We’re not ones for spin, fads or fudging the truth. So, in the spirit of openness, our panel of Symprove and independent experts are answering your most probing questions as honestly and openly as we can. Just like this question we spotted on social media platform, Reddit.
“Is taking Symprove long-term bad for you?” – Reddit user
Proffesor Simon Gaisford’s answer
“When you take Symprove, a dose of probiotic bacteria will arrive in your gut. As they grow they produce lactic acid and that helps to (i) remove bad bacteria by lowering local pH and (ii) encourage the growth of good bacteria by acting as a food source. In this way, taking Symprove starts to rebalance the gut microbiota, in favour of good bacteria. For maximum effect it would be best to take Symprove every day, since rebalancing the microbiota is a slow process. However, you could also take Symprove intermittently.”
Dr Sarah Jarvis’ answer
“In recent years we have learnt a huge amount about the gut microbiome – the trillions of bacteria (and fungi and viruses) which live naturally in the gut. Importantly, we now know beyond doubt that a healthy microbiome can benefit your physical health way beyond the gut, as well as your mental health.
“An unhealthy balance, known as dysbiosis, has been linked to IBS, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, depression and more. Symprove is designed to top up the good bacteria in your gut. Nobody expects to go on one diet to lose weight and keep that weight off forever without any more effort. You know three months at the gym won’t keep your fitness up for life. In the same way, if your lifestyle makes you prone to dysbiosis, a one-off course of probiotics won’t offer lifelong benefit.
“Symprove has a wealth of high-quality scientific studies in a wide range of areas. Most of these studies were designed to see improvements at the 12-week stage. National guidelines, for instance, that if you’re taking a probiotic, you should use it for at least 12 weeks. Whether you take Symprove in the long term is up to you. But caring for your gut microbiome, like the rest of your health, is a lifelong habit.”
Dr Sammie Gill’s answer
“Probiotics, including Symprove have a good safety profile based on decades of research.
“Whether you choose to take Symprove longer term or not will depend on the why. For example, does Symprove have evidence for the health condition, symptom, or scenario you’re hoping to target? Have you noticed a difference while trialling short term? Have you considered other factors such as flavour and cost? If you don’t know the answers to all these questions you can speak to your HCP or call our Customer Care team who can provide more personalised guidance.’’
As usual, for any more personal questions contact support@symprove.com.
