidence for them isn't always that clear-cut.
Some products can be beneficial, depending on the issues you're experiencing, but changes to your diet and lifestyle can also make a big difference.
We asked leading experts for some of the most persistent gut health myths they encounter, and their top tips on what really works.
For tips on staying healthy and the facts behind the fads, sign up to our free monthlyTop gut health myths and why you shouldn't fall for them
Myth 1: It's as simple as taking probiotics
Just reaching for a probiotic in your local health food store is unlikely to be a magic bullet solution. And expensive doesn't necessarily mean better.
Different probiotic strains have differing levels of effectiveness depending on your specific health issue.
More research is needed for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to approve any health claims linked to probiotics. There is some evidence that probiotics can help with IBS symptoms and antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, but it's important to match the bacteria strain to your specific symptoms.
If you're generally in good health, the jury is out on whether there is any benefit to taking probiotics.
Myth 2: Cutting out food groups is the answer
Exclusionary diets have gained steam over the past few years, with dairy and gluten often in the firing line, but these diets are unlikely to be suitable for most people – unless you have a diagnosed medical condition such as lactose intolerance or coeliac disease.
Gut health expert, Dr Megan Rossi, says: 'cutting out any food group unnecessarily can impact your gut microbes and decrease gut microbe diversity'. It can also lead to nutritional deficiencies.
We assess the evidence behind to see if they workMyth 3: You need to buy specialist products to support your gut
There might be a glut of new products and supplements vying for your attention, but including more plant-based food into your diet is a much simpler solution, and often more cost-effective than supplements.
When we asked experts for the single best thing you can do for your general gut health, the answer was clear. Aim to include a variety of fruits, vegetables and legumes (beans and pulses such as lentils) in your diet.
Good gut food: what to eat
Prebiotic foods Fibre Probiotic foodsCooking with frozen fruit and veg, and tinned beans and pulses – such as chickpeas, kidney beans and lentils – is a good cheap way to feed your gut good things without blowing your budget in the health food aisle.
Don't forget the fibre
It's not as trendy as some of the new gut health products, but most of us could do with adding more fibre to our diet. It's thought that we need to consume around 30g of fibre a day, but the average Brit consumes an estimated 18g a day.
There is strong evidence that eating lots of fibre lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, bowel cancer and more.
Find out which company delivers the , as rated by customersMyth 4: Gut health remedies work in the same way for everyone
Everyone's gut is different, so something that your neighbour claims is a miracle cure might well be a waste of money for you.
According to Dr Simon Gaisford, professor of pharmaceutics at UCL, the difficulty lies largely with the fact that 'nobody knows what a normal microbiome should look like, and the diversity of gut bacteria will always vary from person to person'.
For best results, you need to tailor treatment to your specific symptoms. For example, certain strains of probiotics have some evidence of reducing IBS symptoms, but others don't.
Some treatments might actively make things worse. For example, large doses of prebiotics could actually trigger IBS symptoms.
from lifestyle changes to plant stenols to statins, we investigate what really worksMyth 5: Changing your diet or taking probiotics will yield immediate results
Introducing a sudden change to your gut – even if it's something healthy such as eating more fibre – can initially disrupt your microbiome and produce side effects such as gas and bloating.
It's best to make any changes gradually instead, increasing your fibre intake bit by bit and allowing your gut to adjust before adding more.
– what to avoid, and what you don't need to demoniseMyth 6: Adding prebiotics will help gut symptoms
Prebiotics feed the probiotics in your gut. There are lots of different types, and they're in a wide range of foods, including apricots, dried figs, grapefruit, brussels sprouts, garlic, onions, leeks, barley, rye and legumes.
As they're so widely available in foods you shouldn't really need to take a prebiotic supplement, and some people should take extra care.
Prebiotics can be problematic for some, especially those with IBS or taking certain medications, triggering unwanted symptoms such as bloating and discomfort.
Sometimes prebiotics are added to probiotic supplements, so it's worth checking the ingredients before you buy.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/gut-health-myths-debunked-aHNYn7F6nGWR