Probiotics To Fight The Common Cold
Here’s a tip to keep you healthy over the winter season.
Many patients are pretty savvy about probiotics. They know that some probiotics help boost the immune system and they know that not all probiotics work the same way. So one question that comes up a lot is which particular strain to take for this or that condition.
When it comes to fighting the common cold, there are two strains that definitely work better than the rest.
The first is Lactobacillus plantarum HEAL9 0.5B, and the second is Lactobacillus paracasei 8700:2 0.5B.
How to Take Probiotics for Immune Health
Taken together, these strains decrease the likelihood of getting a cold by about 15% and they shorten the duration of cold symptoms by about a third, from an average of 8.6 days to just 6.2 days. They also reduce the severity of cold symptoms while you’re sick by about 25%.
There are several probiotic supplements out there that have these two strains, so be sure to read labels. One probiotic product with a few studies behind it is UltraFlora Immune Booster by Metagenics.
So, if you want to fight the common cold, consider giving your immune system a boost this winter with probiotics.
