How Much Probiotics Should You Take A Day

Balancing The Intestinal Ecosystem

Although the vast majority of existing clinical trials indicate that probiotic doses of 10-20 billion CFU per day are sufficient for maintaining immune and digestive health, research studies examining the dose-response of larger CFUs and products featuring CFUs of 50 to 100 billion are becoming increasingly common.6,7 While it may be tempting to assume that a larger CFU automatically translates to greater probiotic benefits, this is not necessarily the case for every individual or health indication.8,9

One of the mechanisms of probiotic therapy is restoration of intestinal balance by replacing harmful microbes with more favorable ones. Because not everyone needs very large amounts of probiotic bacteria to achieve this, regularly providing the body with a moderate infusion of high-quality bacteria may represent a more biologically meaningful approach to health maintenance than overwhelming the gut microbiota ecosystem with more bacteria than is needed.

Thus, for individuals in relatively good health, a daily dose of 10-20 billion CFU is likely sufficient for supporting everyday immune and digestive support.

Probiotic Foods Are Better Than Probioticsupplements

Probiotic foods like kimchi, tempeh, kefirand lacto-fermented sauerkraut are great and I encourage you to includethem in your diet. If you already have a healthy gut or if you eat A LOT of probiotic foods,these foods might give you enough healthy bacteria to meet your needs. However ifyoure not eating a lot of probiotic foods or if you have specific health issues, probioticsupplements will provide you with more CFUs .

This chart shows the probiotic content of common probiotic foods.

Bottom line: For the best therapeutic effect, take probiotic supplements.

Should I Take A Multi Strain Or Single Strain Probiotic

Once again, it depends on several things.

A multi strain duplicates the natural process of eating probiotics in your food where you take in a variety of lactic acid bacteria but sometimes you want a specific strain or combination for a specific problem.

For example, Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 are a combination particularly suited for female urogential problems. A multi strain will not give you the same results.

So for general good health, a multi strain probiotic that has both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species is best.

For specific diseases you may want a single strain probiotic.

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How To Take Probiotics

Study after study has proven that probiotics work. Theyre widely known as friendly bacteria that help maintain a healthy digestive system, and theres even research to suggest that probiotics can improve your mental health. But do you know how to take probiotics correctly? Are you storing them properly? These sensitive bacteria need care and attention before they give you those health-boosting benefits. Find out if youre making any of these probiotics mistakes.

What Happens If You Overdose On Probiotics

However, overdosing on probiotics can irritate your gut and result in loose stools. 4 Signs You Are Taking Too Many Probiotics: 4. Abdominal Pain All of the above symptoms can contribute to general abdominal pains, which can be exhibited as sharp pains, cramps, or tightness. How Many Billion Probiotics Should I Take?

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What Quantity Of Probiotic Should You Take Daily

Okay, there isnt a recommended dosage of probiotics that you should take daily. Researchers are still conducting studies to discover the optimum strain and quantity of probiotics. It is essential to recognize that the daily dose can differ because not all probiotics are the same. A lot of probiotics are delivered in a range of 1-10 billion CFU/dose. Yet, there are some products that have proven to be effective at lower levels, whereas others demand significantly more.

Probiotic Dosage For Adults

As with anything you take to improve your health, dosage is important. If you take too much, you may cause new problems, and too little won’t do anything at all.

There’s a common misconception that probiotics should be taken every day, according to an article published in May 2016 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Probiotics are a tool that can be helpful when trying to improve certain conditions typically related to the gastric system, but are not a daily supplement.

There is still a need for a lot more research on the microbiome of the gut. Because of the lack of deeper information, we don’t know what the optimum balance is for bacteria in the stomach.

While you can find recommended dosages for adults with different ailments, it’s best to talk to a doctor about the right dosage for you. Only a physician who has examined you will be able to determine what your health needs or to provide your specific dosage amounts.

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Probiotics Dosage For Weight Loss

There has been studies that have been investigating the role of probiotics in weight loss. A study conducted by Peter Jones, University of Manitoba in Canada indicated that probiotics can have an impact in the loss of weight. It is more targeted to the belly fat.

The findings indicated that the probiotics interfered with the normal absorption of all calories by the body and led to the calories going out of the tailpipe. This leaves the body with less calories that could be deposited in the abdomen as fat deposits. The net effect is weight loss.

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How Does This Information Come Into Play When Shopping For Probiotics

We can draw a few conclusions from this information. First, there is a minimum amount of daily probiotics that is necessary to achieve most of the desired probiotic benefits, but that amount is much lower than most probiotic companies suggest. Second, the probiotic variants with tens of billions of CFU per serving are providing far more than is necessary for general gut health. This could mean they are better suited for those suffering from chronic digestive conditions, but it could also mean that higher CFU counts are necessary to compensate for poorer survival rates. Its impossible to say without seeing survival research for a specific brand. Unfortunately, it seems few companies have performed research on survival rates, so only a few companies have this information publicly available. Finally, the rotaviral diarrhea example demonstrates that more is not always better. CFU counts matter, but only to a point. Elements like timing, survival rates, preexisting conditions, diversity of strains, and individual microbiota composition can all have an impact on the needs of an individual and the effectiveness of a probiotic. Its important to consider all of these factors when searching for a probiotic supplement.

1Bertazzoni, E., Donelli, G., Midtvedt, T., Nicoli, J., & Sanz, Y. . Probiotics and clinical effects: is the number what counts?. Journal of chemotherapy , 25, 193212.

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How Can We Tell If Ingested Probiotics Stay Alive In The Gut To Provide Health Benefits

For more on the question: do probiotics reach the gut alive? Check out this post.

First, a number of experiments are done in the lab in order to examine their potential as probiotics. In these experiments, we check the following: acid/bile tolerance, antibiotic resistance, adherence to human intestinal cells and antibacterial activity.1, 2 Research has shown that the ability of survival in the gut is highly dependent on the strain.3

Another way of telling if bacteria can survive for a period of time in the human gut is to search for this bacteria in feces. The longer it takes to find these bacteria, the longer they remain in the gut and the more health benefits they can provide.

Many studies have demonstrated that indeed, good bacteria can be found in feces, even after 7-10 days of no probiotic consumption.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, The drawback here is that generally, after stopping the consumption of probiotics, the number of bacteria detected in feces also goes down.

Also, it is important to mention that their presence in feces does not necesarily correlate with their persistence in the gut. The best indicator is by directly taking intestinal samples with an endoscope. More information on this topic will come!

Are There Side Effects Of Taking Probiotics

This is a question we hear often, and the answer is pretty simple. Side effects is a medical term used in the labeling of some pharmaceutical products. Probiotics are not pharmaceutical drugs they are dietary supplements that support good digestion and immune health.*

However, similar to when you consume a new food or make changes to your diet, taking a daily probiotic may produce occasional gas or bloating at first. We recommend gradually increasing the amount each day until your body adjusts and you are satisfied with the results.

If youre concerned about how your daily probiotic supplement may interact with other medications or supplements youre currently taking, we recommend talking to your doctor about any possible effects that may occur.

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What Is The #1 Probiotic

The probiotic strain in Culturelle® Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is the #1 most clinically studied strain of probiotic. Considered the premier probiotic in the world, over 1,000 scientific studies and over 30 years of research have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG .

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Better Understanding Of Bacteria

First of all, you have to keep in mind that you are dealing with bacteria here. Most of the time, you can already control the growth of bacteria in your body.

You will never get rid of all bacteria, so no matter what you do, you will always have to watch out for the growth of bad bacteria. This can easily happen if you are taking antibiotics to treat something else.

So before you start taking any supplements for your health, make sure that you know whether you should take them or not.

Usually, it is common for women to think about the answer to the question should you take a probiotic every day?

They would think that they should take one when they experience vaginal infections. The truth is that they should take more than one.

If you are trying to treat your candida overgrowth by taking pills, then you should always use a topical yeast infection treatment even if you are trying to avoid the intake of pills.

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Probiotics: How Many Billion Cfu Do I Need To Maintain Daily Digestive Health

• The right dose of probiotics will depend on several factorsmost notably, an individuals purpose for taking probiotics
• A daily dose of 10-20 billion CFU is advisable for individuals seeking everyday immune and digestive support
• For some health indications, higher doses of probiotics may have a greater clinical benefit than lower doses

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Too Muchor Not Enough

To keep your digestive system healthy, you need to make sure that youre taking the correct probiotics dosage. Too much of one type of probiotic bacteria may be an unnecessary dent in your wallet. If youre maintaining a consistent dosage of probiotics, your body does not need high potency products daily. Too little probiotics may not have much of an effect on your overall health. Typical daily probiotic consumption of 1 to 10 Billion CFUs is recommended. Remember, the key is to take probiotics consistently to maintain the probiotics in your gut. It is not intended to be a quick fix. Before you begin taking a probiotic supplement, discuss your options with your doctor. Because probiotics are all different, your doctor will likely instruct you to start with the dosage suggested by the manufacturer. Be patient. Probiotics can take a while to start making a difference. Your doctor might adjust your dosage up or down depending on your progress. Keep in touch with them to ensure that the probiotic youre taking is working for you, not against you.

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Should You Take Probiotics As Often As Daily

Yes you should be able to. Aside from How often should you take a probiotic? another common question in regards to probiotics is whether or not it is ok to take probiotics every day.

With some probiotics there may be a few exceptions to this rule, but generally the answer is yes, its safe, and often recommended to take them daily. The first point to mention here is that probiotics are a natural supplement and not a medicine.

Theyre natural so theyre less likely to cause harm, with a medication, you should be more reluctant about taking it often without a doctors supervision.

There Is No Right Dose Of Probiotics

The average dose of probiotic supplements is 1 to 10 billion colony forming units according to the National Institutes of Health.

Most probiotics on the market have this amount, though you may see products that claim to have up to 50 billion CFU. However, theres no concrete research that says what the most effective dosage is, says Farhadi.

This is kind of uncharted territory. Most of our knowledge about probiotics is not pharmaceutically scientific or chemically scientific, and its a little bit different from other medications, he says. For these reasons, researchers dont know exactly which probiotics and what the effective dose is for health benefits.

However, if you are taking probiotics to deal with the uncomfortable effects of antibiotics, there is some evidence that a higher dose of certain probiotics might help abate the side-effect of diarrhea. In a small 2010 study, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, patients who were given two capsules of probiotic, each containing 50 billion CFU, had fewer instances of antibiotic-induced diarrhea than patients who were given one capsule or no probiotic at all.

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Make Yogurt A Kitchen Staple

Plain yogurt with live active cultures can also be transformed from a breakfast food into a key ingredient in salad dressings, dips, and cold sauces, says Kitty Broihier, MS, RD, LD, a nutrition consultant in Portland, Maine.

Just know that any recipe that requires heating the yogurt in any way is going to kill off its good bacteria. So stick to no-cook recipes to reap the most gut benefits, Broihier says.

How Often Should You Take Probiotics

If you take supplements, you have probably seen the acronym RDA or Recommended Daily Allowance on the label. According to the National Institutes of Health Office for Dietary Supplements, this means average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all healthy people. You might also see Percent Daily Value on the label, which tells you how much of that nutrient is in a single serving. For probiotics, its different. Currently, there is no official recommended dose because researchers are still trying to understand how many probiotics are beneficial on a daily basis.

If youre thinking, that doesnt answer my question, theres more to it! The National Center for Complementary and integrative Health states that probiotics have a long history of safety. The National Institutes of Health Office for Dietary Supplements probiotics fact sheet also references two studies where daily probiotic use was beneficial. And the Harvard Medical School states that probiotics can be taken once per day. Experts also agree that when taking probiotics or any other supplements, you should consult your physician first to make sure it is the right fit for you.

So the answer is probiotics are likely safe for daily use, but because human health is so unique from person to person, it is always best to consult your physician first.

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How Effective Are Probiotics

Researchers are currently unsure how effective probiotic supplements are for treating conditions. Theres constant research on the topic. While many research studies have had positive results on the impact of probiotic supplements, more research is still needed.

Its also important to keep in mind that unlike medications, dietary supplements do not need to be approved by the FDA. This means that manufacturers can sell supplements simply with claims of safety and effectiveness.

Always talk with your healthcare provider before taking a supplement or giving one to your child. Supplements might interfere with medicines you may be taking. If you are pregnant or breast feeding, check with your provider before taking any supplement.

The Final Thoughts: Timing Your Probiotics

Probiotics are different than regular vitamins and nutrients pills.

These small pills have live microbes in them. If taken incorrectly, they will die out even before reaching your intestine.

So, knowing when is the best time to take probiotics is necessary.

Heres a bit of help!

• Digestive Issues: Take probiotics right after your meals having healthy fats.
• Sleeping Issues: Take probiotics before you hit the sack.
• Oral Issues: Take probiotics right before you hit the bed.

Whether you want general health benefits, mental health boosts, better sleep pattern, good gut health, or weight management, probiotics are for you.

So, whats the right time to take probiotics for your health benefits? Tell us in the comment section right away!

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Can Probiotics Hurt Me

For most healthy people, probiotics dont cause any harm. They are generally considered safe and are often given a try to see if they could help with various medical conditions. Theres a lot of research around the topic of probiotics. Scientists are trying to determine when and how they should be used, as well as how effective they are. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting a probiotic supplement because there are some cases where you shouldnt be taking them. Its always best to have the conversation first before starting a new supplement.