Probiotics are live microorganisms that help improve the gastrointestinal flora in our bodies. 

Explained Dr. Gwee Kok An, Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine, National University of Singapore, “The term probiotics are used to describe products that contain living bacteria that can provide health benefits to the consumer. These products that have undergone clinical testing i.e. in people with certain medical conditions who have improved on treatment with the probiotic under testing.”

He continued, “However nowadays, the label probiotic is widely used to label any food or drug product as long as the microbial content is safe for consumption.”

Probiotics are beneficial for everyone – the young and old alike.

Said Dr. Gwee, “Probiotics work to regulate the internal environment within our gut, for example, by limiting the growth of harmful microorganisms and by producing beneficial compounds like vitamins, digestive enzymes and anti-inflammatory proteins. Probiotics can also work to strengthen the intestinal lining as well as condition the  intestinal immune system to produce a balanced reaction to food proteins and microbial toxins.”

And so this, in turn leads to good gut health. And having good gut health can lead to benefits such as boosting our immunity, improved digestion, healthier skin, regulating our bowel movements and enhancing the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from the food we eat.

Also added the doctor, “Consumption of probiotic bacteria can contribute to intestinal barrier function. Probiotics may initiate repair of the barrier function after damage, and can also shorten the symptoms in infectious diarrhoea and alleviate lactose intolerance and postoperative complications. Probiotics have also been shown to have antimicrobial activities and modulate immune responses to food antigens.”

While taking probiotics is good, Dr. Gwee, however pointed out that not all probiotic supplements are good. He said, “Each individual’s microbiome is unique, and certain strains may work in some individuals but not others. Also, certain products may cause side effects like abdominal pain, flatulence and loose stools in one family member but not the other.” 

He continued, “Generalisations concerning the potential health benefits of probiotics should not be made because probiotic effects tend to be strain-specific, and could be specific to the disease and health condition of an individual.”

Launched in South Korea in 2010, DUOLAC today has become a leading probiotic supplementation brand in the world, and they use a dual coating technology that increases the survival rate of lactic acid bacteria in the intestine which makes its survival rate 100 times higher than uncoated probiotics. As well, DUOLAC probiotics are also halal-certified, gluten-free and do not need refrigeration.

I recently received a pack from DUOLAC containing the following.

DUOLAC Care

This is the signature Duolac product for adults to maintain balanced intestinal microflora for a healthy gut. In capsule form, it contains 6 probiotic strains with a dash of Vitamin C.

DUOLAC Multivitamins 

This is a dual-function capsule where you can now have your probiotics and multivitamins at the same time. It contains 4 probiotic strains, 9 types of vitamins including biotin. This helps the body’s metabolism to release energy from food to support vitality and a healthy immune system.

DUOLAC Awake

This triple care product helps to maintain not only healthy intestines, but also the stomach and the liver. This is suitable for modern individuals with busy lifestyles, with 5 probiotic strains as well as liquorice extract for stomach health and milk thistle extract for liver health.

Since receiving them, I have been taking the DUOLAC probiotics daily. It has been simple to incorporate them into my routine. This is because the DUOLAC supplements come in capsule/tablet form and they are just the right size, making them easy to swallow with a glass of beverage without much fuss. I barely notice them going down my throat. Yay to good gut health.

While most people do benefit with probiotics, however Dr. Gwee pointed out that there are small groups of people to whom probiotics can do more harm than good.

He said, “people with weakened immune systems, for example, patients who are undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, could be at risk of serious infections arising from introducing live bacteria, even if these are claimed to be good bacteria with probiotic properties.”

Continued the doctor, “as claims have been made for some probiotics to help with diarrhoea and some to work for constipation, it is therefore possible to cause the opposite of the desired effects in some people.”

But if you are not amongst these high-risk groups, Dr. Gwee reassured that it is good to supplement with probiotics as part of your daily routine, without any problems.

Besides the products that I had been given, the DUOLAC range includes 7 different types, including specific ones for travel and children, and the entire range is available on Lazada.sg. Limited product range are also available at Guardian pharmacies and Watson’s stores.