ASK THE EXPERTS

IMMUNITY EXPERT

Dr Jenna Macciochi is an immunologist and author of The Science of Staying Well (drjennamacciochi.com).

Q How do probiotics support immunity, and are there any specific strains that are best for this?

A With 70 per cent of your entire immune system based in your gut, it’s vital to support and maintain the inner ecosystem of good microbes known as the gut microbiome (GM). These helpful germs perform a variety of actions to support, train and educate your immune cells to function optimally, including:

• Taking up space to prevent bad bugs from getting a foothold.

• Strengthening the gut barrier.

• Supporting your immune system via nutrition, helping you digest your food, producing certain vitamins and minerals and metabolic waste products called “postbiotics”, which can modulate immune cell function all over the body

• “Talking” to the immune cells directly, training them and helping enhance your immune response.

If your good gut bacteria aren’t fighting fit, then you may be more at risk of picking up infections. Modern life doesn’t always allow you to routinely do all the things