Customer Questions And Answers
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When Should They Be Kept Out At Room Temperature
There are a number of new technologies that do not require probiotic strains to be stored in the refrigerator. Modern sophisticated freeze drying technologies like lyophilisation make sure that your probiotics are kept stable at room temperature. These probiotics are packed in special blister packs to prevent moisture.
When it comes to probiotics refrigeration freeze dried probiotics are more stable and can withstand wide fluctuations in the temperature they are stored in. The bacteria are not dead, but kept in an inactive state. They begin functioning as normal as soon as they come in contact with your stomach.
Some supplements have bacteria in the lag phase. This means that the bacteria mature and grow in size, but, are unable to replicate.
They have not yet come to the point where they begin to divide and multiply. Bacteria adapt to their environment during the lag phase and have a better chance of surviving the corrosive stomach environment. They also do not require refrigeration because the bacteria are essentially not metabolizing.
Shelf stable products are more convenient than the ones in the fridge, especially when you are traveling. You can keep them at your bedside table and even at your desk, to make sure you never a miss a dose and these doses are healthy.
Most manufacturers recommend keeping supplements in the refrigerator once opened to prevent moisture from getting to the bacteria.
What Is A Probiotic
Probiotics are daily supplements that aid in gut health, digestion and in some cases, alleviate abdominal pain and bloating. Probiotics are comprised of good bacteria and sometimes yeasts. Although you may be put off by the word “bacteria,” it’s important to remember that good bacteria is essential to healthy digestion and in some cases may support immunity. The most common types of bacteria found in probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. A probiotic can come in the form of a capsule, liquid or powder and is typically taken once daily.
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Our Picks For The Best Probiotic Supplements For Gut Health Bloating Ibs And More In 202:
Storage: Shelf-stable, but stored below 75 degrees FCost: $43/30 capsules
The Metagenics Ultra Flora Control probiotic supplement claims to help with weight loss when taken as part of a healthy diet and exercise regimen. Probiotics are a tool in the toolbox always in conjunction with a healthy diet, says Greenwood. In a clinical study, B. lactis B420 consumption was shown to increase Lactobacillus and Akkermansia in the gut. Lactobacillus and Akkermansia strains are both associated with intestinal microbiomes of healthy, lean individuals. This probiotic can be taken once daily and has in-house and third-party testing on every lot. You can also enter the lot number of your product to view quality testing information. The Ultra Flora Control is non-GMO, gluten-free and vegetarian friendly.
Why Do Probiotics Require Refrigeration
Probiotics or friendly bacteria are basically living organisms. Like all living things they have an ideal environment to thrive and survive kind of like the Lakers are able to thrive when the league favors them to win championships see the season in 2000 and 2002. Without this environment they can die and perish.
Heat, acid, and time can kill these bacteria. This is one of the reasons why your gut becomes unhealthy when you eat more acidic food or when you indulge in highly processed sugary treats.
Probiotic supplements on packaging might contain billions of colony forming units. However, these are naturally sensitive to light and moisture. Without proper refrigeration the bacteria even if inactive does not survive and perishes.
Moisture can activate the bacteria inside the pills where they again perish due to a lack of proper environment and nutrients to support growth.
This is one of the reasons why probiotic supplements should be kept out of humidity and in refrigerators. Some probiotics like yogurt and drinks cannot be kept out of the refrigerator because of their medium composition. These foods are probiotic enriched and will go rancid if not kept in cool temperatures.
The amount of water or moisture retained in a probiotic determines how long it will thrive within a supplement.
Probiotics which have low moisture content do not require refrigeration whereas probiotics with higher moisture content need to be refrigerated.
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How To Get More Life From Your Probiotics
When you first bring your probiotic home , you need to determine whether or not it needs to be refrigerated.
Understanding the correct storage requirements of your probiotic will ensure the supplement keeps its quality.
If yours comes in an insulated thermal bag or with an ice pack, its almost certainly going to need refrigeration.
However, read the storage instructions listed on the label for best results.
Follow those directions every single time you use them, because even leaving them in a hot or humid environment just once can kill the bacteria.
If the product comes in a blister pack, dont take them out of the pack until youre ready to take them.
You may want to remove them all from the pack and put them into a larger container like a bottle or a weekly pill case.
However, with products in blister packs, they tend to be more vulnerable to heat and moisture.
Its best to keep them in their original packaging until you are ready to consume them.
This type of packaging is made to protect each capsule from heat and humidity, which extends its lifespan.
Spore-forming strains like those listed under the Bacillus genus, tend to be more stable and can withstand heat and humidity better than other strains.
Bacillus probiotic strains are typically shelf-stable and wont require refrigeration because of this.
Dont forget to pay attention to the expiration date on the packaging to ensure you benefit from the full potency of the product.
Probiotics That Don’t Need Refrigeration
Having live bacteria and yeast in your food or dietary supplement may sound disgusting, but could actually be healthy. Known as probiotics, supplements containing microbes such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bifidus or bifidobacterium bifidum are marketed to improve the health of the intestinal tract, decrease the prevalence of vaginal, bladder and sexually transmitted infections, increase immune functions, decrease cholesterol and lipid levels, and help prevent irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies, fatigue, depression and arthritis. These supplements, however, are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for purity, viability or efficacy, and often do not contain any viable microorganisms at all. This is particularly true for the probiotics marketed as not requiring refrigeration. In addition, non-refrigerated probiotics often contain bacteria of unknown species, or potentially harmful species.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
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Can Unrefrigerated Probiotics Make You Sick
Although probiotics should be refrigerated, they do not spoil or die-off quickly at room temperature. Although probiotics should be refrigerated, they do not spoil or die-off quickly at room temperature. They may be left at room temperature for days and even several weeks without a great loss of viable organisms.
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Best Combination: Lovebug Probiotics Yeast & Vaginal Ph Support Probiotics
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Designed to support vaginal, digestive, and immune health
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Helps prevent and treat urinary tract infections
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Patented capsule ensures survival in stomach acid
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Large pill size
Offering slightly more Colony Forming Units of specific, clinically studied probiotic strains than the above product, Love Bugs Yeast Is A Beast probiotic is designed with women’s health in mind. Featuring five different strains of Lactobacillus, this product may help support optimal vaginal flora as well as digestive and immune function.
In addition to probiotics, this Love Bug includes 250 milligrams of D-Mannose from cranberry extract. D-Mannose has been researched for its ability to help prevent or treat urinary tract infections. All of Love Bugs probiotics use BIO-tract®, a patented delivery technology scientifically developed to protect the tablets against stomach acids and other rigors of digestion. These probiotics are non-GMO, gluten and artificial flavor, and color-free.
Type: Capsule | Colony Forming Units: 50 billion | Dosage: 1 daily | Certified: Non-GMO, allergen-friendly
Price at time of publish: $25
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Some Probiotics Need To Be Refrigerated
Common strains, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, for example, are very fragile to light, moisture, heat, and oxygen. However, SBO probiotics are more naturally resistant.
Bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, casei, bifidobacterium bifidum, longum, saccharomyces boulardii, and others require complex engineering and refrigeration to preserve the bacterias viability. Otherwise, the bacteria die before they reach the small intestine, where they perform their work, and you will not derive the full benefit.
Probiotics That Dont Require Refrigeration Are More Convenient
You need to store a refrigerated probiotic in the refrigerator. What do you do when you travel? How do you know that it hasnt been sitting in a warm warehouse for hours or days before being delivered to your doorstep? Are you going to remember to take it regularly when its tucked away on a refrigerator shelf?
Probonix doesnt have these issues. Take it with you on the road. Mix it in your water bottle. Keep it on your nightstand, the kitchen counter, in your briefcase, or anywhere else that will make it easy to take regularly. After all, your probiotic supplement isnt going to do a lot of good if you dont remember to take it, and regular probiotic supplementation is what matters the most for keeping your gut healthy.
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The Verdict My Final Take
Overall the Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotic products are some of the best in the probiotic marketplace. The product line contains varying products designed for specific populations and has a wide variety of strengths ranging from 3 billion all the way up to 200 billion.
If you hate swallowing pills, dont worry. Gummies and powders are available in several product lines. The major negative about all the Ultimate Flora products on the shelf are its price tag.
There is no doubt about it Ultimate Flora is expensive even when on sale. If you need something a little more budget friendly, youll need to look elsewhere. But, if youre not concerned about price then we recommend trying Renew Life to help get your digestive health back on track.
How To Store Your Probiotics
If you choose shelf stable probiotics, you can do a few things to make them last a bit longer while in storage.
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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.
Does Terraflora Broad Spectrum Synbiotic Need To Be Refrigerated
Short answer: No. The probiotic bio-complex in Terraflora is made up of a sophisticated blend of select Bacillus strains. Selected for their unique characteristics, Bacillus can exist in two forms. Under favorable conditions the bacteria grow in a vegetative form, but when starved of nutrients, they differentiate into a dormant life form known as an endospore or simply a spore. These spores come alive when introduced to an ideal environment, like the human gut. Terraflora is a balanced formulation of a new generation of probiotics they are inherently resilient, heat-stable, and require no refrigeration.
References
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Did You Know: Not All Probiotics Need To Be Refrigerated
by Ryan Bentley, MD, PhD, DC | Mar 21, 2017 | Probiotic Blog, Probiotic Education
We still get loads of questions asking if all probiotics need to be refrigerated. This question is the result of a common misconception, a relic from the early days of probiotic sales where they were packaged and sold in a manner that required refrigeration for maximum freshness and effectiveness. So what changed? Why are some probiotics moving away from refrigeration? Well first, lets talk a little bit about the life cycle of bacteria to provide some context.
Renew Life Launches No
ReNew Life Formulas | Jun 01, 2012
ReNew Life introduces three new potent, no-refrigeration-required probiotic formulas to natural health retailers shelves: Ultimate Flora RTS Daily Probiotic, Womens Probiotic and Colon Care Probiotic.
Convenience without the sacrificeProbiotic storage is a much-debated topic among supplement takers, with some weighing in on the side of refrigeration-only products and others preferring the convenience of a non-refrigerated probiotic.We set out to offer both types of consumers the benefits theyre looking for with our new Ultimate Flora RTS formulas, says Brenda Watson, national PBS health educator and President of ReNew Life. We understand all too well these concerns. People dont want to sacrifice potency or superior and effective probiotic strain combinations for a no-refrigeration probiotic option. Now they dont have to.
ReNew Lifes new Ultimate Flora RTS line is full of probiotic benefits:
- Higher potency at 15 billion cultures in every capsule
- 3 unique formulas for various health needs
- Delayed release technology that resists harsh stomach acid
- Double foil sealed blister packs to protect probiotics from light, moisture and air
- No refrigeration required for easy travel and storage
A formula for every bodyUltimate Flora RTS formulas all feature 15 billion cultures per capsule and are blended to address specific health needs:
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Which Ones Are Best To Buy Refrigerated Or On
Its a good question too. This depends on how they are packaged. Probiotics like Culturelle ** have each one of the capsules packaged individually, so they are shelf-stable. The bacteria are in a kind of resting state, safe from moisture and air in their little foil pouches. Many probiotics that come in a bottle are shelf-stable until opening. Upon opening the capsules are exposed to air, warmer temperatures, and moisture, so they should be kept in the refrigerator. Also, if you want to double check the claims on the bottles label, look at LabDoors probiotic rankings. Note that their quality system evaluates whether the number of live bacteria in the bottle and the bacteria GENERA present are what is claimed on the label, the purity of the product, and price per capsule . What they dont do is to examine which STRAINS of bacteria are present and what their effects might be. With many of these probiotics, it is the strain level information that may confer a benefit.
Hope those answers help clarify things a bit.
**Another science blogger alerted me to the fact that Curelle has titanium dioxide in it, which as a nanoparticle, might accumulate in organs. It is a commonly used, FDA approved, food dye but this is certainly something to be aware of considering several new studies including this one on gut health during chronic exposure.
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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.
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High Temperatures During Shipping
Temperature exposure to packages sent by common carriers like UPS, FedEx, and the US Post Office will vary greatly depending on the time of year and geography. For example, a probiotic shipped by UPS in January from Detroit to Chicago is unlikely to be exposed to excessive heat in transit. However, a probiotic shipped during the summer or to southern parts of the country will be much more at risk.
One study analyzed the variable temperature exposure of certain medical packages shipped from Montana to six warm climate U.S. Cities using variable shipping carriers and methods . Three major U.S. carriers transported 72 individual shipments throughout August and September. The products were shipped without any form of insulation or cooling source.
