Yes, You Should be Taking a Human-Derived Probiotic
We can thank Jamie-Lee Curtis and her love affair with Activia, a probiotic-fortified yogurt, for the rise of gut health awareness in the United States. Although it seems like we’ve been talking about gut health for-ev-er, it’s been just over a decade since probiotics really staked their claim on the shelves of US markets. Curtis’ enthusiastic endorsement of Activia — and her publicized personal anecdotes about relief from feeling bloated and ‘backed up’ after eating her daily yogurt cup — opened up a whole new world of digestion-related poop talk for many Americans. And with that conversation came an onslaught of products: prebiotics to support the bacteria that’s already in your gut, probiotics to foster the growth of more strains, and digestive enzymes to help break down food in order to utilize it more quickly and efficiently. But despite their popularity and ubiquity, a lot of what we claim to know about probiotics is still relatively unsubstantiated.
Depending on the doctor you’re speaking with, probiotics are either God’s gift to our entire biosystem, or a gimmicky fad that only gullible, wellness-obsessed people indulge in.
Opinions really do vary widely from doctor to doctor, simply because there isn’t much “very strong” academic evidence that supports the use of daily probiotics in healthy people… although there is some promising research that suggests regular probiotic use could support gut healing and perhaps tame symptoms of autoimmune issues. Now, this contradictory information doesn’t mean probiotics aren’t good for you — no doubt, replenishing your body’s natural gut flora can only yield positive results, even if those results are nominal. But, you have to find a high-quality formulation that really works. Sadly, many probiotic products you’ll find in supplement stores are totally impotent. Enter Elemental Wizdom. The company’s low-key, high vibrational probiotic and digestive enzymes are in a classification of their own. Super powerful and hyper effective, Elemental Wizdom’s entire line is thoughtfully crafted with the highest quality ingredients — which means you’ll never find preservatives, artificial colors, flavors, sugars, gluten, yeast, soy, dairy, or casein in their products. That’s not just an effectiveness thing, says Adam Ian, the company’s founder and chief alchemist. “We have extensive relationships with not only manufacturer suppliers, but research facilities around the world. All of our ingredients are third party tested for purity and integrity.”Unlike most probiotic manufacturers who use lab-made bacterial strains, Elemental Wizdom uses human-derived bacteria. According to Ian, “Only human strain probiotics will colonize the human body. All the other sources die off once ingested. Our probiotics live on the inside of you and support the legacy of your life.” So that fancy probiotic you’re paying $100 for at Erewhon? It might not even make it past your stomach. Sad!
Unless you’re “farming your own food” and avoiding “agricultural development, GMOs, and chemtrails,” Ian thinks everyone should be supplementing with a probiotic or digestive enzyme to get the most nutrients out of their food.
“If you experienced a natural childbirth, were breastfed by your mother who experienced the same, and have had generations of healthy lives not exposed to pollution, pesticides, or disease — or if you live in a truly natural environment and grow your own food — only then do you probably not need to take probiotics,” he laughs. Basically, Ian believes everyone needs to take a probiotic or gut health supplement — no matter how healthy they are at the present moment.So now that you’re armed with the knowledge of what probiotics will make or break you, take a look at the back of your go-to strain. Is it human derived? Is it free from yeast, artificial flavors, and preservatives? If not, it might be time to change up your gut health game. Michelle Pellizzon is an LA-based creative consultant, writer, and founder of @holisticism. Find her at @betterbymichelle to explore the weirdness of LA’s healthy living scene, stalk puppers, and find the best matcha latte on the east side of the 405.
