When buying a probiotic supplement, it is very important to be an informed consumer and a label reader.
For example, when a control group of consumers tested 25 popular probiotic products, they found that 8 contained less of the perfect live bacteria that they advertised on the label. Worse yet, six had only a few million cells alive at the time they were tested, not one or two trillion announced.
This is what to look for when purchasing a probiotic supplement.
# 1 must contain both lactobacillus Y bifidobacteria.
The first thing any probiotic product should contain is a mixture of several “live” cultures. Ideally these should be a combination of both lactobacillus Y bifidobacteria.
Lactobacillus Bacteria are lactic acid-producing bacteria that act in the small intestine. They help digest the sugar (lactose) and protein (casein) in dairy products, but the lactic acid they produce also kills harmful bacteria.
Bifidobacteria they live in the large intestine. Members of this strain station themselves along the intestinal wall and stop dangerous pathogens as well as yeast. Candida albicans grab. Bifidobacteria they also help you absorb health-enhancing B vitamins.
We have high levels of bifidobacteria when we are young, but levels drop dramatically as we age. This causes gas and indigestion. It also hinders your ability to digest certain foods. As a result, a probiotic supplement must contain several strains of both lactobacillus Y bifidobacteria.
# 2. Must contain several billion viable cells per capsule.
The second thing to look for is how many viable cells the probiotic contains.
Many store-bought probiotics provide between one and three billion cells per capsule. Sure, that may sound like a lot. But with about 80 trillion bacteria in the intestines, one or two million “good” cells provide little, if any, benefit. Researchers say that a probiotic supplement must contain at least seven to ten BILLION cells for you to feel any benefit.
# 3. The crops must be well protected from light and air.
Lastly, probiotics are delicate and very sensitive to light, heat, and air. To avoid this, some manufacturers use a special enteric coating. However, this does not always work. Many times, this coating is applied at high temperatures, which kills the microbes inside. This renders the product unusable.
Although probiotics can survive at room temperature for several days, it is best to buy supplements that are kept refrigerated. This puts the microbes in a state of “suspended animation”. As a result, they will live longer and you will reap the health benefits much faster.