As one of 3 siblings in this family run business, Soraya is so clearly passionate about what they are creating. OptiBac Probiotics is one of the largest range of probiotics and their ethical and problem solving approach is earning them more and more fans every day.
Stylenest took 5 minutes with Soraya to get a better understanding of what probiotics actually do!
Can you please explain to our readers what a probiotic is and the process it goes through in our bodies?
Probiotics, often referred to as ‘friendly bacteria’, are microorganisms shown to support human health. Probiotics are incredible for digestion – most of the research supports their use for things like prevention of an upset tummy whilst travelling or taking antibiotics, or for IBS and its symptoms like bloating, diarrhoea and/or constipation. However the effects of probiotics are further reaching too. There’s plenty of clinical evidence that certain strains (particularly Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1® and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14®) can support women’s intimate health and help to reduce the occurrence of thrush and cystitis; and we are seeing growing evidence for the use of probiotics in skin health, in managing cholesterol levels, and even in mental health – so it’s an extremely exciting area to be in.
Why do you think so many more people are suffering with digestive complaints than they were 10 years ago?
There are a number of factors which contribute, but I’ll isolate three in particular. These days antibiotics are prescribed more than they used to be –antibiotics do not distinguish between the good and bad bacteria in the gut, generally speaking they destroy them both, which can cause digestive complaints like an upset tummy, so it’s important to take a probiotic alongside an antibiotic.
Another big factor is stress. There is evidence to show that stress has a damaging effect on our gut bacteria, and of course this in turn leads to digestive complaints, as the body has inadequate good bacteria to properly digest food, keep inflammation levels low, displace pathogens and so on.
Finally, the variety of foods that we eat these days, and in particular the amount of fibre we ingest, has plummeted over time and compared to that of our ancestors. Different types of foods, more plant-based foods, and more fibre, have been shown to encourage our body’s diversity of friendly bacteria. And fascinatingly (perhaps scarily), it has been shown in preliminary studies that this lack of diversity is then passed on to our children.
How can a poor digestive system effect the way we look and feel?
Bloating is hugely common, and it’s completely visible!
IBS – thought to affect as many as 1 in 5 in the UK – can be utterly debilitating. It can affect your confidence and mood- not being in good health definitely affects the way we feel, but perhaps more so when the health issue is digestive, because of the ever present ‘poo taboo’.
There is a fascinating mind-gut connection! More and more evidence is demonstrating a two way connection between the gut and the brain – and specifically between the types of bacteria we have in our gut, and the levels of anxiety we feel. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus acidophilus Rosell-52 & Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175, (both found in our daily probiotic) to reduce psychological distress, depression, anger-hostility and anxiety in participants taking the probiotics compared to those taking placebo not.
The OptiBac Probiotics range is brilliantly wide, addressing so many different digestive issues. How does each product differentiate in order to treat these issues?
Well, each individual has different bacteria, so it follows that we all have different needs when it comes to topping up with the right kind of probiotics.
We look at different levels of research, from in-vitro tests to clinical trials with 100s of participants being carefully monitored in a hospital-type setting; and we find types of probiotics which have been found to help with specific conditions. For example, Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12®, the strain found in OptiBac Probiotics ‘Bifidobacteria & fibre’ is the most clinically trialled probiotic in the world for constipation. Our ‘For those on antibiotics’ is the most clinically trialled probiotic alongside (even when taken at the same time as) antibiotics. ‘For women’ is the most clinically trialled probiotic worldwide for women’s intimate health – in bacterial vaginosis, thrush, and cystitis.
Can you mix and match OptiBac Probiotics daily/weekly to suit your needs?
Totally, it makes perfect sense to mix and match! At the moment I’m taking ‘For every day’ and doing a course of ‘For women’ just as a top up that I like to do every now and then. Having said that, people can take both of these all the time, it’s a common combination for our female customers.
It’s more or less impossible to overdose on probiotics – they’re natural supplements, not medicines, and the body is home to some 100 trillion microorganisms. So whilst a supplement containing 5, 10 or 20 billion may seem an awful lot, it’s all relative!
With so many brands to choose from, what makes OptiBac Probiotics stand out from the crowd?
Our research, and our focus on different strains for different conditions, set us apart. Not only are our probiotic strains proven to survive at room temperature, and to survive to reach the gut alive, but wherever possible we use strains and combinations of strains which are clinically trialled, and for specific health benefits. The OptiBac Probiotics range offers some of the most researched strains in the world.
We’re a UK family business (I run the company with my brother and sister), our entire focus is probiotics, and we genuinely care! We support a number of charities with our work, and most recently partnered with an amazing women’s rights charity called Womankind Worldwide. We donate between 20p and £1 (depending on packsize) to Womankind for each pack purchased of ‘For women’, and have so far donated over £23,000 since the product’s launch in late 2014.
Probiotics have come a long way since the first little probiotic yoghurts hit the shelves so many years ago. Why do you think people have become more open to the idea of eating/drinking ‘friendly bacteria’?
I think we owe a lot to these probiotic yoghurts like Yakult and Activia! They have been spreading the word about the importance of gut health, and critically, the fact that bacteria aren’t all ‘gross!’
Which modern day health trends to you think are beneficial/or not?
I’m not convinced about the elimination of certain foods like gluten and carbohydrates from the diet, at least not without advice from a medical professional or in the case of gluten allergy such as coeliac disease. Some people don’t eat carbohydrates at all, whereas we know that they contain necessary energy for our bodies, and it may be healthier to simply acknowledge that some carbs are healthier than others.
Gluten can indeed be difficult to digest for many people, but I think it’s a shame that it has been demonised quite so much! And sure, we may well cut down on bread and feel better for it, but perhaps it’s that our body wasn’t responding well to the preservatives or sugar and salt in the bread, or that we’re now responding well to a decrease in the ratio of carbohydrates on our plate. Whole grains can be a healthy, and an important part of a balanced diet. What’s more, some of the gluten free foods out there are packed with so many flavourings, sugars, and so on, in order to mimic the texture and feel of the real thing – I do think that if you’re going gluten free, it’s probably healthier to simply cut down on your bread, cake and cookies altogether, and opt for different, more complex carbs like brown rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat.
As for health trends I think are great, I am LOVING the cutting down on sugar craze. Nutritionists in our industry have been fighting this battle for years, and it’s so good to see their hard work starting to pay off. Sugar upsets our friendly bacteria balance, it increases inflammation, can imbalance our hormones, contributes to diabetes and obesity…and it’s completely addictive.
Another trend I’m really feeling is fermented foods (pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, and so on)! The awareness is growing about the importance of our gut bacteria and digestive health, and it’s great!
The baby and child range seems to be a very good idea with more reported cases in recent years of digestive issues like colic, diarrhoea, constipation and lactose intolerance than ever before. How would you reassure apprehensive parents to introduce a probiotic supplement to their child’s tiny system?
Probiotics are totally natural – provided you choose a high quality supplement, you’ll be introducing types of friendly bacteria which are natural to children’s bodies anyway. A good starting point is to look at the research and reviews before making a decision. Our ‘For babies & children’ is free from nasty additives, has no sugar or flavourings, and –unlike many on the market – it’s clinically trialled in children. What’s more, the feedback and reviews we receive on our children’s supplement are fabulous!
What’s next for OptiBac Probiotics?
We are always researching and when we find something truly special, we will expand the range!
In the meantime, my siblings and I, backed by our fabulous team, look to keep spreading the word about friendly bacteria, educating people about the importance of choosing a high quality strain with research behind it, and finding the right one for you.
Thank you so much for your time!