Individual Results May Vary But The Key To Healthy Digestion Is Consistency
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Within Hours
Thanks to its prebiotic content and encapsulation technology, your first dose of probiotics will reach your gut alive and will start supporting a healthy bacterial balance of the gut.*
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1 Month
Maximize your health benefits by incorporating good nutrition and regular exercise into your routine.*
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2 Months
Studies have shown that habits develop in about 66 days. By now, regular Complete Probiotics Platinum® doses and your healthy lifestyle changes will feel more automatic.*
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3 Months and Beyond
As the weeks go by, a healthy microbiome balance can support your overall health.*
*Individual results may vary. This timeline may not reflect the typical purchaser’s experience, and is not intended to represent or guarantee that anyone will achieve the same or similar results.
The Two Worlds Of The Best Probiotics And Prebiotics
The word probiotics is derived from Latin and Greek, and literally means for life. The way we get probiotics is from the dirt, unwashed food and fermented foods and drinks. The bacteria in the dirt are different than the bacteria in fermented food.
We have put a lot of focus and research on the probiotic strains including lactobacilli and bifidobacterium, but have neglected many of those found in dirt. These are the ones we are exposed to as children when we stick our hands in the dirt and then our mouths.
Many people also havent heard of prebiotics. Prebiotics have been found to alter the neuroendocrine response, decreasing anxiety, and depression. Prebiotics are the fiber component of plants that help feed the probiotics and help them colonize.
Certain people have a lower prebiotic production in their body due to the FUT2 gene found in the Nutrition Genome Report, and therefore require more of these foods to help colonization. This is especially true when multiple rounds of antibiotics have been used. Therefore, prebiotics and probiotics are necessary for a happy, diverse microbiome.
Tiger Nuts are a food that have made a come back to the market from the Paleolithic age, a prebiotic that companies claim comprised 80% of our pre-human ancestors diet about two million years ago. Dandelion greens, kiwi, garlic, leeks, radicchio, garlic, artichokes, bananas, yacon syrup, asparagus, pistachios and chicory root are all examples of prebiotics.
What Is The Quality Of The Probiotic
Probiotics are currently not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which means quality and purity testing are not required because probiotics are not intended to prevent, treat or cure disease. But there are other ways to measure quality. Look for reputable brands and probiotics that say they are third-party reviewed and tested. For example, the label may say that the probiotics are manufactured in cGMP certified facilities. A cGMP certification means that manufacturers evaluate their ingredients’ identity, purity, strength and composition.
Some companies will also list where their ingredients are sourced. You will want to select something that says traceable or DNA identified. This means that the strains are verified and come from quality sources. Does the manufacturer do clinical tests on the strains or discuss using clinically tested strains? Different strains have different functions, so you will want to select a strain that is proven to be beneficial.
Last, check the expiration date. If the date has passed, the probiotic likely wont be as potent as the label claims. Bacteria only live for so long, so many probiotic companies only guarantee their products until the best if used by date.
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Clostridium Difficile Associated Diarrhea
C.difficile-associated diarrhea is a common nosocomial and community-based medical condition. While typically linked to antibiotic induced disturbance of the intestinal microbiota, CDAD is now increasingly identified in patients without recent antibiotic exposure.32 Antibiotic therapy with metronidazole, oral vancomycin and now fidaxomicin makeup the current treatment paradigm.33 Recurrence of CDAD remains a clinical problem. In 1994 a trial reported that S. boulardii offered for 4 weeks after antibiotic therapy reduced overall CDAD recurrence rates.34 However, the finding was only significant for those with a history of recurrent CDAD. A follow up study, designed to be confirmatory, did not find S. boulardii to significantly reduce CDAD recurrence after standard therapy.35 Though a favorable trend was found in patients treated with high-dose vancomycin in the latter study, the clinical significance of this is less clear. Lactobacillus probiotics have been tested as single species and as combination probiotic products for preventing CDAD recurrence. While some results have been promising, most studies are underpowered, have methodological flaws, or have not been reproduced.36
While controversy exists, current society guidelines and expert opinion panels state that existing data are not sufficient to justify recommending available probiotics for preventing primary or recurrent CDAD.15, 36, 37
How To Take Prebiotics
Prebiotic supplementation is generally very safe. However, significantly increasing fiber intake or increasing it too rapidly may contribute to abdominal pain, bloating, gas or diarrhea. For this reason, consider adding prebiotics slowly, then gradually increasing your dose to the recommended amount . Speak with your doctor or a qualified medical professional to learn more about how to incorporate prebiotics into your diet.
Also, those with certain gut disorders, such as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth , IBS, or FODMAPs intolerance, may experience negative symptoms from prebiotics. For this reason, you should always consult with a qualified medical professional before supplementation to avoid any unwanted side effects.
For better assimilation into the gut, you should take prebiotics with food. Prebiotics can be taken simultaneously with probiotics and are safe to take with other supplements. As with any fiber in the diet, be sure that you are getting adequate water to promote regular bowel movements and prevent constipation.
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The Nue Co Debloat Food + Prebiotic
If you are a fan of Ayurvedic medicines, The Nue Co. Debloat Food + Prebiotic might be the best choice for you.
This product is fast-acting and it can instantly relieve your feeling of bloatedness.
Moreover, The Nue Co. Debloat Food + Prebiotic contains turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and key digestive enzymes.
So, in one formula, your gut health will surely improve!
Pros
How to use
Per tub of The Nue Co. Debloat Food + Prebiotic can make up to 35 servings.
To use this product, mix ½ teaspoon of The Nue Co. Debloat Food + Prebiotic with water or your favorite non-dairy milk beverage. You can also add it to your smoothie.
Reviews
- My irritable bowel syndrome symptoms and discomforts improved in no time! I have only used one product and I can already see the difference.
- What I like about this product is that all its ingredients are natural and highly effective.Nata L.
- The taste is good and I really enjoy mixing it with my morning oats.Leah T.
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Best Pure Prebiotic Powder: Bulletproof Innerfuel Prebiotic Fiber Powder
If youre familiar with the Keto diet, you may have heard of the Bulletproof line of supplements. Like bulletproof coffee , these supplements support the Keto lifestyle, which can be restrictive for overall vegetable and starch intake, as these are sources of unwanted carbohydrates. Bulletproof Prebiotic Fiber contains a mix of three keto-friendly prebiotics and nothing else. One of the prebiotics is Larch Arabinogalactan from the bark and heartwood of the Larch tree.
According to Bulletproof, this prebiotic contains a high amount of free-radical fighting polyphenols for extra immune support. This product is also a good source of dietary fiber and contains zero sugar. According to the makers, it is flavorless and easily dissolves in water, making it suitable to add to your coffee, smoothies, or any other beverage. Unfortunately, this product does not contain any probiotics, so youll need to supplement those through probiotic foods or supplements.
Cost: $29.96 to $39.95 per 13.4oz, depending on subscription service
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Gnc Probiotic Complex Daily Need
Image Courtesy ofGNC
With its eight strains of clinically studied probiotics, this brand of health supplement has been designed from the ground up to provide you with an amazing experience starting with the first capsule.
Our team of reviewers was already familiar with the GNC brand before trying out this particular probiotic health supplement. And the reason is simple this brand is represented in stores located in nearly every major city in the United States. It is almost impossible to go to the mall without walking past one of their storefronts.
As such, we had high expectations when it came time to test this particular brand. During the two weeks we had this bottle in our hands we did everything we could to see how it could improve our digestive health. From eating spicy food to indulging in a lot of dairy, we didnt hold back.
The result was quite simple: it worked. This probiotic brand helped deal with occasional gas and bloating while promoting regularity in the restroom. In short, the GNC brand is one that we found could easily be trusted.
Understanding Prebiotic And Probiotic Supplements
When it comes to finding the right prebiotic or probiotic supplement for your digestive health needs, it is important to keep in mind that there are plenty of different supplements to choose from, and the options available to you may all contain different probiotic strains.
This means that it can take some time in order to find the right probiotic supplement that brings you your desired results, and it might be a process of trial and error. If you need some help deciding where to start, your doctor may have some product recommendations to share with you, or at the very least, they can help you narrow down your options by steering you towards products with cleaner ingredients, or products that have a good reputation.
When you are taking supplements, it is always important to carefully follow the directions included on the label, and make sure you speak with your doctor or pharmacist if anything is unclear about proper usage or dosing.
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How We Vetted This Article:
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
May 11, 2021
Healthlines content is created, fact-checked, and reviewed by qualified writers, editors, clinicians, and other contributors.
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Amy Richter, RD
Medical Reviewer
Amy Richter is a registered dietitian who specializes in skin conditions and gut health. She owns The Acne Dietitian, a blog and private practice dedicated toRead full bio
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Arlene Semeco, MS, RD
Prebiotics And Your Brain & Cognition
Your brain and your gut have a strong connection. By treating your gut right, you can potentially be treating your mind right, and the best prebiotics can help.
You may not realize this, but there is a large connection between your gut and your brain. It actually contains more neurons than you may find in animal brains. This really puts into perspective the term gut feeling.
Your brain and gut are connected to one another through whats known as the vagus nerve. This means that your brain can influence your stomach and your stomach can influence your brain.
This makes sense as keeping your stomach satisfied is the key to keeping you fully fueled and alive it definitely deserves having a hotline to your brain whenever needed.
Not only that, in animal studies, prebiotics have been seen to help as an antidepressant and even reduce anxiety. Theres a lot that prebiotic supplements can do for you when used correctly, both mentally and physically.
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When To See A Doctor
You may be considering a probiotic supplement if youre experiencing gut issues. But its a good idea to schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional first, because your symptoms could be related to a condition that requires a specific treatment or medication.
Additionally, taking a probiotic can do more harm than good in some individuals, so its important to discuss options with a trusted expert before trying anything new (
Best For Puppies: Honest Kitchen Pro Bloom Instant Goat’s Milk Probiotics
Chewy
The puppy phase is a crucial stage of development, and as pet owners we want to give our dogs the best start in life that we can. Support a healthy gut from an early age by introducing an easy-to-digest probiotic for puppies, like Pro Bloom Instant Goats Milk & Probiotic Supplement from The Honest Kitchen.
Each serving contains an impressive 5 billion CFU of healthy bacteria. This beneficial bacteria can help your puppy improve digestion, ease elimination, strengthen the immune system, and also relieve an upset tummy due to diet changes or unsupervised snacking .
People love how easy it is to give this supplement to their pups. Just add water to the human-grade instant goats milk and you have a ready-to-serve puppy probiotic treat. You can also pour the milk concentrate onto dry or dehydrated dog food before serving. While it isnt mothers milk, this probiotic for puppies is a healthy, nourishing way to support healthy growth and development. And even though its a great idea for helping puppies get the probiotics they need, its suitable for dogs of all ages.
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Garden Of Life Primal Defense Ultra
Garden of Life always has an interesting take on supplements, and their Primal Defence Ultra probiotic is no exception. The thirteen strains of probiotic bacteria are supported by a matrix of organic oat grass processed with an enzymatic procedure to help bacteria growth, as well as a small amount of iron, which is known to massively boost bacteria growth inside the body.
They also include ionic plant based minerals, presumably to boost growth further. Garden of Life generally has a love it or hate it approach if you want all the extras, its a great choice, but if you just want plain old bacteria in a pill, there are better options.
When Should You Take Probiotics Morning Or Night
There is no right or wrong answer to this question, as everyones digestive system works differently. Some people find that taking probiotics first thing in the morning helps them have a more regular bowel movement pattern, while others find that taking them at night helps reduce bloating and gas.
Ultimately, its important to listen to your body and figure out what works best for you. If youre unsure, start by taking them at night and see how you feel. You can always adjust your schedule as needed.
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How To Choose The Best Probiotic And Prebiotic Supplements
My thoughts on probiotic supplements have evolved. The past approach has been to cram as many strains as possible with billions of bacteria. The more the better, it seemed. Then, strains with numbers behind them became the only strains that should be considered viable due to clinical verification.
Now, I believe the research is going towards understanding individual microbiomes, where strong targeted probiotic supplementation should potentially only be used with clear bacterial deficiencies in certain strains or after antibiotic use. Therefore, I think lower doses that are rotated in use may be the best approach for the general Western population where digestive disorders are prevalent.
One small study even found that probiotic supplements cause confusion, difficulty concentrating and bloating, with the researcher stating another interview If you are taking gut bacteria that doesnt jive with your current gut bacteria, then that could definitely cause symptoms. What this also made me think of is that we all have different requirements and microbiomes, and the future approach needs to take this into account.
Then, we have hunter-gatherer populations like the Hadza who completely lack bifidobacterium, men and women have different microbiomes based on men eating more meat and honey and women more tubers, and a high level of Treponema bacteria, linked systemic lupus and periodontitis, as well as syphilis in Western populations.
What Makes The Best Prebiotics
When looking for the best prebiotic supplements on the market we had a few standards that had to be met when it comes to standards.
The first was a prebiotic that had the cleanliness. By this we mean we had to make to sure whatever prebiotic we deemed number one had to be as clean and as friendly to your gut as possible.
Therefore, we were picking out prebiotic supplements that are:
- Vegan Friendly
- Non Irradiated
And more. The prebiotic just needed to be as clean and as pure as possible.
We also wanted to make sure that it wasnt any of these synbiotic fusions which are partly probiotic, partly prebiotic. Most of the time these dont have enough of either to yield effective results unlike the best prebiotics.
Ideally, what we were looking for was something that contains a good source of prebiotic fiber that could be taken on a daily basis that supports the gut and selectively promotes only the effective bacteria in your stomach such as Bifidobacterium.
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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.
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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.