Ask Bonnie
July 2007
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Question #1:
Bonnie, I am having trouble deciding which probiotic I should be taking? There are so many products out there!
Answer #1:
My first comment would be to see a licensed health professional like myself to help you find
the right probiotic for you. Probiotics are not all created equal. Probiotic strains can perform very different duties in the digestive system.
Probiotics are found in food products (such as yogurt), functional foods (such as snack bars), and dietary supplements. I almost always recommend
probiotics in supplement form because the efficacy and survivability of probiotics in food is questionable and unsubstantiated from a research
perspective. Additionally, most probiotic food products are dairy-based, to which much of the human population is intolerant.
How do you find a probiotic that is effective and safe?
1. You need to do some homework to see if the strains used have been well-researched. For instance, DDS-1, NCFM, and Florastor strains that we
predominately use have been heavily researched and found to be effective. Other popular store brands like Lactobacillus GG have shown to be very
effective.
2. You have to look at the excipients (inactive ingredients) to make sure there are no harmful or allergenic additives.
3. In most cases, research has shown that probiotics must be administered alive, which requires refrigeration. There are several exceptions, but they
are only substantiated by research.
4. Dosage should be potent. We usually recommend 5 billion active organisms minimum for daily maintenance.
Finding the right probiotic can be daunting. I hope these tips can narrow it down a bit!
Have a happy, healthy day.
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