Tame tummy trouble while travelling with a probiotic supplement

Our gut microbiome, a diverse community of trillions of microbes, plays an important role in our overall health, influencing digestion, immunity, and even mood.

However, travel can make your tummy turn by disrupting this delicate ecosystem, leading to an imbalanced microbiome that can cause negative health consequences such as traveller’s diarrhoea.

The condition is caused by coming into contact with surfaces in high-traffic areas in airports, aeroplanes and public transport used during travel, or from eating eats and drinking water that have bacteria, viruses, or parasites.

While visiting a new destination or exotic location is exciting, the change in environment exposes our bodies to new foods, water sources and air pollution, which can introduce novel bacteria and viruses into our gut, further upsetting the balance.

Different hygiene standards and a change in diet to foods with vastly different fat and sugar contents and unfamiliar ingredients can shift the microbial balance in our guts and may introduce potentially harmful strains.

Jet lag, altered sleep patterns, and changes in meal times can also disrupt our natural circadian rhythm, impacting optimal gut function. In addition, the stress and anxiety that typically accompany travel can add additional strain to our immune system and weaken our defences, further impacting gut health.

These factors can lead to gut dysbiosis, a condition that disrupts the balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria and can manifest as various symptoms, including bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, and even weakened immunity, making you more susceptible to traveller’s diarrhoea and other illnesses.

A probiotic supplement like Biogen Travel-Biotic 9-Strain Acute contains a combination of probiotic strains that research suggests may help to improve or normalise the microbial imbalance that can occur when travelling and reduce the occurrence of traveller’s diarrhoea.   

Additional benefits associated with the strains found in this product include immune modulation to potentially protect against infections, digestive regularity and comfort, and support for conditions like diarrhoea and bloating for fewer days with gut issues when travelling.

Probiotics can also aid digestion, especially when faced with unfamiliar foods, potentially reducing bloating and discomfort.

For better protection, start taking a specially formulated travel probiotic supplement before your trip and continue throughout your journey. You can also support your efforts to stay healthy and happy on your trip with good hygiene practices, like regular hand washing and using hand sanitisers. 

You can play it safe by opting for bottled water over tap water or using water purifying tablets. You should also prioritise sleep and eat healthy foods you are accustomed to as often as possible.

With these tips and the right probiotic travel buddy, you can conquer travel tummy woes and focus on making memories that will last a lifetime. Bon voyage!