Traveling can pose a challenge to your health. Common sense, particularly when it comes to food and water hygiene, along with some basic preparation, goes a long way to keeping you on the right track. Certain probiotics may be helpful, though the results are not uniform.
Supplements on the Road: Helpful or Hype?
One author admits to traveling with chia seeds in her water bottle, zinc tablets in her purse, and a shelf-stable probiotic as non-negotiable as her passport. But is this smart preparation or just good luck? She sought expert answers.
Travel can wreak havoc on our bodies, so it is unsurprising that travelers reach for immunity boosters the moment they book a flight. However, whether those supplements and vitamins actually support the body as touted is another story.
Andrew Jansen, a pharmacist and department manager at London Drugs, explains, “Travel can disrupt sleep, diet and routine, prompting many people to turn to supplements. While some may help in specific situations, the benefits are often modest.”
Vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D, and echinacea all have some evidence supporting their role in immune function. But that does not mean they will keep you from getting sick. According to Hamilton dietitian Michelle Jaelin, vitamin C is one of the most overhyped. “The claim is that high doses can boost the immune system to prevent colds and flus, but the body does not absorb that much,” she says. “The rest is filtered out, which essentially makes for expensive pee.”
Research backs that up. Taking vitamin C daily may slightly shorten the length of a cold, but it will not prevent most people from getting one in the first place.
The more reliable strategy is what we have been told for years. “Good hygiene, hydration and safe food choices remain the most effective ways to stay well,” avows Jansen.
Your Gut on Vacation
Digestive issues are one of the least glamorous aspects of travel. New foods, different bacteria, and a break from routine can all throw your system off.
Microbiologist Dr. Nigel Plummer, one of the founders of Genestra Brands’ HMF probiotic lines, warns, “Eating healthily is always important, but it is not enough to deal with the specific challenges of travel. The places where you stay and eat may pose different microbiological challenges, and that is true even on a short trip, but becomes more important the longer or farther you travel.”
Preparing your gut before traveling is worth considering. Jaelin recommends building up your gut defenses by eating probiotic-rich fermented foods like yogurt a few weeks before departure, giving your digestive system a head start against potential pathogens.
As for probiotic supplements, the research is promising but not uniform, as results vary depending on the travel location and specific probiotic strain. Jansen points to Saccharomyces boulardii as one with the strongest evidence for reducing the risk of traveler’s diarrhea.
