As summer is just around the corner, holiday preparations are at full speed. Plans are made, flights are booked, and bags are being packed, everything is taken care of. But have you taken care off your gut as well? Traveller’s diarrhoea (TD) is the most common travel-related illness. Even though symptoms usually only last for about two days, it can bring a high level of inconvenience. Probiotics might help to prevent TD by inhibiting growth of pathogens that cause the problem.
TD is a common problem, affecting about 40% of the people travelling to high-risk areas such as the Middle East, Southern and South-East Asia, South and Central America, and the developing countries in Africa [1]. Symptoms usually last for about 2 days, but in some cases they might persist for over 2 weeks and in 4-31% of the cases it even causes post-infections.
The cause of Traveller’s Diarrhoea lies with an overgrowth of some pathogenic bacteria. Common pathogens that cause TD are enterotoxigenic E. coli, Campylobacter jejuni, Shigella species and Salmonella species [2]. To prevent TD it is often advised to “Boil it, peel it, cook it or forget it”. It can however be difficult to comply with this advise, especially during travel when you are not always in control of the food you eat. Probiotics might offer a solution by helping to prevent TD
What can probiotics do?
Probiotics are live micro-organisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. In the case of TD, they might do so by preventing an overgrowth of the harmful bacteria in the gut.
Winclove Travel is a multispecies probiotic specifically developed to reduce the risk of developing TD. The strains in Winclove Travel have been selected for their capacity to protect against pathogens known to cause TD, such as E. coli, Shigella and Salmonella. They protect against patogens by producing antimicrobial agents, inhibiting adhesion and competing for growth.
Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Winclove Travel. In an in vitro study, several distinct inhibitory functions of the investigated strains were found against the pathogens. [3). A pilot study also demonstrated reduction of developing TD when using Winclove Travel. 200 travellers to high-risk areas took 5 grams of Winclove Travel once daily. Only 19% developed TD, compared to the usual 40%. 42% of the participants indicated to have benefitted from the supplementation.
Enjoy travelling to the fullest
Nobody wants to spend their holiday not feeling well. It's a waste of time and money. So, when you pack your bags for a distant destination do not forget to take care off your gut as well. Take precautions by taking probiotics such as Winlove Travel a couple of days before travel until the end of the journey. And/or follow the tips to prevent TD! Enjoy your holiday!
