Garden Of Life Primal Defense Ultra Probiotic
Garden of Life excels in the support of the digestive system and colon health.
This product promotes healthy and comfortable bowel movements relieving constipation, diarrhea, and aiding in digestion of dairy products.
With the ability to thrive in the toughest environments, this probiotic blend is undeterred by stomach and bile acid.
If youre looking for something to help with normal intestinal function and regularity, then with these supplements you can maintain a healthy immune system. You can subsequently prevent further discomfort in your digestive and colon health.
Do You Need To Refrigerate Your Probiotics
Board-certified internist Vincent M. Pedre, M.D., says that there’s a really easy way to figure it out: Check the label. If your probiotic needs to be refrigerated, the manufacturer will generally state that somewhere on the bottle or package.
Another good indication of how to properly store your probiotic is how it was stored when you bought it. If you found it in the refrigerated section of your local health food store, or it was shipped from the manufacturer with an ice pack, chances are, it’ll probably need to stay refrigerated.
On the other hand, if your probiotics use shelf-stable technology, the label will say that, too. Many manufacturers even add some extra information about the proper way to store nonrefrigerated probiotics to extend their shelf-life.
The 4 Best Refrigerated Probiotics
Probiotics have become so popular in recent years, you’d be hard-pressed to find any wellness guru not taking them in some form or another. But finding just the right one for you can be hard, especially since there are both shelf-stable probiotics and ones that have to be refrigerated. While both can be effective if they’re stored properly, the best refrigerated probiotics will reliably deliver the goods no matter what climate you live in so that you can reap all of their health benefits.
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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.
The Ultimate Guide To The Best Refrigerated Probiotics
You may be surprised to learn there are over 500 species of good bacteria that are naturally present in your body. In fact, youve got around 100 trillion bacteria in and on your body right now!
No need to worry, though. Although there is such a thing as bad bacteria, good bacteria is responsibly for keeping us fit and healthy.
With the use of supplements, we can utilize the strength of these friendly bacteria to improve our overall health.
There are many known benefits to taking refrigerated probiotics. The three main advantages are enhancing the immune system, improving digestion and reducing the severity of allergies and preventing food borne illnesses.
Understanding what each strain can do for your health is confusing, so Ive created a list of the top 5 best refrigerated probiotics out there.
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Choose Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotic For Antibiotic
Beth Rosen, MS, RD, CDN is a non-diet Registered Dietitian specializing in GI nutrition and disordered eating based in Connecticut. She has been working in the field of nutrition for over 25 years. Beth helps clients find relief from digestive disorders such as Irritable Bowel Disease and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth , Gastroparesis, Colitis, and GERD, as well as shares her knowledge with other health professionals via webinars, seminars, and peer mentoring.
We independently research, test, review, and recommend the bestproducts. Healthcare professionals review articles for medical accuracy. Learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
Probiotics are live microorganisms or microbes that may provide health benefits. They may help regulate the community of microorganisms living in our lower digestive tract, known as our microbiome. However, the research on the benefits of probiotics is still emerging, and there are only certain health conditions where probiotic supplements have proven benefits.
Don’t Probiotics Need To Be Refrigerated
It depends. Some probiotics do require refrigeration because the bacteria will die if left at room temperature. If they can’t survive room temperature, however, how can they survive the harsh acidic environment of the stomach? They can’t.
It used to be commonly understood that “living bacteria” was the “best.” Research has come a long way, and we now know there are certain strains, like the bacillus, that can survive the stomach and make it all the way to the intestines where they are needed most.
Unfortunately, the idea was so prevalent that many people today are still leery of an unrefrigerated probiotic. Many companies still offer refrigerated probiotics, further perpetuating the myth. However, the most important thing to look for in a quality probiotic are strains that have been tested to survive the digestive system, which means they need to survive outside the refrigerator as well.
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All Good Bacteria Act As Probiotics
There are trillions of bacteria in your intestinal tract, and we are still identifying and understanding their role in the human body. Many of these bacteria have been identified as âgood,â but not all of them are the same. A true âprobioticâ is one that can help to colonize the body with helpful bacteria.
A good way to think of the probiotic is like a gardener responsible for identifying the âgoodâ and removing the âbad.â Not all strains of bacteria have the ability to make it to the colon to play a crucial role in fermenting fiber and colonizing helpful bacteria. The key is to look for strains like those found in the Silver Fern Ultimate Probiotic that have been proven to colonize the gut.
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?
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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 aren’t enteric coatings found naturally in any of our food, so look for a supplement that has been tested for survivability.
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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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.
So Why Is This Information Important
Well, probiotics that require refrigeration contain probiotic bacteria that are in the growth phase. These probiotics are already replicating and consuming nutrients. Through refrigeration, the metabolism of these bacteria is slowed, so they consume nutrients more slowly. This effectively extends the short shelf life of the product. Without refrigeration, these probiotics progress through the growth phase at a much faster pace, so they would enter the death phase in a matter of weeks, or even days. Dead probiotics cant help anyone. With refrigeration, metabolism is slowed enough to provide a shelf life of several months.
Unfortunately, probiotic bacteria in the growth phase are busy consuming nutrients and trying to replicate, so they are far less likely to survive a trip through the stomach acid, as they are most vulnerable to environmental harm during this stage.
Probonix does not require refrigeration because it contains probiotic bacteria that are in the lag phase. These bacteria do not begin to actively divide until they reach their destination. This means that they can safely sit at room temperature because there is no metabolism to slow down. This also allows for a drastic increase in shelf life over refrigerated probiotics.
Probiotic supplements that keep their bacteria in the lag phase will have much better survival rates than their refrigerated counterparts.
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Is It Better To Buy Shelf
Theres a popular myth that shelf-stable probiotics are not as good as refrigerated probiotics. In fact, many people will tell you all the probiotic bacteria in shelf-stable products are likely to be dead.
What nonsense! The myth is untrue. The information outdated.
Although the bacteria may be dead in certain poor-quality shelf-stable products, all the best manufacturers are capable of producing probiotics that can retain their potency.
Often for two years or longer at room temperature .
Not All Probiotics Require Refrigeration
Just because probiotics need to be kept out of heat and moisture does not mean that all supplements on the shelf are worthless. As the probiotic market has gained momentum, there have been various technologies implemented to keep maximum CFUs live and active till they reach your gut.
One of these technologies where organisms are freeze-dried does not require refrigeration. Most tablet and capsule forms are freeze-dried for maximum benefits.
These are also packed in special blister packs with nitrogen purged aluminum or another lining to prevent moisture from seeping through. These probiotics are shelf stable and can be kept out of the refrigerator.
However, these should not be exposed to direct sunlight or excessive moisture. The temperature should never exceed room temperature. Most manufacture labels come with a warning not to keep the bottles in high heat areas such as the kitchen.
There are many bacteria and yeast which do not require refrigeration and thrive at room temperatures. For instance, Bacillus coagulans, a spore forming bacteria does not generally require refrigeration.
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Do Probiotics Need To Be Refrigerated In Order To Survive
Lets first distinguish between whether they need to be refrigerated once theyre in your home versus when theyre on their way to you or your favorite retailer.
The temperature inside of a delivery truck can reach temperatures that can certainly kill your probiotics. This is why we are always sure to ship our probiotic formulas iced and insulated.
As for how to store your probiotics once theyve made it to you safely, the best advice depends on the brand.
Some probiotic supplements require refrigeration, while others do not. This is why you may have heard of shelf stable probiotics versus refrigerated probiotics.
Additionally, certain bacteria strains are sensitive to heat and moisture. For those that are, the heat kills them instantly while the moisture activates them prematurely before they enter your body.
Both instances can lead to an early expiration of the probiotics in your supplements. Thats why its important to know what bacteria strains your supplements contain, as this can dictate the best way to store them.
After testing a selection of probiotic supplements in 2009, ConsumerLab.com reported that 85% of the probiotics failed to disclose ingredient contents on their packaging. At Probulin, transparency is what were all about. All of our products have clear details of whats in them on the packaging. For every supplement, the packaging lists out each of the organisms incorporated in the supplement formula.
Probiotics In Need Of An Easy Button
Of all the supplements out there, theres nothing quite as complicated as probiotics. We covered a lot in our first part of our Probiotic Buying Guide, and we have more to do on specifics.
The big problem with probiotics is our perception. Saying Probiotics is like saying Herbs. There are lots of plants that fit into herbs but they have very different effects. We have to stop thinking about probiotics as a universal, one size fits all thing. We must change our mindset!
We have to look for specific strains with clinical data supporting their use. Based on what strains we choose, then we can get a little picky about whether something needs to be refrigerated or not.
Heres what our probiotic goals should be, especially as it pertains to temperature and refrigeration:
- Be aware of what strains are being used.
- Determine if those strains are temperature sensitive or not.
- Ask tough questions to find the truth about whether or not the cold chain has been maintained, if it is required.
Im asking you to be a pest of sorts. Here are a couple of questions to ask:
- What do you do to guarantee the cold chain was maintained for these refrigerated probiotics?
- Do you have access to stability data? Have you looked at a recent lots stability data?
- Do your probiotics have excursion stability data? What is the longest it can be out of the cold chain and still maintain potency?
Just trying to keep it real
Neal Smoller, PharmD
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Many Probiotic Supplements Must Be Refrigerated
Many factors affect probiotics survival and efficacy, including:
- Life stage of probiotics
- Other ingredients in the product
The first place to look to see if your probiotic supplement needs refrigeration is the label. Manufacturers will call out if you need to keep the product cold.
Another sign of how to store your probiotic supplement is how it was stored when you purchased it. If it was stored in the refrigerated section or shipped with an ice pack, it likely needs to stay refrigerated.
Other probiotic supplements that are using shelf-stable technology and strains, like Omni-Biotic probiotics, will highlight the benefits of taking a probiotic that doesnt need refrigeration.
For some probiotic products, its essential to refrigerate because of the other ingredients included in the product. Probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut have dairy and other ingredients that spoil faster than the probiotics life. These products have a shorter life outside the refrigerator because of the temperature-sensitive ingredients.
While all probiotic supplements expire at some point, the less closely you follow storage instructions, the more quickly this will happen. Plus, pretty much all probiotic supplements have longer shelf-lives if theyre not exposed to high temperatures and extreme conditions.
How Should Probiotics Be Shipped
While there are dozens of probiotics products available in health stores and online, only a handful of products are actively being utilized in clinics. The safest way to ensure that these products have not been compromised in the storage or transportation process is to choose a product which is stored and shipped under controlled, refrigerated conditions. When one considers the potential impact of temperature spikes during shipping, the shipping issue should be of particular concern for those suffering from serious gastrointestinal disorders.
ExeGi Pharma is the maker of the Visbiome high potency probiotic, which is an 8-strain probiotic blend available in doses of 112.5, 450, and 900 billion live bacteria per dose. This product must be stored under refrigerated condition. ExeGi ships Visbiome via 2-Day Air express service using 100% curbside recyclable coolers with two frozen gel cold packs. The purpose of including insulation, cooling components, and express delivery with orders is to ensure that the product is not exposed to elevated temperature spikes of more than 86°F.
Key Takeaways
For a printable version of this article, .
Schallenerger, et al. The effect of temperature exposure during shipment on a commercially available demineralized bone matrix putty. Cell Tissue Bank 17:677-687
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How To Properly Store Probiotics
Improper probiotics storage is crucial because it is a major factor that leads to bacteria loss. The number of CFUs in a probiotic supplement product will decrease over time, without refrigeration not just by you, the buyer, but also during transport.
Manufacturers factor in this decrease when they label the probiotic with a best if used by date. They produce their probiotics with an overage of extra CFUs so that you will receive what the package label indicates.
If you buy a probiotic and the label says it contains 10 billion CFUs, it was probably packaged with 15 billion or more CFUs, to make up for the lost bacteria before the product is consumed.
