Different Types of Probiotics for Body Odor

When the flora in your intestinal tract is out of balance, this can lead to body odor. Probiotics are a good solution because they crowd out bad bacteria and restore balance. Probiotics can help you combat bad breath as well. There are two main types of probiotics; lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. You can also take prebiotics to enhance the effects of the probiotics. Always consult a doctor before adding a new supplement to your regimen.

Lactobacilli

Lactobacillus acidophilus helps to improve your body odor by improving elimination, says Linda Page, author of “Linda Page’s Healthy Healing.” This will improve your breath as well, Page notes 1. This probiotic also helps you digest milk sugars, or lactose, and synthesize B vitamins and amino acids. It also helps break down undigested fiber from fruits and vegetables. If you have a Candida overgrowth, acidophilus can help correct the problem.

If you have body, foot or hair that washing does not take care of, you may have a systemic Candida infection, say S. K. Dash and Beth M. Ley, authors of “Health Benefits of Probiotics.” This probiotic works in your small intestine, Page says 2. While Lactobacillus acidophilus is one of the most popular lactobacilli, there are many other strains.

Bifidobacteria

List of Good Bacteria

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Bifidobacteria attach in your large intestine. You have twice as many bifidobacterium in your intestinal tract as lactobacilli. This probiotic often is combined with Lactobacillus acidophilus in supplements, note James Balch and Mark Stengler, authors of “Prescription for Natural Cures.” This is among the probiotics that can help restore normal intestinal microflora when you are taking antibiotics 4. Antibiotics destroy these beneficial microflora. Bifidobacterium also are helpful for relieving constipation, notes Allison Tannis, author of “Probiotic Rescue. 5”

Prebiotics

Combining probiotics with prebiotics may further alleviate your body odor problem. Prebiotics are actually the food source for probiotics and they help to promote probiotic growth and activity, Tannis says 5. Examples of prebiotics include pectin, inulin and beta-glucan. While probiotics thrive on these short-chain sugar molecules, your body cannot digest them. In addition to promoting growth of probiotics, particularly bifidobacteria, they help inhibit the growth of undesirable microorganisms. The most popular type of prebiotics are called fructooligosaccharides, or FOS for short.