As the holiday season approaches, people want to feel good and have the energy to enjoy the season. Unfortunately, winter is also cold and flu season, which can interrupt holiday festivities.  

A recent study found that 20 percent of the general population will suffer from cold or flu-like symptoms at least once a year. LifePharm offers a probiotic supplement that provides optimal support to help the body fight off germs and bacteria that cause illness. 

An Economic Burden On The Health Care System

One scientific investigator has taken data and predicted how many days a person living in a country such as France or Canada can expect to take. Doctor visits, antibiotics, absenteeism and feeling downright miserable can take its toll on an individual. Add this up for a country and the expense is phenomenal for the health care system and the economics of the business community. 

Employees that miss work as a result of respiratory conditions place substantial health and economic burden on society. In a six-month survey of 3,249 university students, upper respiratory tract conditions resulted in 6,023 bed-days, 4,263 missed school days, 3,175 missed workdays and 45,219 total days of illness. 

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 million school days and 20 million workdays are lost annually due to the “common cold” in the U.S.A. 

Can Probiotic Supplements Reduce Sick Days?

Probiotics are defined as “live micro-organisms that confer a health benefit on the host when administered in adequate amounts.” Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of probiotics on the symptoms and incidence of respiratory conditions. Although the research is limited, the evaluation of numerous studies has reported a positive effect of several types of probiotics in terms of shortening the duration of common cold-like symptoms.

An in-depth review of both randomized and controlled studies was done to assess the effects of 1 probiotics on the duration of acute respiratory conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, and the common cold-like occurrences in otherwise healthy adults. The investigators evaluated probiotics that belong to the Lactobacillus and Bifi dobacterium general.

The probiotic used in DIGESTIVE+++ is a Lactobacillus (produces lactic acid), which was renamed Bacillus sporogenes because it is a unique type of Lactobacillus that forms a spore or coating around the active microbe. This is unique to the Lactobacillus probiotic types in that the spore resists digestion and the high acidity of the stomach. This keeps the probiotic more viable and active as it travels into the GI tract and colon where it is most effective. 

Probiotics Proven To Reduce Sick Day

The studies compared subjects consuming probiotics to those consuming no probiotics. The trials reported on the duration of the unhealthy episode, length of episodes, number of days off (sick from school or work), and time without an episode. Respiratory irritations were considered to include upper or lower respiratory conditions, colds or flu-like symptoms. 

The results of 20 studies carried out in Europe, U.S.A., Chile, and China showed significantly fewer days of illness per person. The study also showed shorter illness episodes and fewer days absent from school or work in participants taking a Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium probiotic supplement than those who had taken a placebo.

Health Model Shows Probiotics Could Save $100 Million in Health Care Cost

A mathematical model was proposed and published in 2015 predicting the cost of savings in France using probiotics to shorten common respiratory and digestive complaints. These calculations were based on studies reflecting shortened duration of illness and less days missed from school or work. The calculations predicted health care savings in France of €38 million (U.S.A. $40 million).

The same model was used to predict outcomes in Canada. It was estimated that the health care system—along with fewer loss of work days—could save as much as $100 million a year in health care costs. The data published indicated that probiotic consumption could result in up to 82,000 fewer doses of antibiotics prescribed, and reduce absenteeism by as much as 500,000 days in the general population of Canada.3

What Can You Do To Boost Your Health

Add DIGESTIVE+++ to your daily routine. Taking DIGESTIVE+++ with its selected probiotic and prebiotics has been shown in a recent clinical study to increase butyrate after consuming two supplements daily for one month. Butyrate is the most important short chain fatty acid that indicates the microbiome of the gut is changing for the better. Cells lining the GI tract and colon use butyrate as their optimal fuel to stay healthy and strong. This keeps the lining sealed so only selectively digested food is allowed to cross into the bloodstream. 

Please visit our website for more information about our products and how to live a healthier and more active lifestyle.