How The Best Probiotics Were Rated
All probiotic companies boast of their products having the same beneficial properties, but the following factors were considered when ranking these probiotics.
Number of CFUs: Some probiotics contained only 1 billion CFUs, while others had up to 50 billion CFUs. CFUs do not determine the quality of a probiotic. Still, from their use, the higher the number of CFUs a probiotic has, the longer its shelf life, quality, and effectiveness.
Quality of Strains: Strain quality differs from one probiotic to another as some probiotics use one bacterial strain. In contrast, others use more than one to increase the efficiency of the strains on the products. Some brands use cheaper bacterial strains, which lower the probiotic quality as good quality probiotics are always more expensive.
Diversity of strains: Some probiotics use at most two strains that do not lower the product’s quality, but different strains have different properties. Incorporating more strains in a probiotic will improve its quality and uses. Some strains may have specific functions, while others have generalized functions, which may work better when the strains are put together.
Transparency & Reputation: More probiotic companies are formulated daily, and some of these companies praise their products for earning quick money. They do this for their business growth and not to promote good health. We considered the reputation of these companies and their reputations to determine which probiotics were legit.
The Best Probiotic Must Be Safe
Can you imagine recovering from a stomach bug, only to be made sick again by your probiotic? Some probiotic supplements may not be safe. Although there are some rules about what probiotic companies can say, there is very little oversight over what is actually included in these products.
Each company makes their own choices about how strongly to prioritize safety, and Natren is at the top of the industry. You can rest assured when you choose Natren, because Natrens probiotics meet the highest international standardsfor safety and quality. Our facilities have been honored with the International Good Manufacturing Practice Certification by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration . Other probiotic companies do not prioritize safety the same way Natren does.
How Do They Work
Researchers are trying to figure out exactly how probiotics work. Some of the ways they may keep you healthy:
- When you lose “good” bacteria in your body, for example after you take antibiotics, probiotics can help replace them.
- They can help balance your “good” and “bad” bacteria to keep your body working the way it should.
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A New Cause Of Acid Reflux
Another emerging cause of reflux is an imbalanced microbiome, or gut bacteria and flora.
Many experts in the field of probiotics have conducted research to show that acid reflux can be a result of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth .
Both SIBO and GERD may be caused by an altered microbiome. This is where probiotics start to come in to focus on acid reflux.
How Might Probiotics Work
Probiotics may have a variety of effects in the body, and different probiotics may act in different ways.
Probiotics might:
- Help your body maintain a healthy community of microorganisms or help your bodyâs community of microorganisms return to a healthy condition after being disturbed
- Produce substances that have desirable effects
- Influence your bodyâs immune response.
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Worst Time To Take Probiotics
Most people misunderstood when experts say to have probiotics right after a meal.
They dont recommend heavy meals loaded with dishes on a single plate. In fact, having probiotics directly after a meal is worst.
Simply, our digestive system works in full swing just after a meal. This makes the good bacteria interact with stomach acid. Eventually, most of the friendly microbes die out in the process.
A study discovered that having probiotics 30 min prior to a meal then 30 min after a meal have higher survival chances for probiotics.
In simple words, your stomach doesnt comply with probiotics if you have just had your meal.
Can I Get Probiotics From Food
You can absolutely increase beneficial microbes in your body from the foods you eat. Certain foods have probiotics in them and can benefit the health of your microbiome.
These foods can be introduced into your diet at any point of the day. You may even be regularly eating them now and not realize that they contain probiotics. You will want to check the food label for live and active cultures. A few suggestions for just some of the probiotic-rich foods you can add to your diet and some times to try them include:
For breakfast, try:
- Powders.
- Liquids.
Probiotic supplements may be combined with a prebiotic. Prebiotics are complex carbohydrates that feed the microorganisms in your gut. Basically, prebiotics are the food source for the good bacteria. They help feed the good bacteria and keep it healthy. Prebiotics include inulin, pectin and resistant starches.
When you have a supplement that combines a probiotic and prebiotic, its called a synbiotic.
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What Is The Gut Microbiome
The gut microbiome is a vast ecosystem of complex organisms that live in our digestive tract. Its responsible for helping us get the most out of our food, ensuring that its properly digested and nutrients are absorbed.
Its also home to 70% of our immune system, as well as trillions of microbes that have an effect on our health more generally, including mental health, heart health, kidney health and more besides.
Probiotic good bacteria occur naturally in your gut and play a crucial role in this microscopic world. However, they can be disrupted by a range of factors, including poor diet, stress or taking a course of antibiotics.
Probiotic foods and supplements contain similar bacteria that are meant to be beneficial to your gut microbiome, while prebiotics supply essential nutrients that stimulate the growth of the good bacteria that already exist in your gut.
How To Use Them Safely
The FDA regulates probiotics like foods, not like medications. Unlike drug companies, makers of probiotic supplements don’t have to show their products are safe or that they work.
Ask your doctor if taking probiotics is a good idea for you. In general, probiotic foods and supplements are thought to be safe for most people, though some people with immune system problems or other serious health conditions shouldn’t take them.
In some cases, mild side effects might include an upset stomach, diarrhea, gas, and bloating for the first couple of days after you start taking them. They may also trigger allergic reactions. Stop taking them and talk to your doctor if you have problems.
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Probiotics Benefits: How Do Scientists Think These Microorganisms Help The Body
This living for life nutrient is the foundation of our health. A healthy microbiome may help in preventing and treating diseases in the areas of digestive health, certain types of cancer, oral disease, food allergies, and eczema.
But first, know that probiotic supplements may affect everyone differently, and for older people in particular, their touted benefits are unproven. In fact, the research on how beneficial probiotics are varies depending on the disease in question.
Actimel Yakult And Other Live Yoghurt Drinks
Probiotic yoghurt drinks such as Actimel and Yakult, along with live yoghurt, have been supermarket staples for many years and, as such, have a little more research behind them than some of the more recent fermented food options.
Activia has been shown to help relieve constipation, and there are some studies linking Actimel with the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. However, in both cases the evidence has not been deemed strong enough to be authorised by the EU register on nutrition and health claims.
Some products only have one strain of bacteria in them, which limits their efficacy beyond milder symptoms. Most will have more, but check the label.
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Side Effects And Risks
Probiotics are considered safe for most people. Studies dont report major risks involved with taking them.
The most commonly reported side effects of probiotics are gas and bloating. If you have severe reactions, including abdominal pain, reduce your daily CFU intake and slowly increase again over time.
Always talk with your doctor before beginning a new health supplement. Before giving probiotic supplements to your child, talk to their pediatrician. Premature infants shouldnt take some probiotics.
Probiotics might not be recommended for people with chronic illness or a weakened immune system. Dont use probiotics to replace prescription medications without first consulting your doctor.
First What Is A Probiotic
According to the WHO/FAO 2001 and 2002 definition and an in 2014, probiotics are live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. These friendly bacteria are present in numerous foods, including dairy fermented foods such as yogurt and some kefirs.
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Mason Natural Probiotic Acidophilus With Pectin
Mason Natural Probiotic Acidophilus with Pectin supplement comes in 100-capsule packages with gelatin, magnesium stearate and silica as the main ingredients. IT contains no additives like sugar, starch, sodium, yeast, soy, corn, wheat or dairy products, nuts, and other flavors. People can take it from all age groups, but pregnant and lactating mothers must consult with a physician before taking the supplements. They are most useful when taken with meals at least twice a day as dietary supplements. The Probiotic acidophilus helps in milk and sugar digestion, promoting general good health of the digestive system.
Flora Childrens probiotic contains seven strains specifically cultured for children plus, raw probiotics are taken as a dietary supplement. Every capsule has at least 5billion viable cells during production, dropping to a 3billion upon expiration, two-year shelf life. They are meant for children and should be taken once daily after meals, but they can take more capsules for additional energy levels. The supplement has dairy and soy traces consumers should consult with a health professional if they have underlying conditions.
Increased Risk Of Infection
review from 2017 suggest that children and adults with severe illnesses or compromised immune systems should avoid using probiotics. Some people with these conditions have experienced bacterial or fungal infections as a result of probiotic use.
If a person has a condition that affects their immune system, they should speak with their doctor before taking probiotics.
Also, anyone using antifungal medication should wait until the infection has cleared up before taking probiotics.
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What Do Probiotics Do Exactly
Theres still a lot that scientists dont understand about probiotics, but studies so far have identified a few functional uses of probiotics, including:
- Promoting the health and maintenance of our digestive tracts cell lining
- Supporting immunity
- Managing inflammation
With these findings, researchers are beginning to conduct more expansive studies on the microbiome. They suspect that if probiotics play definitive roles in these body functions, they may also play a role in diseases and conditions that affect digestive health, immunity, and systemic inflammation.
Can I Take A Probiotic Before Bed
Definitely, you can take the friendly bacteria before hitting the bed.
However, the best time to take probiotics before bed is a few hours after having your meal.
Also, the right time to take probiotics depends on the benefits you are looking forward to.
For instance, if you have sleeping issues, taking probiotics right before bed is best. Actually, it can help decimate liver Cirrhosis, which is linked to sleep issues and insomnia.
Certainly, in this situation, you know when is the best time to take a probiotic capsule.
However, the best time of day to take prebiotics for people with digestive issues varies. They should take the supplement in the morning.
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How Long Do Probiotics Take To Work
The different probiotic supplements take different times to work varying with the responses of your body and your gut.
In general, probiotics may work within 30-60 minutes in healthy adults.
Considering you take the supplement at the best time, you have a well-functioning digestive system and you havent eaten anything recently, probiotics should start their job within the first hour.
Probiotics Are Good Bacteria
Your body is home to billions of organisms like bacteria, fungi and yeasts. Most of these organisms are harmless and many help your body work properly they form whats called the human microbiome.
Probiotics are some of the helpful good bacteria that make up your microbiome, explains Dr. Drass. They come in supplement form, but they also occur naturally in certain foods.
These fermented and aged foods are packed with probiotics:
Yogurt
Your kids likely get most of their probiotic intake from yogurt.
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Are Probiotics Good For Gastritis
People with gastritis experience abdominal pain and nausea when the lining of the stomach becomes inflamed. Taking probiotics for gastritis may help destroy the harmful bacteria that cause this condition while increasing the efficacy of antibiotics and other medications.
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Tip
Probiotics can improve digestive health and help treat gastritis caused by H. pylori infection. These supplements may help decrease H. pylori colonization in the stomach lining and complement standard antibiotic treatment for gastritis.
Vegan Probiotic With Prebiotic Capsules
Vegan Probiotic with Prebiotic Capsules is a 30-capsule supplement that is to be taken as two capsules daily before or with meals. It has about 16 Billion CFUs, meaning that it is highly potent and of good quality. It has Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus Reuteri, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve and Bifidobacterium longum, which are clinically studied strains that are clinically approved for consumption. Its other ingredients are purely organic and safe to improve general digestive health, immunity, absorption, reduce constipation and stomach gas.
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What Are The Best Food Sources Of Probiotics
Certain foods naturally contain healthy bacteria by a process called lactic acid fermentation. This occurs when bacteria converts sugar or other carbohydrates to lactic acid, which then increases the bacterial count. Beer and sourdough bread are also fermented, but these foods do not contain live, beneficial bacteria that we call probiotics. Foods that contain probiotics include:
- Yogurt
How To Choose The Right Probiotic
When looking for probiotic products, look for a supplement with the following features
Multispecies and multistrain probiotic: The product should contain different bacterial species and multiple strains of bacteria.
Differentiated products tailored to your needs: Different digestive issues warrant different probiotic strains. Therefore, for optimal benefits, try to seek out a probiotic that is tailored to the specific health outcomes you are trying to achieve.
Clinical studies: The probiotic and its claims should be backed by clinical studies using the final product. This will ensure that you are buying a product whose effects have been studied and proven.
Human strains: Only human bacterial strains can colonize your gut . Other bacteria, such as bacteria found in fermented foods such as yogurt and in soil-based probiotics, cannot colonize the gut and usually pass through your body within a few days. For lasting positive effects, you want to make sure that you have human strains that can colonize.
Free of animal proteins, allergens and fillers: It is recommended to choose a probiotic that is free of dairy and other animal proteins, gluten, soy and yeast to ensure you are taking a clean product.
Delivery mechanism: When you ingest your probiotic, the probiotic travels through the harsh, very acidic environment of the stomach before it reaches the small and large intestine.
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What Are Probiotic Foods
Itâs important to understand what a probiotic is first. Probiotics are good, live bacteria that you add to your gut via food with a live culture in it or via dietary supplements, and which have a proven health benefit.
Probiotic foods contain live bacteria or yeast cultures that offer proven health benefits. Yes, they are bacteria and they are alive those are both good things.
However, the good bacteria canât do this if they arenât alive. Probiotics need to be living to help support your gut. the cultures arenât alive, they wonât deliver the intended health benefit.
In short, probiotic foods must have living cultures that provide a health benefit.
How Much Probiotic Should I Take
You should have somewhere between 1 billion and 10 billion CFU daily.
There isnt a universal consensus on the daily recommended amount.
Some supplements have a stronger design. Some studies show taking doses of 20 billion CFU or higher delivers maximum advantages.
For vegans, the best probiotic-rich foods such as Miso, Tempeh, and Kimchi. In fact, these natural and organic food sources are best for receiving maximum probiotics.
When it comes to knowing when is the best time to take probiotics, several other questions hover over you.
In this blog, we have tried our hardest to answer most of the related inquiries. At last, lets sum up our findings.
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Side Effects Related To Probiotics
Most people who use probiotics do not experience side effects, and even if they do, the effects are usually not diverse.
The harmful effects of probiotics can also emerge due to people suffering from chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, high blood pressure, neonates, asthmatic patients, stomach ulcers. These special groups of people should consult with their doctors before using the supplements to know whether they can reduce their dosages to accommodate their conditions.
Supplements could also cause harm if they are consumed after expiry, poor storage conditions that could tamper with the quality of the bacterial strain, such as storing in poorly ventilated areas, storing above or below recommended temperature or in damp areas.
Poorly coated probiotic supplements may also cause more harm than good as viable counts of bacteria, when exposed to a poor environment, tend to die faster than multiply.
According to a CDC review paper, some of these effects may include:
The stomach is temporarily bloating with gas after ingesting the probiotic supplement.
How the bowel constipates, and users get excessive thirst from ingesting yeast-based probiotics.
