The 10 Best Probiotics
Editor's Notes
February 16, 2021:
When it comes to supplements it can sometimes seem like the sheer number of options to choose from is dizzying. And we understand how you feel, considering we have to sift through the various offerings comparing not only their working ingredients, but also anything else they may use whether to form the capsule, as an anti-caking agent, or for other reasons. Because of this, we tend to err towards brands that have not only shown to have some efficacy, but also ones we trust to use high-quality ingredients, which is exactly what you can find on this list. At this time we have determined that no changes need to be made to our current recommendations as we believe they still represent the best probiotics available in a wide variety of strains, and include options for everyone, no matter their age, and even if they are a vegetarian and/or gluten or lactose intolerant.
June 07, 2019:
Probiotics come in a variety of different strains. Each of these strains offers different benefits, and may be more or less effective for certain individuals. Generally speaking, most people will realize the best benefits from a multi-strain option with a large number of colony-forming units, though this isn't the case for everyone. Renew Life Extra Care claimed our top spot because it is comprised of 12 carefully-cultivated strains, has 50 million CFUs, and it doesn't contain any common allergens. Hyperbiotics Pro-15, which has 15 strains, would have landed a better ranking if it also had a high CFU count, but unfortunately it doesn't. Also, many people may find the round pearls hard to swallow. Vitamin Bounty Pro 25 is another option that could have landed a higher spot on our list due to the variety of strains, 13 in this case, but it also has its downfalls, namely containing magnesium stearate, which many people are trying to avoid. Also, it only has a middling level of CFUs.
Garden of Life Raw deserves special mention, as it contains 34 strains and an impressive 100 billion colony-forming units. The reason it didn't claim our number one spot is that this high variety of strains and CFUs does have the possibility of actually causing stomach discomfort in some. If you aren't one of the few people whose stomach is bothered by it, then you will probably find it to be one of the most effective options. Another very effective choice is Dr. Tobias Deep Immune. This patented formula may have a low number of CFUs, but it contains both pre- and probiotics, as well as healthy medium chain triglycerides.
Since children often experience stomach issues as well, we included Culturelle Kids Daily, which is easy to sneak into their favorite juice because it is completely odorless and tasteless. Whichever item on this list you do choose, if you find that you haven't begun to see benefits after a few weeks, it may be worthwhile to try a another option that is comprised of different strains to see if that is more effective for you.
How Do Probiotics Improve Digestion?
It is helpful to understand exactly how these probiotics improve digestion to put the mind at ease.
Probiotics are healthy bacteria that are now a staple in many diets, mainly due to the benefits they have for the digestive system. While adding bacteria to the body may sound scary, the idea that all bacteria are bad is a common misconception. It is helpful to understand exactly how these probiotics improve digestion to put the mind at ease.
The epidemic of poor digestion in Western countries is a huge reason probiotics have gained so much popularity in recent years. Digestive symptoms are widespread, affecting more than 60 percent of adults. The actual numbers are probably higher, as many people with digestive symptoms never report them. This tells us that symptoms of digestive issues are extremely common. Things like bloating, burping, flatulence, occasional constipation or diarrhea, and even acne are all signs of poor digestion. Probiotics help reverse these symptoms by empowering the digestive system.
Probiotics work by balancing out the digestive flora. This is the collection of both harmful and helpful bacteria that live in the human digestive tract. Each individual has a different balance in their gut, but the average healthy gut will contain around 85 percent healthy bacteria and 15 percent harmful bacteria at any given moment. These bacteria help break down foods for better absorption and digestion. This also empowers the bacteria to grow and multiply. A condition called dysbiosis arises when the level of bad bacteria in the gut starts to overpower the level of good.
Dysbiosis negatively impacts the body. It can easily cause the symptoms of poor digestion and may influence chronic digestive disorders, like inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Poor dietary choices are the main cause of dysbiosis in many people, especially those that eat overly processed foods and introduce chemicals or antibiotics into their bodies.
The first line of defense for treating dysbiosis is to correct the imbalance in the gut using probiotics. Probiotics are concentrated versions of common bacterial cultures that thrive in the digestive system. Adding more of these helpful bacteria allows them to starve the bad bacteria and push them out. This ultimately brings harmony back to the gut, helping to eliminate digestive issues.
Additional Benefits Of Probiotics
The benefits of probiotics in the body do not stop at better digestion. New research is shining light on the many ways probiotics help the body. Dysbiosis usually takes a while to settle in. Years of making poor diet and lifestyle choices lead up to a gut full of very strong harmful bacteria. This often goes unnoticed in Western medicine, where the focus is typically more on treating the symptoms and not the root cause of a chronic illness.
There will be more research to medically substantiate early tests, but the combined knowledge shows us that gut health may influence every single system in the body.
Luckily, a large body of research is turning this trend around. Many disorders that were once thought to be life sentences are now being studied from a new lens. Dysbiosis in the gut may have a farther reach than ever thought possible. Recent studies have shown us that gut flora plays a role in many chronic diseases and disorders. This includes asthma, allergies, obesity, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and even cancer.
The relationship between intestinal health and overall health grows stronger every day. This is largely due to the discovery that microorganisms living in the gut are in direct contact with the epithelial and immune system cells. An estimated 70 percent of the immune system is within the gut itself, in the form of gut-associated lymphoid tissue. This proximity means that digestive health has a direct impact on neurological disorders, as well as metabolic disorders.
Influencing physical symptoms and boosting the immune system through the gut is one thing, but mental disorders are usually a different matter. Yet it seems probiotics can help there, as well. Recent research shows us that probiotics can affect the brain in a positive way. Initial tests found that certain probiotics had an antidepressant and stress-relieving effect on test subjects. There will be more research to medically substantiate early tests, but the combined knowledge shows us that gut health may influence every single system in the body.
Understanding Fermentation And Its History
Much of the hype surrounding probiotics has come in recent years. This makes many people think probiotics themselves are a recent innovation. Actually, probiotic use dates back thousands of years and is found in many cultures. While ancient cultures may not have labeled their foods as probiotics to differentiate them from other foods, the living cultures in their foods were very similar to the cultures we still use for probiotics today.
The white or green spots on bread and oranges are good examples of uncontrolled food rot.
The lactic fermentation process that makes probiotic bacteria multiply is extremely easy to carry out. It is basically letting the food rot, but in a very controlled way. When food is left out at room temperature and exposed to air, many different microbes living in the air start to inhabit the food. Add to this the number of germs already on the surface of the food, and it is a wild guess as to what kind of microbe will win out and dominate the food. In many moist foods it is a mold or mildew that takes over. The white or green spots on bread and oranges are good examples of uncontrolled food rot.
By controlling the conditions the food is in, whether in a factory environment or using a home fermenting kit, people can control the type of bacteria that grows on the food. Most healthy bacteria thrive in an anaerobic state, or a state without air. This is also why a saltwater brine is often used to ferment foods. The salt helps kill certain harmful bacteria while the water chokes out other airborne bacteria. The water also allows the beneficial bacteria to spread throughout the food much faster.
Lactic fermentation was a way for ancient peoples with abundant harvests to preserve food indefinitely without it rotting. Many old fermented foods are still found in cultures worldwide, and include foods like sourdough, miso, sauerkraut, kimchi, and even hákarl, Iceland’s favorite fermented shark. Modern fermentation methods have eliminated levels of error that were common with ancient practices. Yet other than the potential potency in modern fermentation methods, the process has not changed for over 6,000 years.