The Number Of Bacteria In A Probiotic Product Decreases With Time
Probiotics are live microorganisms and must be alive when consumed to function appropriately.
The number of live bacteria in a probiotic product will decrease between manufacturing and purchasing. This means that on a probiotic label, the CFU level at the end of shelf life date should be within the same range of what was studied and associated with a particular beneficial effect.2
Level of probiotic present on the manufacturing date is not as important as the level present at the ‘end of shelf life’ date.2
Not all probiotics need to be refrigerated to maintain their functionality actually, most can be kept at room temperature.4
Check The Colony Forming Unit Count
CFU stands for Colony Forming Units. What this means is the number of alive and active microorganisms in one serving of a probiotic dietary supplement. These are typically measured in CFUs per gram or per milliliter.
The average CFU count in probiotics is between 1 and 10 Billion CFUs per serving. Some companies even advertise extremely high counts such as over 100 Billion CFUs.
However, a higher CFU does not necessarily mean that this is a better product. In fact, probiotic manufacturers often add more CFUs than claimed on the label to account for the fact that many of the bacteria in the capsule will die between the manufacturing date and the day they are ingested by the customer.
Instead of simply looking at CFU, search for a product with clinical studies and scientific evidence, and an effective delivery mechanism that increases the survival rates of the good bacteria into the large intestine.
The Power Of A Diverse Microbiome
At any rate, eating balanced amounts of both probiotics and prebiotics can help ensure that you have the right balance of bacteria to keep your gut microbiota healthy. And many factors, including the foods you eat, can impact the type of bacteria found in your digestive tract.
Generally speaking, a diverse microbiome is considered healthy. This is because the more species of bacteria you have, the more health benefits they may be able to contribute to. In fact, several studies show that elderly people possess a more diverse gut microbiota than younger adults. Between long-living Chinese, Japanese, and Italian people, all cohorts revealed diverse and balanced gut microbiota. Whereas, disturbed gut microbiotas with dysbiosis were observed in the elderly who suffer from different comorbidities.
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Probiotics For Brain Health
The gut plays a major role in your mood â so much so that its referred to as your second brain. The gut and your brain communicate with each other â that means psychological interventions may help with gut-related problems, per Johns Hopkins Medicine.
And the reverse may be true as well: One small study found that taking probiotics is linked to easing negative thoughts due to a sad mood, per August 2015 research in âBrain, Behavior, and Immunityâ. And probiotics are linked to helping with symptoms of psychological conditions , per an October 2016 review in the âJournal of Neurogastroenterology and Motilityâ that looked at both animal and human studies.
Taking âLactobacillus acidophilusâ, âLactobacillus caseiâ and âBifidobacterium bifidumâ were observed to ease depression symptoms in people with major depressive disorder in a small March 2016 study in âNutritionââ.â More research is needed to understand this gut-brain relationship.
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Natureâs Way Fortify Daily Probiotic
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Product Purity And Design
Lastly, we have done a ranking on the standard for manufacturing and product purity. For instance, we check whether FDA approves the concerned supplement or not. Thats a valuable thing. Taking probiotics with the correct manufacturing is one of our essential priorities.
Moreover, we consider many probiotic supplements that feature the kind of bacterial strains and the dosage.
And guess what? Many products also include probiotics ingredients that are beneficial to keep the live bacteria in your gut healthy.
Therefore, we ranked these probiotic supplements on the abovementioned factors to help people achieve better health and immune function. All these factors are somehow related and are equally essential when buying a supplement.
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Foods High In Probiotics
What do probiotics do for your body? A lot! But where do probiotics come from? Probiotics come from both food and supplements. We always recommend trying to get nutrients from food before taking a supplement.
Common foods that are high in probiotics naturally include:
If youre like the rest of us and dont have a perfect nutritional lifestyle, this is where supplements come to play. Most individuals should aim for 2-3 servings of probiotic-rich foods a day, but in general, 1-2 servings of probiotic-rich foods a day and a single probiotic capsule is a more attainable goal. A quality probiotic supplement is intended to bridge the gaps in your diet to provide your body with the best chance of functioning at optimum levels.
Which Is Better A Probiotic Or Prebiotic
If youre buying probiotics, chances are it was easy to makea leftover from brewing, or from making yogurt. These can be useful and do some good going through your system, but theyre not going to colonize your gut because theyre not meant for the gut. Thats not where they came from, thats not where theyre going.
In the meantime, probiotics can have some good effects on you, and your mileage may vary. Everybody needs to try them first to see if theres something thats going to work and some people swear by them.
But it just wasnt really working for me.
So I moved on to prebioticsthese complex sugars that feed the bacteria. I went through several but didnt get any comfort, until I finally hit upon galactooligosaccharides. This chain of indigestible sugars changed my life overnight.
And so, you need to try lots of different things because everybodys different and take notes, its gonna take a while to decide whether taking a prebiotic or probiotic, or both, is most beneficial for you.
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How To Choose The Best Probiotic For You
While more research is necessary to fully understand the benefits of different probiotic strains, we do know that not all probiotics are created equal. The Lactobacilli, for instance, live in our digestive, urinary, and genital systems and can be found in some fermented foods like yogurt. Bifidobacteria normally live in the intestines as lactic acid bacteria, and are also found in fermented foods.
According to registered dietitian Alex Caspero, MA, RD, For certain conditions, you want to ensure youre taking the strand that is most likely to benefit you. Heres a simple breakdown to help you determine the best probiotic for you.
How To Choose The Right Probiotic
While taking a daily probiotic can help you maintain your overall health, choosing one can feel pretty challenging. There are a huge number of probiotics on the market and not every bacteria in a given probiotic is effective for your specific health needs. While probiotics commonly come from two types of bacteria, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, these two groups can contain many different strains of bacteria. And each strain can impact your body differently. So while talking with your doctor about specific probiotics and your health needs is always a good idea, here are a few places to start when searching for a probiotic.
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How To Choose The Right Probiotic Foods And Supplements
Whats the difference between cabbage and kimchi? Milk and yogurt? Juice and kombucha? Yes, the answer is fermentation. But it really goes so far beyond that. When live microorganisms are introduced to everyday foods, they can drastically alter their nutritional makeup for the better. But not all fermented foods are created equal, and, in fact, some of the foods you think are packed with probiotics might really just be faking it. Here’s how to get good-quality microorganisms in the foods you eat.
What Foods Is L Acidophilus In
YogurtEasiYo Yogurt contains a powerful strain of probiotic acidophilus and this is how I chose to take my acidophilus.
Miso
Lactobacillus is the name of a large family of lactic acid producing bacteria and acidophilus is one of the most important members of that family. See Whats the difference between Acidophilus And Lactobacillus if you get these two muddled up.
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How Do I Choose The Right Probiotic For Me
You came to this article wondering, what are probiotics, and hopefully, youve been able to answer that question in more. In regards to taking a supplement, our best advice is this find a company that you can trust and find a daily suggested capsule intake that you can consistently ingest. That means, if you dont take capsules/pills and you dont remember to and youre not willing to make that adjustment in your daily routine, chances are youre not going to be successful or consistent with taking a probiotic supplement. By using the knowledge youve gained in this article, you now have the information you need to choose probiotic-rich foods and a quality probiotic supplement to bridge the gaps in your nutrition, to attain a happier, healthier lifestyle.
Complex Probiotics For Certain Health Conditions
Bryan Joseph: I guess from there if those are the most common ones, are there any probiotics that would be specific for a condition? If I was somebody that had Crohns or ulcerative colitis or I had You mentioned diarrhea, but if I had a condition, are theyre a match to certain probiotics or is it a lot more complex than that?
Olivia Joseph: Youre talking about Crohns and colitis, it is a big deal. Were not talking about IBS, were talking about IBD, which increases your risk for colon cancer, increases the risk of you going on some significant drugs that have significant side effects like biologics. Youre talking autoimmune disease, a category like that, Im not just going to put someone on probiotics. Im doing a stool test.
I have seen IBS respond beautifully by dietary change, food sensitivity testing and high dose lactobacillus bifidobacterium. So we actually use a probiotic specific to people with IBS or IB, inflammatory or irritable bowel, whether its syndrome or disease, it doesnt matter. So what are those? Theyre high dose lactobacillus, bifidobacterium if you have an IBS. Those two probiotics that I just mentioned, lactobacillus, bifidobacterium, theyre great for bloating and gas, great for it.
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Dont Waste Your Money Choose A Probiotic That Actually Works
Choosing the best probiotic for you is simply a matter of knowing what to look for. Dont automatically pick up the first one you see, the cheapest one, or the one your friend recommended.
The right probiotic supplement will boost your immunity, support healthy digestion, improve nutrient absorption, and boost your energy levels.
Look carefully at all the ingredients. Find one with a high CFU count, lots of probiotic strains, and a delivery system that will get those bacteria to your gut.
If you want a probiotic that fits all these criteria, our probiotic is just for you.
Our Balance ONE Probiotic has 15 billion CFUs of bacteria, 12 potent strains, and no harmful fillers or additives. Most importantly, it uses the BIO-tract delivery system to get those bacteria where theyre needed.
You can find it on , or on balanceone.com. Shipping within the US will be free, and you can rest assured that youre buying a high-quality, made-in-the-USA probiotic.
Remember: Use the discount code PROBIOTIC to get 20% off our probiotic. It works on and our website.
Katie Stone, ND
Know Which Bacteria Is Right For You
Just as you cant use any random antibiotic to fight an infection, you also cant rely on any single strand of bacteria to offer any and all probiotic health benefits. Specific bacteria perform specific functions, so spend some time researching which option is best for you. A probiotic with a large number of bacterial cultures will address more health needs. However, theres no evidence that consuming more bacteria offers more benefits. So if you have time to do some research, its better to get specific about your probiotic needs.
“If you’re looking for a probiotic for overall health, try to find one with multiple strains . Since our gut is filled with tons of various kinds of good bacteria, it is best to try and cover more of our bases,” said , a registered dietician who runs FoodFarmacistRD.com.
Bifidobacterium species, for instance, are helpful at preventing the yeast accumulation that can cause jock itch, thrush, and vaginal yeast infections. They can also support gut health and reduce the frequency of some gastrointestinal problems. Bacillus species can improve the bodys ability to absorb some nutrients, such as calcium and phosphorous. Streptococcus strains may support healthy gums and teeth and reduce the risk of throat infections.
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Make Sure Theyre Safe For You
For most people in good health, experts say probiotics wont cause any issues. If you do get side effects, theyre usually very mild, like a little more gas than usual.
But use caution if you have a serious health condition or your immune system your bodys defense against germs is weak. In those cases, its best to check with your doctor first to see if theyre safe.
Also talk to your doctor before giving probiotics to your infant, especially if theyre sick.
How To Get Started With Probiotics
Think you want to give probiotics a shot? Here are Dr. Crescis take-aways to help you navigate them:
Probiotics are generally recognized as safe, but theyre typically not recommended if you have a compromised immune system. Ask your physician if probiotics are right for you.
It may take some trial and error to find the probiotic that works for you. If you notice no benefits from one product after a few weeks, try a different one with a different strain of bacteria.
Probiotics may cause bloating and gas, as well as changes in your stool patterns all indications that the product is working, Dr. Cresci says.
Prebiotic foods help your good bacteria flourish. Include beans, asparagus, onions, green bananas and other fermentable fiber sources in your diet.
This article originally appeared in Cleveland Clinic Mens Health Advisor.
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Finding An Effective And Tested Probiotic
Dont Skimp On Probiotic Foods
Often far more powerful than what any supplement can provide, probiotic rich foods are not only delicious and a part of most traditional diets around the world, naturally fermented foods are an important part of rebuilding a healthy microbiome, improving natural detoxification and elimination, restoring immune system health and reducing inflammation, making weight loss easier, improving mood and mental clarity, and reducing stress. Including a variety of sources in your diet provides more beneficial organisms than any one supplement can replicate. And because we dont know exactly what your unique microbiome needs, getting this increased variety is incredibly beneficial. Ideally include one serving of the following foods 1-2 times daily.
Probiotic rich foods include:
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Why You Might Take A Probiotic
Probiotics are microorganisms that help support various aspects of overall health by providing beneficial strains of organisms that help to repopulate your gut flora with the right kind of bacteria and yeasts. Probiotics seem to have an ever-expanding list of superpowers and this may be especially true when it comes to probiotics for women. While research is still young and emerging when it comes to the cause and effect relationship of taking a probiotic, there are some really impressive studies showing use of probiotics can lead to:
- Reduced insulin resistance
- Improved HPA Axis function, reduced stress, and improved resilience and well-being
- Reductions in anxiety and depression, which may trickle over to improved premenstrual mood
- Better sleep, healthier circadian rhythm, and breaking the cycle of stress causing sleep problems
- Clearing up IBS, constipation, bloating, and diarrhea
- Achieving a healthier weight improved weight loss
Make Sure Your Probiotic Contains At Least 15 Different Strains
You rarely want to take a single-strain probiotic unless you are directed to do so by a physician. A single-strain probiotic is not going to be as effective as a multi-strain probiotic and could actually skew the gut microbiome toward one type of bacteria, which could lead to a dysbiosis .2 Similar to CFUs, research does not support a certain number of strains of bacteria to be beneficial. Multi-strain probiotics will include two or more strains of bacteria, but two strains arent enough. We recommend looking for a probiotic that contains at least 15 different strains of bacteria.
Ixcela Biome Support includes 17 different strains of beneficial bacteria.
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