If you are like me and love to travel, but have a fear of digestive issues while on the road, look no further.
As a Naturopathic doc and avid traveller, here are my top tips on choosing a probiotic for travel:
1. Stick to a shelf-stable, no-refrigeration-required probiotic:
Most high-quality probiotics will require refrigeration to maintain potency. When you are travelling, this is not something you want to be worried about – and trust me, you will forget it in the hotel room fridge. I recommend opting for a shelf-stable probiotic such as Nutridophilus Essentials. Nutridophilus is made to maintain potency without requiring refrigeration. It contains a blend of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacillus strains, which have been shown to prevent travellers’ diarrhea.
2. Look for these two power probiotics to avoid traveler's diarrhea: Saccharomyces boulardii & Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Saccharomyces Boulardii:
Saccharomyces boulardii is a specific probiotic strain that has been researched to prevent and treat traveler’s diarrhea. It was discovered by Henry Boulardi in 1920, a French microbiologist studying strains of yeast in IndoChina. He noticed that during a cholera outbreak, people who were drinking special tea containing the outer skin of tropical fruit (lychee and mangosteens) did not develop cholera. He succeeded in isolating the agent responsible. It was a special strain of yeast he named “Saccharomyces boulardii. Including a probiotic that contains the strain Saccharomyces boulardii can be very effective in reducing digestive concerns while travelling.
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus (L. Rhamnosus):
Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) is a specific bacterial strain which has been shown to be an effective probiotic for several diarrheal diseases, as well as female genitourinary health. It is effective at helping balance the gut microbiome as well as vaginal microbiome while you travel.
3. Look for Prebiotics & Fibre for the Constipated Traveller
What could be worse than overactive bowels? Underactive bowels, bloating and constipation ruining your travels. Airport food and roadside stops are not abundant in prebiotics and fibre. Toss a bag of GI Manager in your travel bag and get a daily dose of fibre to help keep things moving while travelling. For constipation, I recommend opting for a soluble fibre, which is more gentle on the stomach than an insoluble fibre. Probiotics can improve stool frequency and consistency by impacting GI motility, helping keep you regular.
Whether you’re exploring new cities or soaking up sunshine on a beach, digestive discomfort should never be part of your travel itinerary. By choosing the right shelf-stable probiotic, targeting strains like Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and packing fiber to stay regular, you can take control of your gut health no matter where your journey takes you. These small but powerful additions to your travel kit can help ensure you feel your best, so you can focus on the adventure, not the bathroom.
For more tips and to learn more about finding the right probiotic for you, book a consultation!
References
BARR, Wendy; SMITH, Andrew. Acute diarrhea in adults. American family physician , 2014, vol. 89, no. 3, p. 180-189.
GALICA, Adelina Nicoleta; GALICA, Reitano; DUMITRAȘCU, Dan Lucian. Diet, fibers, and probiotics for irritable bowel syndrome. Journal of medicine and life, 2022, vol. 15, no 2, p. 174.
Lai, H., Li, Y., He, Y., Chen, F., Mi, B., Li, J., … & Liu, X. (2023). Effects of dietary fibers or probiotics on functional constipation symptoms and roles of gut microbiota: a double-blinded randomized placebo trial. Gut Microbes , 15 (1), 2197837.
MCFARLAND, Lynne V. Systematic review and meta-analysis of Saccharomyces boulardii in adult patients. World journal of gastroenterology: WJG, 2010, vol. 16, no 18, p. 2202.
