Bartell Brand And Rite Aid Acidophilus
Bartell Drugs and Rite Aid both sell probiotic supplements not requiring refrigeration. They are both labeled as containing Lactobacillus acidophilus. In addition, Rite Aid also supposedly contains Lactobacillus bulgarium and Bifidobacterium bifidum. Unfortunately, according to a 2003 study by Bastyr University, neither Bartell’s acidophilus nor Rite Aid’s acidophilus contain Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgarium or Bifidobacterium bifidum. Rather, they contain Lactobacillus rhamnosus. While this is not the species labeled on the product, Lactobacillus rhamnosus does have beneficial effects for humans, helping with digestion and immunity as well as decreasing antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children.
- Bartell Drugs and Rite Aid both sell probiotic supplements not requiring refrigeration.
- In addition, Rite Aid also supposedly contains Lactobacillus bulgarium and Bifidobacterium bifidum.
Why Some Probiotics Need To Be Refrigerated
Different probiotic strains are more sensitive to heat than others and thus may require refrigeration.
There arenât any public clinical studies on what those probiotic strains other than, Bacillus Coagulans isnât one of them. This strain is said to be able to survive fairly harsh hot environments.
Most probiotic supplements are multi-strain these days so it does become quite complicated trying to figure out yourself what should be refrigerated based on the strain ingredients.
Are Refrigerated Probiotics Better & Why
Not necessarily. One probiotic form isnt necessarily better than others. The key here is to store your probiotics the way theyre meant to be stored, as you can see on the products label.
Still, because several studies show that refrigeration can prolong probiotic life while storage at room temperature could make them less effective, putting them in the fridge might help a lot.
Just always ensure you keep your probiotics in their original container for optimal storage.
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Find A Less Temperature
Some probiotics are less sensitive to temperature than others, so you could always try switching to a different probiotic that is more survivable. If you take this approach, it is a good idea to make the switch at least a few weeks in advance of traveling. A change in probiotic regimen can have side effects or cause digestive upset, and you dont want these to take you by surprise when you are a few days into your travels.
Look for probiotics being sold as travel products. These are usually formatted to survive hotter climates and do not require refrigeration.
Temperature Sensitivity What Were Looking To Do
Id like to introduce a new word into your vocabulary. Its not made up like the name Ive bequeathed myself with, holistic pharmacist. Its temperature-sensitive.
Very basic concept: some probiotics require refrigeration. They are, then, temperature-sensitive.
Probiotics are bacteria. They are delicate. They have to remain viable. Staying cold is one way for them to do that. If they fall outside the range of acceptable temperature, they will degrade faster. By the time you get a probiotic that didnt have its temperature controlled, thered be nothing left to help your gut gone bad.
This is where the idea of refrigeration becomes instilled in us. Many gurus parrot this message. Now, our knee-jerk reaction is all probiotics have to be found in the refrigerator.
Lets break apart this shortcut and get into the nuance when we think of probiotics. What I want you to think is this, What does the entire lifecycle of a probiotic look like, and how do I ensure it was cold for the entire time?
This is called the cold chain.
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What Better Refrigerated Or Non Refrigerated Probiotics
Wondering if there is a difference.
So if it has to be refrigerated, how can it survive inside your body?
They go from a dormant state in the product to an active state in your body where they have food and a much more optimal temperature to resume their metabolic activities.
Some def dont make it. Soil-based is more able to make it to intestines.
I wouldnt look beyond spore forming probiotics due to its effectiveness and resistance to temperature, oxygen, acidic environment.
For example Bacillus subtilis BY194 is stable up at temperature up to 80°C More:
Bacteria strains like Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum need to be stored at around 4°C, otherwise they loose potency
Probiotic Benefits To Womens Health
Probiotics have been proven to have significant benefits to womenâs health. Beyond the typical benefits of probiotics, probiotics also support womenâs vaginal health. Also, if women are breastfeeding, a Swedish study showed that probiotic supplementation improves infant heath.
- improve infant health for breastfeeding women
- inhibit vaginal candida & yeast infections
- fight vaginitis/vaginosis
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Probiotic Supplements Should Have Enteric Coating So They Survive
Research shows probiotics are better without the special coatings.
Probiotics need to withstand stomach acids to deliver the probiotics to the right place within your GI tract, but enteric coating can actually kill some of the probiotics. A lot of heat is needed in the enteric coating process, and this heat can kill some of the probiotics.
Instead, find strains that naturally survive the stomach and can make it to the intestine. This is much more reminiscent of what we see in nature. There certainly arenât enteric coatings found naturally in any of our food, so look for a supplement that has been tested for survivability.
Is It Ok To Open Probiotic Capsules
Given that the probiotic capsule itself is not needed to protect the friendly bacteria in our range from stomach acid, this means that it is perfectly fine to open any of our capsule probiotics and empty the contents directly into the mouth or into food or drink products (so long as these are not too hot, or acidic
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Delivery Of Viable Functional Probiotic Bacteria
With commercial food products, cheeses have been commonly used as carriers for probiotic delivery. Ong et al. showed the ability of three batches of cheddar cheese to deliver a variety of probiotic bacteria. Results showed that the Cheddar cheeses can be an effective vehicle for delivery of the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains tested. Fresh cheese was also found to be a suitable vehicle for the oral administration of B. bifidum, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis, L. acidophilus, and Lactobacillus paracasei . A study conducted on the ability of cheese to deliver L. acidophilus and L. paracasei was done by influencing the stage during the cheese making process at which the probiotic was added. All tests conducted showed an increase of intestinal flora after ingestion of the probiotic cheese . Similar studies were conducted by Phillips et al. to deliver probiotics through cheddar cheese with results showing significant increases in all species tested except for L. acidophilus Bergamini et al. and Ong and Shah also showed the ability of Argentinean and cheddar cheese respectively to deliver probiotic bacteria to the human GIT.
Pm: Dont Spend The Money On Pre
Probiotics are quite the established health fad with over 36.6 billion USD in sales in 2015! WOAH! In general, we dont need them. The average person who eats a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables feeds their own personal probiotics in their digestive system, primarily the large intestine. Feed what you have. Think whole grains and Eat a Rainbow of different colors and kinds of plants. My favorite gut microbiome-food book talking about good eating and the gut microbiome is The Good Gut. For an idea of what my family and I eat, check out my or #feedthemicrobes.
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Natural Enemies Of Probiotics
In addition to heat and moisture, which are natural enemies of many probiotic bacteria, there are other important factors to consider. When it comes to probiotics symbiotic relationships are important. Certain species of bacteria do not cooperate, reducing the viability of some products. For example, L. delbrueckii ssp. Bulgaricus is known to destroy many good bacteria, making some probiotic yogurts less effective. Therefore, its important to select probiotic strains that are naturally compatible with other strains.
In order to bypass the need for refrigeration, when in fact certain species require it, various methods have been invented, such as freeze-drying and microencapsulation. However, studies suggest that microencapsulation could not substitute refrigeration of certain strains, such as the Acidophilus, for example.
Freeze-dried probiotics become extremely sensitive to moisture. When stored at room temperature, the water level must be less than 0.25 U, as studies showed. If exposed to moisture or humidity, the product begins to degrade or die out immediately.
Therefore, freeze-dried products are extremely fragile as well, and if exposed to moisture or excessive humidity, freeze-dried probiotics will lose viability over time, or worse yet, they may lose all viability before the consumer even opens the product.
More Colony Forming Units
Some believe the answer is loading probiotic products with even larger numbers of probiotic bacteria and simply anticipating that the majority will not survive. Unfortunately, this raises the important concern of knowing the exact dose ingested. How will this practice of adding more affect those who have a need for very specific levels and can have problems if they take too much or too little? Will these mega dose probiotics carry the potential of harm for certain segments of users?
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Probiotic Storage: Do All Probiotics Need To Be Refrigerated
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Probiotics are beneficial bacteria found in your gut and as supplements. Theyre known for fighting inflammation and supporting your overall digestive health. Since theyre living microorganisms, properly storing your probiotic supplement maximizes their shelf life and provides you with the most health benefits.
Despite what many believe, not all probiotics need to be refrigerated. Both the probiotic strain and the manufacturing process determine how you should store your probiotics. This article explains probiotic storage and key tips to know when you should refrigerate your probiotic supplements.
Is It Better To Eat Fermented Foods Or Take Probiotic Tablets
Its always important to point out that a good healthy diet and exercise are always the first steps to health, as these can help promote the good bacteria that already live on and in your body, amongst the other huge health benefits they provide, explains Ian Gonzaga.
When comparing fermented foods and probiotics, both can be good for adding diversity to your microbiome, which is the most important thing.
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Probiotics Are Good For Your Mental Health
Various studies have found that probiotics have a positive effect on the central nervous system of humans and various animals.
It makes sense, when you consider the tight connection between the gut and brain.
One study suggested that probiotics were shown to improve anxiety, depression, OCD, and other psychiatric disorders4.
Another study revealed that taking probiotic supplements for 8 weeks lowered depression levels5.
Which makes sense on an intuitive levela happy gut is going to make for a happier human.
Probiotic Benefits To Women’s Health
Probiotics have been proven to have significant benefits to women’s health. Beyond the typical benefits of probiotics, probiotics also support women’s vaginal health. Also, if women are breastfeeding, a Swedish study showed that probiotic supplementation improves infant heath.
- improve infant health for breastfeeding women
- inhibit vaginal candida & yeast infections
- fight vaginitis/vaginosis
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Refrigerated Probiotics Where To Buy
Nowadays, refrigerated probiotics are available both in the physical stores and the online market. However, the leading stores like Whole Foods , Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy are the ones that deserve a special mention. These are the most popular stores, where you can spot the authentic products of various popular brands. These stores are offering the facilities of online shopping too.
So, before we finish, its to be kept in mind that probiotics behave differently depending on their content. While some requires refrigeration, the others do not. Its important to take your to find out which is the appropriate product according to your requirements.
Should You Just Refrigerate Anyway
If you live in a climate that has temperatures higher than 77f or 25c then it may wise to refrigerate after opening the probiotic supplement bottle.
We do know from studies that most probiotic strains donât cope well with hot and humid weather.
Refrigerating a probiotic supplement that states âno refrigeratingâ wonât make the probiotic any less effective so for peace of mind you could always just stick it in the refrigerator.
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Certain Probiotics Have Specific Benefits
So, now that youâve decided that refrigerated probiotics are right for you, itâs time to zero in on what particular benefits you want the supplement to have. Thatâs because certain bacteria strains are particularly good for specific health issues. The probiotics in this roundup were selected because they contain the bacteria strains supported by medical studies and recommended by Schapiro, a certified dietitian/nutritionist.
With all that in mind, itâs time to find the right probiotic for you. The options below are all highly rated on Amazon, with hundreds of positive reviews.
Do All Probiotic Strains Need To Be Refrigerated
Not all probiotics require refrigeration, but they do need to be protected from heat. How they are manufactured also plays a role. Freeze-dried probiotics, for example, often have longer shelf-life as they are in a dormant state.
Only the probiotics that include specific strains with this trait and/or have a delivery mechanism that is not temperature resistant need to be refrigerated. Specific strains of probiotics have different sensitivity levels to heat and environmental factors.
Soil-based probiotics are an example of probiotics that do not need to be refrigerated. These probiotics have been used to ferment foods and are more resistant to the natural elements, meaning they dont need refrigeration.
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Can Probiotics Make You Sick
Because microbes used as probiotics already exist naturally in your body, probiotic foods and supplements are generally considered safe. They may trigger allergic reactions, and may also cause mild stomach upset, diarrhea, or flatulence and bloating for the first few days after starting to take them.
What Is The Deal With Spore
Spore-form probiotics are typically Bacillus species bacteria that have a dormancy period where they are spores. The analogy I use with patients is that spore-biotics are like eating a seed instead of eating the plant. Spores survive the heat and acidity of the stomach and sprout or start producing active bacterial colonies once they reach the hospitable environment in the large intestine. Our colon is where probiotics are meant to live anyway. Scientific research has generally shown that the greatest benefit to spore-form probiotics is their superior ability to survive gut transit and effectively colonize the large intestine. For this reason, many spore-biotics only contain 1-5 billion CFUs as opposed to 25-50 billion CFUs in refrigerated probiotics.
A refrigerated probiotic still needs to be evaluated based on number and variety of organisms, additives and the reputation of the company. It can also be harder to remember to take these probiotics as they are out of sight. For those of you like me who pre-package your vitamins for the week, you have to remember to take these separately and they are much harder to travel with. As with any supplement, make sure the company is following strict manufacturing guidelines to check for quality, potency and contamination. A bonus to look for is companies who support independent research investigating the effectiveness and survival rates of consumed probiotics.
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Is It Ok To Not Refrigerate Probiotics
There are many probioticbacteria that are sensitive to heat and humidity. The lack of a proper environment and heat can kill organisms, while the lack of a proper environment can cause them to die in pills. The products need to be kept out of the humidity.
Contents
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Are Probiotic Supplements Safe For Pregnant/nursing Women
There is strong evidence that probiotic supplementation during pregnancy improve newborn’s immunity and decrease allergies. For nursing infants, immunity/allergy improvements have also been observed.
In thousands of hours of research, I have not come across evidence of probiotics being unsafe for pregnant/nursing women. But, as always, please consult a physician before taking supplements when pregnant/nursing. But, you should still check with your doctor to be 100% that any supplement, including probiotics, is safe for you during pregnancy.
Lastly, people with liver/kidney issues should proceed cautiously with probiotic supplementation.
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To Chill Or Not To Chill How To Store Probiotic Skincare
You may have come across probiotics in the health food store, sitting pretty in their very own refrigerated section. You might also see probiotics in that same store that are being stored on regular shelves next to vitamins and other supplements. How can these microorganisms exist in both sections and survive?
Should You Take Probiotics Everyday
A common question about probiotics is whether it is ok to take probiotic supplements every day. Whilst there may be a few exceptions to this rule, the general answer is yes, its safe, and usually recommended, to take them daily. Its important to understand that probiotics are a natural supplement and not a medicine.
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The Need For Intestinal Flora Supplementation
Probiotic bacteria are living supplementary organisms that have been shown to provide beneficial health effects to the host by replenishing natural gastrointestinal flora . The human intestinal system is thought to contain over 500 microbial species and approximately 1014 functional bacterial cells and also include fungi, yeasts, viruses, and protozoa. Some bacteria, such as Streptococci and Staphylococci spp., are known to cause infectious diseases in humans . These organisms are usually depleted for various reasons such as stress, infection, antibiotic use, and environmental factors. Other patients that require probiotic therapy are babies born of caesarean section and do not gain the bacteria it would naturally while travelling down the birth canal . Probiotic supplementation in these patients has been shown to be vital in the prevention of potentially fatal, pathological infections . A full representation of the microbial content of the human gastro-intestinal system can be found in Fig. 1.
Summary of the microbial content found in a healthy human GIT.
A basic schematic detailing the properties of an ideal probiotic bacteria
Probiotic Formulations
Probiotic Delivery Mechanisms
An overview of the available non-conventional delivery systems used for probiotic delivery
