Test

We hear about probiotics, the “good bugs” in our digestive system a lot, but what’s all of the buzz about prebiotics?

Prebiotics are the fiber-rich foods that probiotics feed on. Taking probiotic supplements or consuming probiotic rich foods such as kefir, yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, and sauerkraut will only get you so far if you are not consuming enough prebiotic fiber for the probiotics to eat. We call this seed (taking probiotics or probiotic foods) and feed (giving food to the good bacteria to flourish).

When probiotics feed on and break down (ferment) these prebiotic foods in the colon, a beneficial short chain fatty acid called butyric acid is formed. Often used interchangeably with the term butyric acid when discussing gut health, butyrate is the preferred energy source for the cells in the colon. While more studies are needed, butyrate has been studied for its roles in colon cancer prevention, insulin resistance/diabetes, obesity reduction, atherosclerosis, and chronic inflammation. Remember that what happens in the gut, doesn’t stay in the gut. Low grade inflammation that starts in the gut, then circulates through the blood supply causing symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, aches and pains, and even skin rashes and acne.

Here are some foods that are some good food sources of prebiotic fiber:

o Asparagus
o Banana (especially green bananas = resistant starch)
o Barley
o Dandelion greens
o Eggplant
o Artichokes
o Leeks
o Legumes
o Oats
o Onions
o Peas
o Potatoes
o Whole grains

There are many other fiber-rich fruits and vegetables that are great to eat but the above stand out as good sources of prebiotics specifically.

If you are thinking, “hey I’d love to eat these foods, but these fiber-rich foods really cause me discomfort whenever I eat them”, there’s a good chance you have some level of Dysbiosis (microbial imbalance) going on in your gut. At Root, we do comprehensive stool testing to help you get to the root of your health concerns.  Remember that even if you aren’t having digestive issues, other symptoms such as joint pain, fatigue, and brain fog could be due to imbalances in your gut microbiota.

We have many options to help you improve your gut health. Here are two favorites:

We can do a deep dive in our Get to the Root program (for members in Michigan)

You can access our most commonly used gut health supplements in our Gut Health bundle (available for shipping throughout U.S.)

Aliquet enim tortor at auctor urna. Vel orci porta non pulvinar neque laoreet suspendisse interdum. Eget duis at tellus at urna condimentum mattis pellentesque. Sed vulputate odio ut enim blandit volutpat maecenas. Phasellus vestibulum lorem sed risus. Pellentesque eu tincidunt tortor aliquam nulla facilisi cras. Imperdiet proin fermentum leo vel orci. Maecenas ultricies mi eget mauris pharetra et ultrices neque ornare. Convallis aenean et tortor at risus. Eu consequat ac felis donec et odio pellentesque. Risus commodo viverra maecenas accumsan lacus vel facilisis volutpat est. Placerat vestibulum lectus mauris ultrices eros in cursus turpis massa. Nunc faucibus a pellentesque sit amet porttitor eget dolor morbi. Amet commodo nulla facilisi nullam vehicula. Donec adipiscing tristique risus nec feugiat in. Scelerisque eu ultrices vitae auctor. Vel pharetra vel turpis nunc eget lorem dolor sed. Sem et tortor consequat id porta nibh venenatis cras. Eget lorem dolor sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet bibendum.

Your diet may also impact your overall egg quality. To learn more, read our other blog post: Fertility Diet to Improve Egg Quality

Insulin resistance occurs when your cells do not properly respond to insulin, leading to higher blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance worsens inflammation and causes the ovaries to produce more androgens (i.e. testosterone). Excess androgens may prevent ovulation, cause longer cycles, and lead to difficulty conceiving.

In order to reduce androgens and promote ovulation, you must focus on balancing blood sugar and reducing insulin resistance, if present. Fortunately, CoQ10 can help. A review study evaluating the use of CoQ10 for women with PCOS found that taking CoQ10 significantly reduced fasting blood sugar and markers of insulin resistance (6).

Male infertility accounts for nearly 50 percent of all cases in which a couple has difficulty conceiving. Oxidative stress is the biggest factor impacting sperm quality. However, men with subfertility who take an antioxidant supplement may have a significantly higher chance of their partner conceiving and a higher chance of a live birth (7).  

As we mentioned earlier, CoQ10 is an antioxidant that can lower oxidative stress. A large review study evaluated the effect of CoQ10 supplements in male infertility and found that CoQ10 did not significantly increase pregnancy rates but did increase sperm count and sperm mobility (8). 

While specific dosing of CoQ10 is often personalized based on your clinical history and fertility treatment plan, starting with 100 – 200 mg of CoQ10 per day is a great place to start. For best results, take CoQ10 with a meal to enhance absorption. 

You can purchase Coenzyme Q10 from our Root Shop.

Taking CoQ10 is an inexpensive, promising, and safe therapy that may improve fertility outcomes by reducing oxidative stress, improving egg and sperm quality, and reducing insulin resistance in women with PCOS. Some studies have found higher pregnancy rates in women taking CoQ10 supplements compared to women who do not take this supplement.

You can also check out our PCOS Supplement Bundle or our Male Fertility Supplement Bundle.