Microbiome Plus+: Recommended For Healthy Gut Bacteria And Lower Cholesterol
Microbiome Plus+ offers formulated probiotics of 3.5 billion CFUs of L. reuteri, with clinically proven benefits to digestive health, increased Vitamin D, and lower LDL cholesterol levels. Other benefits to taking these probiotics daily may include increased energy, healthy inflammation management, and potential weight loss.
While the Microbiome Plus+ company offers several related products with different probiotic and prebiotic formulas, the Microbiome Plus+ Gastrointestinal Probiotic supplements feature a single active ingredient:
- Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242
The Microbiome Plus+ manufacturer proudly certifies its probiotic supplement as kosher, halal, vegan, free from genetically modified organisms, and GRAS -certified by the FDA. It also follows Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines in FDA-certified facilities.
Microbiome Plus+ features a slow-release vegetarian hydroxypropyl methylcellulose capsule that helps the probiotics survive until they reach the intestinal tract. Other probiotic agents the company offers include prebiotic short-chain fructooligosaccharides, digestive enzymes, and advanced pancreatin.
Clinical studies of Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242 have shown to potentially help with the following:
- improved gut health by helping repair the gut lining and promoting normal digestion of fats
- Help reduce LDL cholesterol
- improved overall health
- improved digestive and immune health
Pros:
Cons:
Probiotics May Help With Certain Allergies
If food particles would enter the bloodstream, the immune system would detect this as invaders and trigger an immune response. We would experience this immune response and inflammation as nausea, stomachache, digestive discomfort, headache and skin rash, to name a few.
An allergy is simply a misdirected reaction, sometimes even an overreaction, of the immune system. Probiotics help to balance a healthy immune function and with that help protect against the onset of allergies, food intolerances and chronic skin issues.
On that note, specific probiotic bacteria can directly protect against exaggerated inflammatory processes and autoimmune disease by increasing the production of IL-10. This is a messenger substance that helps the body manage inflammation.
How We Select Supplements
At mindbodygreen, our expert-vetted dietary supplement product selections and recommendations in the supplement space elevate quality, efficacy, innovation, and safety.
Our team ensures that each supplement product is thoughtfully formulated–from the active ingredients to those “Other ingredient” excipients too. We are highly preferential towards clean formulas that are plant-centric as well as free of GMOs, gluten, soy, dairy, major food allergens, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, synthetic dyes, and more.
Overall, we recommend products with clean ingredients at efficacious doses in bioactive forms. Whenever possible, we celebrate and elevate plant-origin ingredients from a variety of botanicals.
Ingredient source and innovation are top of mind for our critical reviews and selection of supplement products. We prioritize forward-thinking formulations and delivery formats that are genuinely helpful in transforming your health.
We include supplement brands and products that prioritize quality. This includes robust manufaturing practices and comprehensive purity and potency testing.
You can learn more about mindbodygreen supplements+ manufacturing and quality testing practices here.
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How Much Do Probiotic Pills Cost
The cost of probiotics varies depending on the brand and the quantity you’re buying. In general, the most cost-effective option for long-term probiotic use involves subscribing to receive regular bottles for a discounted monthly price.
For example, 1MD’s Complete Probiotics Platinum costs $44 per bottle if purchased one bottle at a time. Customers can also opt to subscribe to one bottle per month for $41 each or even six bottles every six months for $30 each.
If your chosen brand does not offer savings through subscriptions, it likely sells bottles in bulk. For example, one bottle of Probiology Gut+ costs $60, but the manufacturer often offers savings deals like a “buy two, get one free” offer or discount code.
When To Consider A Probiotic Supplement
While food manufacturers arent required to list the amount and of which probiotics are in the food product, neither are supplement companies. Its important that while the number of probiotics and amount of strains can seem beneficial, more isnt necessarily better in this case. The 5 most important probiotic strains that we recommend looking for when shopping for a probiotic supplement are Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and some strains of Streptococcus and Bacillus.
We recommend looking for a probiotic supplement that has 3-10 billion Colony Forming Units and to stay away from products that do not contain high amounts of quality probiotic strains, such as the ones we talked about above.
RELATED ARTICLE: How Do I Choose A Probiotic?
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Do Probiotics Detox The Body
Yes, they do, by taking daily probiotics you are boosting the number of good bacteria in the gut. This will result in you detoxifying your system and enabling the gut to absorb nutrients more effectively. It is considered that after taking antibiotics the imbalance of good bacteria will have negative results which can last a considerable amount of time, even after youve stop taking your course of antibiotics.
Why Do You Want To Take A Probiotic
Understanding why you want to take a probiotic can help you pick which probiotic is best for you based on which strain of bacteria is in it. Probiotic names can be long and confusing. Think back to high school biology class. Each name refers to the genus, species, subspecies , and strain designation in that order. The most commonly studied probiotic genera are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Knowing the full name of the strain in probiotic, prebiotic or symbiotic can help you research and see if you are taking the right one to meet your goal.
For example, are you looking to increase your health in general, or do you want something to help with constipation or diarrhea?
Here is a list of some strains and how they may help you:
- Bifidobacterium breve is good for relieving stomach aches.
- Bifidobacterium longum BB536 can help relieve constipation, supports immune health and reduces allergy symptoms.
Read Also: Can You Take Probiotics With Antibiotics
The Bottom Line: Will Probiotics Help Improve Your Gut Health
It all comes back to balance. Yes, I believe that taking a probiotic can be a powerful health hack that can get your digestive health at peak levels. In fact, a daily probiotic is a much more realistic option than trying to gnaw on fermented foods all day long. Many people get dramatic results from probiotic supplements because many of their health problems are tied to an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut.
I highly recommend looking into the possibility of an unbalanced gut if you’re not feeling your best following a round of antibiotics, a stressful life period, or serious illness. Finally, don’t expect a probiotic supplement to change everything overnight. It often takes three to six months of consistent use before most people see results.
How Do Probiotic Supplements Work
When you take raw probiotics as dietary supplements, you introduce large quantities of healthy bacteria into your gut. As the probiotics grow, they steal nutrients from bad bacteria, preventing their adverse effects while increasing the beneficial bacteria in your system. Good bacteria help with vitamin production, weight regulation, and digestive health.
Manufacturers create supplements with various combinations of probiotic strains to support general or specific health concerns. Some supplements help immune function, while others might focus on overall digestive health.
Read Also: Are Probiotics Safe For Infants
Treat Certain Mood Disorders
Research has shown that people who suffer from digestive disorders such as IBS also develop mood disorders like depression and anxiety. There seems to be a close link between your gut and your brain.
While studies are still underway to find out how meaningful that link is, observations have shown that probiotic supplements can significantly impact your mood. Its speculated that improving the overall balance of your gut, which produces the majority of serotonin in your body, can treat mood disorders.
Best Probiotics To Take With Antibiotics
There are many probiotic supplements on the market, so how do you know which one to choose?
Well, the right probiotic to choose depends on what youd like it to do. Probiotic effects are strain-specific, meaning that different strains have different effects on the body. If you want to reduce anxiety you could take a strain called Bifidobacterium longum R0175, while this strain may not be as effective if you wanted to prevent c.diff infection.
So as you can see, its important to choose the right probiotic strain for the job!
Read Also: What Is A Probiotic Pill
Best On The Go: Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotic Extra Care Go
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Improves digestive balance with 12 probiotic strains
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Delayed-release design survives stomach acid
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No refrigeration necessary
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Effects may be subtle
A major obstacle when it comes to staying consistent with taking probiotics is that many of them need to be refrigerated. Refrigeration keeps bacteria viable and supports overall efficacy. Finding a probiotic that ensures potency not just at the time of manufacture, but at the time of purchase is difficult.
Renew Lifes On The Go Probiotic takes away the stress of refrigeration. Renew Lifes Extra Care probiotics provide 50 billion live cultures from 12 different probiotic strains, designed to re-establish digestive balance. Ensuring quality and potency through expiration, Renew Lifes capsules are designed to be delayed-release, making sure the contents make it past the acidic environment of the stomach. As a bonus, these probiotics do not need to be refrigerated, a plus when shipments might be delayed, routines are disrupted by travel or emergency times without refrigeration.
Type: Capsules | Colony Forming Units: 50 billion | Dosage: 1 daily | Certified: Non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free
Price at time of publish: $20
Biomemd For Women: Good Option For Women Over 50
BiomeMD for Women is a women’s health probiotic produced by 1MD Nutrition, a dietary supplements company with a wide range of products. While the company offers a standard probiotic product for either gender called BiomeMD, the women’s health formula is a targeted probiotic for women that can help improve gut health and vaginal health as well as reducing instances of urinary tract infections.
BiomeMD for Women contains 62 billion CFUs of the formula containing 16 probiotic strains, including:
- Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14
- Lactobacillus reuteri 1E1
The remaining probiotic strains include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, which helps promote a healthy digestive system and improved overall health for women, including improved immune system function, healthy human gut microbiota, and vaginal and urinary tract health.
This U.S.-produced, doctor-formulated blend of probiotic strains utilizes manufacturing procedures exceeding the Good Manufacturing Practices standards. 1MD Nutrition promises that its products adhere to the company’s Purity Pledge, with strict testing of ingredients and upholding suppliers to its product standards. BiomeMD for Women is free from genetically modified organisms, gluten, shellfish, and soy.
Pros:
- Synthetic HMO may cause digestive distress for lactose-intolerant users
- With so many strains, users may not know which are beneficial
Also Check: What Probiotic Should I Take For Constipation
Maintain And Restore Bone Health
Our beneficial bacteria restore and maintain our intestinal health. This allows our gut with its billions of probiotics to properly sort through what we ingest and absorb all the nutrients we need and excrete any waste. Probiotics assist our body in getting the vitamins and minerals it needs to maintain bone health, also in old age.
Culturelle Digestive Health Daily Probiotic
Optimize your digestive system function and promote a strong, healthy gut with Culturelle Digestive Health Daily Probiotic. This probiotic supplement not only supports a healthy gut microbiome, it also helps to reduce occasional bloating, gas, and diarrhea. It’s formulated with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, the most clinically studied probiotic.
Each capsule provides 10 billion CFUs along with the prebiotic inulin. Backed by 35 years of science, Culturelle Digestive Health Daily Probiotic is a supplement that you can trust. These capsules are vegetarian, non-GMO, and don’t contain any wheat, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, or dairy.
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Can You Take Probiotic Supplements On An Empty Stomach
Research and recommendations vary on this question. Try taking your supplement both on an empty stomach and with food to determine which works best for you. If your stomach is upset with your probiotic supplement, consider whats in it and if you need another product with no allergens. Many supplements are dairy- and gluten-free.
Which Probiotics Have Been Researched For Ibs
The best probiotics for IBS are supported by plenty of good quality research. But different probiotics will have different properties, and therefore certain strains will offer unique benefits for various types of IBS. Read more about the difference between strains and species: The Strain Myth. In this article, we hope to make things clear for you by outlining the different types of IBS and which probiotic strains have been shown to support each symptom.
If you’re short on time, why not watch the video below, in which I give a brief overview of the best strains to use for the most common types of IBS.
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Do Probiotics Help Ibs
Were often asked questions about probiotics and IBS, such as Can you treat IBS with probiotics?”, “Should IBS sufferers take probiotics?”, and simply “Are probiotics good for IBS?”! The answer is that probiotics have been shown in many clinical trials to support the symptoms of IBS, and most people find them helpful. Probiotics are fine to take alongside most prescription and over the counter medications for IBS, and are a safe, natural option to try. However, if you think you have IBS, you should always have your symptoms diagnosed by a doctor first.
Different probiotic strains can be beneficial for different symptoms of IBS. Clinical studies show the best probiotic supplements for IBS contain strains such as:
Complications Of Chronic Liver Disease/hepatic Encephalopathy
Luminal microbiota play an important role in the pathogenesis of both spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and hepatic encephalopathy. Ammonia produced by gut bacteria is believed to play a key role in hepatic encephalopathy. Antibiotics are employed in clinical practice to reduce severity or frequency of both these chronic liver disease complications. Lactulose, a mainstay of therapy, is a prebiotic for lactobacilli which can limit bacterial ureases.
The role for probiotics in these disorders is an area of ongoing investigation.74 Treatment of hepatic encephalopathy with lactobacillus acidophilus was studied as early as 1965.75 More recently, Liu and colleagues offered a probiotic and prebiotic mixture to 97 patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy and observed a reduction in ammonia levels and improvement in encephalopathy.76 Another group found that a yogurt-based probiotic supplement significantly improved quantitative measurements of minimal hepatic encephalopathy in nonalcoholic cirrhotics.77 The latter group is now completing a more comprehensive trial using the probiotic LGG in a similar patient cohort.78
Society guidelines and expert consensus panels do not currently support a recommendation of probiotic use for any chronic liver disease associated condition.
Read Also: Doctor’s Best Digestive Health Probiotic 2 Billion With Lactospore
Best Budget: Culturelle Daily Probiotic
Courtesy of Amazon
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Includes prebiotic fiber to boost results
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Not as strong as others on the market
Probiotic supplements that are super affordable are hard to come by. One 30 day supply of Culturelle won’t break the bank and contains a potent, evidence-backed strain of good bacteria. Lactobacillus rhamnosus has been used in multiple clinical trials focusing on abdominal pain, infection-induced diarrhea, and allergic reactions such as eczema.
Culturelle contains ten billion Colony Forming Units of this evidence-backed bacteria strain per serving. In addition to these beneficial bacteria, Culturelle combines 200 mg of inulin, a naturally occurring prebiotic fiber to feed the probiotic. Independent product testing company, Consumer Labs, confirmed that it contains the listed amount of probiotic organisms and is free of contamination as well as yeast, milk, dairy, lactose, wheat, and gluten, which makes this a great option for anyone who may be following a gut-healing specific diet looking for an extra gut health boost.
Type: Capsules | Colony Forming Units: 10 billion | Dosage: 1 daily | Certified: Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, soy-free, non-GMO
Price at time of publish: $17
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Blend contains both a prebiotic and probiotic
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Uses only research-backed probiotic strains
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Patented microalgae capsule ensures survival in stomach acid
Type: Capsules | Colony Forming Units: 53.6 billion AFU | Dosage: 2 daily | Certified: Vegan, allergen-friendly
Swansons Probiotics For Daily Wellness
Image Courtesy ofSwanson Vitamins
Having trouble finding the right brand of probiotic for you and your family? Swanson Vitamins has decades of experience crafting amazing health supplements perfect for every need.
One of their most well-reviewed products happens to be their probiotic. And the reason is quite clear all you need to do is take two very small capsules when you wake up in the morning and start enjoying a day filled with the simple joy of not having to worry about your digestive health.
Swanson Vitamins is proud to offer one of the best probiotics on the market. And at an affordable price as well, offering a 30-day supply for only $3.91. We strongly recommend this brand for anyone looking to get started on their health supplement journey. The reason is simple: it is the best value proposition among any of the supplements we have reviewed.
Our team was skeptical of this product at first. After all, with such a low price there just had to be something wrong with it. We took several bottles home and tried them out for a fortnight. During that two-week period, we noticed many of the same benefits that come with more expensive options, including better trips to the bathroom and fewer incidents of bloating/gas.
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Tips For Success From The Rd
Yes, you should feel empowered to use an antibiotic supplement to reach peak health. I’ve seen the way that probiotics have helped my own clients push past the misery of digestive issues. However, a high-quality supplement is still no replacement for a proper diet. I stress the importance of eating tons of leafy greens, lean protein sources, healthy dairy sources, and fresh fruits.
I also remind my clients that being stressed, not sleeping properly, and skipping exercise can all help bad bacteria to gain a foothold in your gut. Let a good probiotic supplement be the launching point for getting serious about taking care of gut health for life!
And, as always, be sure to consult with your physician / doctor before taking any supplement.
