The air is crisp, the leaves are just beginning to change, and young people are busy with studies, sports, and friends. Meanwhile, parents are bracing themselves for yet another autumn tradition: back-to-school sniffles. The best way to deal with the colds and viruses is to avoid them entirely.

It is not just germs that cause kids (and grown-ups!) to get sick. A significant factor is the strength of their immune response. That has now been proven to start in the digestive tract, where over 70 percent of immune system cells reside. Probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that live in the gut, help support the function of these immune cells.

While there has been quite a bit of attention regarding probiotics’ role in promoting digestive health, their ability to bolster immune response is lesser-known,” said Dallas-based integrative health nutrition author and radio host Martie Whittekin, CCN.

The friendly bacteria help support the function of immune system cells by, among other things, crowding out unfriendly guests, such as harmful bacteria. Probiotics also enhance digestion, allowing the body to absorb all the necessary nutrients from food and supplements. That alone equips the body with tools to stay healthy and fight off any nasty bugs that come along more efficiently.

Unfortunately, due to overuse of antibiotics, stress, and other modern environmental and dietary issues, most people of all ages have a compromised probiotic population,” said Fred Pescatore, M.D., a Manhattan-based author and internist who specializes in functional health and nutrition.

To maintain good health, the ratio of beneficial to harmful bacteria needs to be maintained at 85 to 15. This ratio is almost impossible to maintain without supplementing with a high-quality probiotic. Dr. Pescatore encourages his patients to look for a supplement that encapsulates both the probiotic and its nutritious culture medium, which contains health-promoting compounds called “Postbiotics.”

“A probiotic alone will not necessarily be successful. The friendly bacteria need what is called prebiotic support,” explained Whittekin, who noted that Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics fits the bill. The probiotic formula is encapsulated with its culture medium. The culture medium provides a nutritious blend of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and postbiotics, along with pH-balancing organic acids. “This prebiotic support ensures that the probiotics take root and thrive in the digestive tract,” stressed Whittekin.

With prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotic supplementation in place, the body’s immune system can experience significant benefits, resulting in fewer sick days. That’s excellent news for the whole family.

When relying on probiotics to support the immune response, it is vital to choose the right supplement. Some products claim to have “billions and billions” of bacteria. That’s not necessarily a good thing, though. Providing too much of a single bacterial strain can trigger a hyper-immune response; the body treats the supplemented bacteria as a threat. Consumers should also look out for probiotic products that may have undergone manufacturing processes or shipping conditions that render them useless. Avoid these pitfalls by finding a brand that has conducted studies on its finished product.

It’s not just germs that make people sick. Poor digestive tract balance can lead to a compromised immune response, making the body especially vulnerable to daily germ exposure. A high-quality probiotic supplement can be a big step toward sound health for the whole family throughout the year.