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Antibiotics

Importance of Boosting your Immune System During a Pandemic

By April 15, 2021May 28th, 2021No Comments

When prescribing antibiotics, healthcare professionals will commonly recommend probiotics be taken either during, the course. This makes good sense as probiotics reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and help replace the good bacteria that antibiotics strip away1.

What many people don’t know, however, is that probiotics are not only important when you’re taking antibiotics. Daily probiotic use actually plays a vital role in protecting your gut all year round – something worth doing, considering that roughly 70% of the body’s immune system is housed here2.

This is especially true during these vulnerable COVID-19 times, as lockdown restrictions continue to be lifted. In the absence of a vaccine, maintaining a strong, healthy immune system has never been more important3.

But not all probiotics are equal

Our gut houses billions of bacteria (microflora) – some good, but others really bad1. This is where maintaining a daily dose of a probiotic offers a balance for overall immune system health by fighting off bad bacteria4.

entiro™ – one of South Africa’s fastest-growing probiotics, which lines, binds and protects the entire gut – has been developed through the award-winning research of renowned scientist Professor Leon Dicks of Stellenbosch University5.

Professor Dicks said: “The strains in entiroTM colonizes different sections of the gut to ensure optimal protection. Unique protein structures on the surface of entiroTM cells ensure strong binding and solid lining of the gut wall, which prevents binding of pathogens6”

Research also suggests that using a daily probiotic can assist with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhoea, delay the development of eczema in children, and prevent vaginal and urinary infections7.

Hard pill to swallow?

Right now, everyone could do with an immune system boost – even those who have a tough time swallowing pills or stomaching tablets. This is why, in addition to the capsules and chewable tablets, entiro™ has created FastMelt sachets in red berry flavour that dissolve instantly on the tongue. These sachets can be used by children as young six months and are also suitable for diabetics and vegans as they contain no gelatin.

Kill bad bacteria and win with entiro™

And it’s not just your gut health that will win with entiro™. By playing the entiro™ PacMan game online and killing the bad bacteria, you could stand a chance of winning three great prizes to the value of R17,500. To play the entiro™ PacMan game, visit this link: http://pacman.entiro.co.za.

References:

  1. Rodgers, B., et al. Prescribing an antibiotic? Pair it with probiotics. J. Fam. Pract. 62(3), 148–150 (2020).
  2. Vighi, G., et al.Allergy and the gastrointestinal system. Clin. Exp. Immunol. Rev. 153, 3–6 (2008).
  3. World Economic Forum. How does your immune system work? Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/immune-system-fight-off-disease-coronavirus-covid19-pandemic. (Accessed: 29th June 2020)
  4. Cleveland Clinic. Probiotics: What is it, Benefits, Side Effects, Food & Types. 1–15
  5. Cipla. entiro™ consumer information leaflet.
  6. Ramiah K, Van Reenen CA, Dicks LMT. Expression of the mucus adhesion genes mub and mapA, adhesion-like factor EF-Tu and bacteriocin gene plaA of Lactobacillus plantarum 423 monitored with real-time PCR. Int J Food Microbiol. 2007;116:405409
  7. Harvard Health Publishing. Health benefits of taking probiotics. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/vitamins-and-supplements/health-benefits-of-taking-probiotics. (Accessed: 25th June 2020)