Can Probiotics Reduce Body Odor?

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            I've seen countless stories of  people using probiotics to try and combat their odor. In addition, I    heard stories from some of them  affirming that the probiotics relieved their odor. This  made me start to  wonder  if probiotics  has any  correlation with the treatment of body odor. I can  recall a point in time when I used probiotics,  and at that time I saw less reactions from people than if I didn't use them. However,  I was doing a lot of other things to  prevent myself from smelling bad (ex. diet, exercise, supplements). But the question still remains, can probiotics alone be able to relieve any type of body odor? And  if it does, how does   it treat the odor? Well from what I researched  probiotics are   live microorgansims that are similar  to  the beneficial bacteria  that is found in the intestinal tract. Probiotics is said to help us in two ways. One way is that it keeps the  tract healthy by filtering out the harmful bacteria.

                                             Here is a video that explains how probiotics effect the body

       And the second way it impacts our health is by strengthening the immune system.  A healthy intestinal microflora  is said to aid in digestion, synthesizing  nutrients, metabolizing medications, and sustaining the healthy environment in the gut. However,  when the beneficial bacteria in  the digestive tract starts to dwindle it increases the chances of digestive issues, infections, and other illnesses. According to  an article that  was posted on  livestrong.com "When the flora in your intestinal tract is out of balance, this can lead to body odor"(Linda Tarr Kent,2011). So there is some supposed information that states that having  an out of balance flora can lead to body odor.

       Yet, I couldn't find any other article backing that information up that is a more credible source.  Probiotics are known to  treat intestinal conditions like diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome,  vaginal infections, and  skin infections. Yet, I have never read any article from a  medical website stating that it can rid your body of
bromhidrosis or fecal body odor.  It's still unknown that probiotics can relieve body odor , I have recorded some  articles where people stated that it helped relieve their body odor/bad breath.  The only thing that is certain is that it's proven alleviate digestive disorders

                                                        References

Linda Tarr Kent(2011)Different types of probiotics for body odor. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/285959-different-types-of-probiotics-for-body-odor/

Brian Conoll(2011)Probiotics for bromhidrosis. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/549620-probiotics-for-bromhidrosis/

WebMD(2013)Probiotics Overview. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tc/probiotics-topic-overview

MedicineNet(2013)Probiotics.Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/probiotics/page2.htm

Can constipation cause body odor?

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               has nothing to do with  constipation, but body odor

                       What is constipation and what are the causes?

Constipation is when you lack the ability of having 2-3 bowel movements a week. Or it's  when you make a bowel movement, 25% of the time, you have to strain, you defecate hard stools, or have incomplete evacuations. It's considered healthy to make 1-3 bowel movements daily so striving for that type of regularity should be your goal if you suffer from it. Constipation is not necessarily a dangerous disorder; however,  leaving constipation untreated can cause discomforting symptoms like  abdominal pain, swollen abdomen, vomiting,  skin problems, hemorrhoids, infrequent bowel movements, bad breath,  and of course body odor. There are many reasons why some people become constipated, the common causes of constipation are a lack of fiber, inadequate  fluid intake, little to no exercise, over-consumption of dairy products, and preventing yourself from making bowel movements. But for some people who have constipation, this problem may be caused by diseases and disorders like hypothyroidism, hemorrhoids, colon cancer, neurological conditions( like Parkinson's disease), metabolic disorder, and a host of other disorders

              Here is good diagram that shows what it looks like when your are continually constipated


                                  Can constipation cause BO?

Yes, constipation can cause BO. Think about it, the most efficient way to eliminate toxins from your  body is through emptying your bowels. If this process of elimination gets slowed down or gets clogged up in the colon . The result of this will cause a number of problems like a polluted environment in the colon, the neutralization of the beneficial bacteria in your gut, and constant inflammation in your intestines. Not only that, since your primary method of elimination  has been hindered, the toxins will be discharged through other pathways of your body like your urine, breath, skin, and sweat.

                                             Solutions

There are many different solutions that can  end   your constipation. These methods should work for most people, unless you have a more serious case, then you should consult your doctor(well you should always talk to your doctor). Anyways, here are the methods used to treat constipation.

• Fiber( 25-30mg): There are two different types of fiber, Soluble fiber and Insoluble fiber.  Both of these fibers help with constipation because soluble fiber absorbs the water that is in the intestines, thus making the stools larger and easier to pass through the intestines. While insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stools which results in a faster  transit time  through your colon. Fiber can be found in many fruits, vegetables, and grains. Some people have trouble digesting certain grains or vegetables because of  food intolerances , if you have  similar problems then maybe you should try synthetic fibers(example: fiber capsules, fiber tablets, fiber gummies).
• Magnesium(250-500mg): Taking magnesium is essential for anyone who's suffering from constipation because magnesium has the ability to make  a smoother   pathway for the bowels  to go through the intestines and it also  attracts water into the intestines which makes the stools much softer and easier to pass for a movement.
• Drink  8-10 glasses of water ( 2 liters): It's sort of common sense that if your stools are hard, sticky, and dry. Then, you might be lacking the sufficient amount of water intake for your body to eliminate waste properly. Adding more fluids into your diet can make your stools much softer and smoother to pass through  your system.
• Exercise: The most responsive type of exercise that can help with constipation is aerobic exercise( running, jogging, dancing, walking, etc.). Exercise can help end constipation because it  accelerates   your heart rate and simultaneously stimulates the contraction of intestinal muscles,  which in turn moves the stools out quicker.
• Probiotics: Is said to aid  with digestion because of the beneficial bacteria  like lactobacillus acidophilus or bifidobacterium animalis. These types of bacteria strengthen the immune system and also alleviate any other stomach disorders including constipation. Researchers have found that the bacteria bifidobacterium animalis greatly reduced the transit time for people who suffered from constipation
  
• Enemas: This is one of the last things I will ever try, but enemas are a good solution for those of you whose stools are constantly hard and dehydrated. Enemas can  soften and lubricate the impacted feces that have  been accumulating on your intestinal walls, which consequently, will manifest a larger and quicker bowel movement
• Colon cleansing: Is such a broad topic. There are many different methods and products that are associated with colon cleansing like herbal medicine, dieting, fasting, etc.. The main components that these methods have in common is fiber and some type of laxative that loosens your stool.There are a lot of products online that say their product is the best way to cleanse your colon. But in reality, all you need is psyllium husk, magnesium, and a good amount of fiber rich foods in your diet to see the results of  an expensive colon cleansing product.
• Colonic irrigation: This is considered another word for colon cleanse and it's definitely a more extreme method of an enema. But don't worry, colonic irrigation is a completely safe procedure. The reason it is more vehement is for the fact that gallons of liquid is being pumped into your colon, whereas an enema is only small amount of liquid.
• Surgery: This is only my opinion so don't put your life decisions on my belief, however;   I feel that surgery should be a last option for most  people. Unless you tried every method that I mentioned above, and to avail your constipation still hasn't ended. At that time  I would recommend getting surgery, especially if you're suffering from anal fistulas or fissures.

                                              References
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-constipation
http://constipationdoctor.com/main-causes-of-bad-breath-in-adults/
http://www.colon-cleanse-information.com/chronic-constipation.html
http://www.enzymestuff.com/rtencopresis.htm
http://www.health911.com/constipation
http://ezinearticles.com/?Body-Odor-and-Constipation:--Whats-the-Big-Stink-About?&id=252424
 http://www.poopdoc.com/articles/constipationandprobiotics.html
 http://www.everydayhealth.com/digestive-health/enemas-for-constipation-relief.aspx