By Joanie Blaxter, Weston A. Price Chapter Leader, California
Do you know why digestive problems go hand-in-hand with a lowered immune response?
Location, location, location! Our gut bacteria and immune system are both in the same area of the body – the intestines. With approximately 80% of our immune system receptor sites embedded in our intestinal walls, peak immune functioning depends directly upon the output of the microbial population contained within our gut.
All gut microbes naturally create by-products as the result of their living process inside us. Microbes producing health-enhancing substances are described as “probiotic” or helpful, while “pathological” or harmful microbes produce “endotoxins” meaning those by-products are irritating or inflammatory.
A central job of beneficial microbes is to protect our immune system by keeping the harmful strains in check. Otherwise, our body becomes increasingly stressed with an overload of these bacteria-produced inflammatory irritants.
Both overeating and alcohol can kill off good gut bacteria. Excessive sugar or carbohydrate consumption can encourage the growth of the “bad” strains over the “good.” What do you get when you put alcohol, sugar and overeating together? Hint: it always comes in December…
Quick Answer: About 80% of the immune system is located in the gut, so the balance of bacteria in your microbiome directly shapes how your immune system functions. Beneficial microbes keep harmful strains in check, while an overgrowth of harmful bacteria produces inflammatory endotoxins that can stress the immune system and contribute to leaky gut. Spore-based Bacillus probiotics are studied for what conventional probiotics and antimicrobials cannot do: they survive digestion to reach the gut alive, selectively target harmful microbes while feeding beneficial ones, and help reduce endotoxin levels. The Bacillus indicus HU36 strain also produces measurable amounts of antioxidants and vitamins right in the gut.
How Do Harmful Gut Bacteria Affect the Immune System?
Harmful gut bacteria produce inflammatory by-products called endotoxins. These can interfere with immune receptor sites in the intestinal wall, overwork the body's detoxifying organs, and contribute to leaky gut, all of which can stress the immune system.
Harmful bacterial by-products in our gut:
- Interfere with the immune system receptor sites in our intestinal wall, possibly making us susceptible to picking up opportunistic viruses and bacteria (Remember that January flu bug you got that seemed like it took forever to completely shake?).
- Stress out detoxifying organs working overtime to strain these poisonous endotoxins out of our bloodstream. (Now factor in all the alcohol you imbibed at those three holiday parties capped off by the New Years Eve bash – yep, that was a set up for disaster.)
- Create Leaky Gut. Chronically irritated intestines eventually develop microscopic holes, ie ‘Leaky Gut,’ through which substances from in the intestines – endotoxins, bacteria, food particles, etc. – leak directly into the bloodstream.
What Happens to the Immune System When Leaky Gut Develops?
Once leaky gut develops, substances that should stay in the intestines can leak into the bloodstream. That can stress an already compromised immune system, burden the liver and kidneys, overstimulate the adrenals, and raise the body's overall inflammatory load.
Once Leaky Gut develops, leaked substances inappropriately floating around in the bloodstream can:
- Stress an already compromised immune system to additionally produce multiple antibodies whose job is to surround, engulf, “neutralize” and conduct foreign invaders out of the system.
- Further burden our already overwhelmed liver and kidneys with also having to filtering out miscellaneous food particles, bacteria, etc.
- Overstimulate the adrenals into high alert as they now regard the body to be under ongoing pathological threat, possibly leading to chronic, excessive cortisol production and adrenal exhaustion.
- Increase our overall bodily inflammatory load as detoxifying organs slow down. Circulating around and around, these bacteria-produced endotoxins carried by the bloodstream can cause an inflammatory response potentially anywhere in the body, including the brain.
How Do Spore Probiotics Support Immune Health?
Spore-based Bacillus probiotics survive digestion to reach the gut alive, where they help reduce endotoxin levels, target harmful microbes, and feed beneficial bacteria. A published human trial found one spore probiotic reduced endotoxin levels in 30 days.
But here’s the good news for immune support!
Only Just Thrive Spore Probiotic has a recently published human trial showing that it “significantly” reversed Leaky Gut by reducing endotoxin levels. Furthermore, it did this at just one cap daily in 30 days with no other changes in diet or lifestyle. (See Oral spore-based probiotic supplementation published by the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology August 2017.)
The bi-phasic (can live with or without oxygen), gut commensal (meaning the gut is their natural home) spore bacteria strains in Just Thrive do what no other cough/cold/flu medication, herb or conventional, non-spore probiotic can do.
Just Thrive Probiotic’s Spore Bacillus:
- 100% remain ALIVE to our intestines, unlike lacto/bifido strains which are 99+% killed by stomach acid and unable to colonize in the oxygen-free gut,
- Actually can distinguish between beneficial versus harmful microbes in our gut. Because Just Thrive consists ONLY of “gut commensal” strains and it’s in these “intelligent” bacteria’s best interest that the host (you and me, folks!) remain healthy, these strains
- Kill ONLY harmful, invasive microbes in our gut microbiome while at the same time
- Feed, protect and increase the beneficial population (Just Thrive’s clinical study shows a 30% improvement in the gut microbiome in about 14 days at one cap daily).
- Provide critical immune benefit by reducing the endotoxin level produced by pathological gut bacteria.
How Are Spore Probiotics Different From Antimicrobials and Conventional Probiotics?
Unlike antimicrobials, even natural ones like colloidal silver or oregano oil, which kill all bacteria both good and bad, spore probiotics selectively target only harmful microbes while supporting beneficial ones. Most conventional probiotics, by contrast, are killed by stomach acid before they can colonize.
Intelligent, ALIVE spore bacteria do for our health what no chemical or herb can
The ability of these living bacteria to selectively kill only the bad microbes while increasing the good Is what makes Just Thrive’s Spore Probiotic fundamentally different from all other traditional forms of immune support.
Chemically based antimicrobials, even the “natural” ones like colloidal silver or oregano oil, kill all bacteria, beneficial and harmful, leaving the door wide open for a regrowth of the hardy, antibiotic-resistant “bad guys.”
At the first sign of a cold/flu or digestive discomfort, I temporarily increase my Just Thrive Spore Probiotic dose. It’s worked every time! And that’s not all these carefully selected Just Thrive Spore bacteria do…
Can Spore Probiotics Produce Vitamins in the Gut?
Yes. The four licensed spore strains in Just Thrive have been shown to produce measurable amounts of nutrients in the gut, and the patented Bacillus indicus HU36 strain alone produces seven different antioxidants right where the body can absorb them.
Immune support AND vitamin production
ONLY Just Thrive Spore Probiotic contains the unique, patented Bacillus Indicus HU36 which produces an astounding SEVEN different antioxidants in our gut.
These beneficial byproducts are not just a dusting, but actual RDA measurable levels, produced right next to the microvilli extending from the inside of the intestinal walls. Since the job of microvilli is to absorb nutrients, this ensures peak absorption of these bacteria-produced vitamins so needed during times of extra stress.
All together, all four licensed spore strains in Just Thrive have been shown in studies to produce:
- Full range of the natural B Complex, including Methyl B12 and folate (not the artificial folic acid)
- Quinols (as in CoQ10-Quinol, etc)
- Vitamin K
- Astaxanthin
- Zeaxanthin
- CoQ10
- Alpha carotene
- Beta carotene
- Lycopene
- Lutein
As the ultimate gut cleaners, Just Thrive’s unique, proprietary Spore Bacillus strains not only can provide critical immune support by reducing endotoxin levels, but also, especially with the patented Indicus HU36, turn our gut into a virtual vitamin production factory!
Got the winter blues? Reach first for Just Thrive’s 100% Spore Probiotic!
Frequently Asked Questions About Spore Probiotics and Immune Support
Why is the gut so important for immune health?
About 80% of the immune system is located in the intestines, where immune receptor sites sit alongside the gut microbiome. The balance of beneficial and harmful bacteria there directly influences how well the immune system functions.
What are endotoxins?
Endotoxins are inflammatory by-products produced by harmful gut bacteria. When they build up, they can irritate the intestinal wall, contribute to leaky gut, and add to the body's overall inflammatory load.
How do spore probiotics support the immune system?
Spore-based Bacillus probiotics survive digestion to reach the gut alive, where they help reduce endotoxin levels, target harmful microbes, and feed beneficial bacteria. A published human trial found one spore probiotic reduced endotoxin levels at one capsule daily over 30 days.
How are spore probiotics different from antimicrobials?
Antimicrobials, including natural ones like colloidal silver and oregano oil, kill all bacteria, both beneficial and harmful, which can leave room for hardy bad bacteria to regrow. Spore probiotics instead selectively target only harmful microbes while supporting the good ones.
Do spore probiotics make vitamins?
The four licensed spore strains in Just Thrive have been shown to produce measurable amounts of nutrients in the gut, including B vitamins, vitamin K, and CoQ10. The patented Bacillus indicus HU36 strain alone produces seven different antioxidants.
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