Probiotics have been all over the news lately, especially now that both researchers and celebrity doctors alike are confirming the major connections our microbiomehas to our overall health.
Despite its newfound popularity, many of us are still unclear about what exactly our microbiome is, why we need probiotics to help us keep it balanced, or which supplements are best to take.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled years of research about the microbiome and its effect on our health. This quick guide will help you discover everything you need to know to make the most informed decision about your probiotic supplement needs.
WHY IS OUR MICROBIOME IMPORTANT, ANYWAY?
Right now, 90% of the cells in your body are microbial. These microbes –– a general term for bacteria, archaea, protists, and other molecular organisms –– are present throughout the body.
The human microbiome is the collection of all of these microbes. This means –– you guessed it –– 90% of your body is actually your microbiome. Keeping it balanced can have huge benefits not only for your digestion, but your brain, skin, immune system, and a host of other functions.
In fact, researchers are only scratching the surface of the potential of probiotic supplements, and why they’re essential for our overall wellbeing.
Unfortunately, many of us don’t realize that, even though our digestion feels normal, we may still need a quality probiotic supplement to keep us healthy.
10 WAYS YOU’RE HURTING YOUR GUT BACTERIA
Our modern Western society has adopted unhealthy activities and lifestyles that affect our microbes in a variety of ways. Most are difficult –– if not impossible–– to avoid, but it’s critical to spread awareness if we want to protect our microbiome.
- Sweets. Processed sugars can feed potentially unhealthy bacteria
- Wine and beer. Alcohol consumption can alter your microbial balance.1
- Poor sleep. This can lead to subtle changes in your microbial makeup.2
- Antibiotics. These kill both good and bad bacteria.
- Not enough fiber. It serves as food for helpful microbes.
- Living in the city. Pollution can affect the number of good bacteria.3
- Water containing chlorine. Chlorine can kill both good and bad bacteria.
- Foods with artificial coloring. These are antibacterial and antifungal.
- Antibacterial soaps. Any antibacterial products can destroy healthy microbes.
- NSAID pain relievers. They disrupt digestive flora and intestinal mucus.4
If any of these apply to you, it may be time to look for a high quality probiotic. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s difficult to know where to start, and many of our Smarter Shoppers reported regretting their first probiotic purchase. With this in mind, we included a section to help you skip their mistakes:
WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN BUYING A PROBIOTIC
FORGET THE RESEARCH
Many shoppers believe that it doesn’t matter which probiotic they choose. This is not the case. Many supplements contain ineffective and potentially harmful additives, such as artificial fillers and colors. Binders, including magnesium stearate, chromium, gelatin, and silicon dioxide, are other infamous additives to avoid.
RELY ON AMAZON REVIEWS
Millions of Americans look to Amazon reviews before purchasing their products, but most don’t realize that up to 60% have been paid for. Some disreputable, fly-by-night companies compensate individuals for positive reviews, regardless of whether they’ve tried the product or not. Risking your health with reviews that are likely false is too dangerous a game to play when you’re choosing an ingestible supplement.
PRIORITIZE PRICE OVER QUALITY
We found that many lower-priced and generic probiotic supplements only contain one strain, and even worse, don’t list substrains. Many of these companies also offer confusing guarantees that seem like a good deal at the time, but ultimately only hurt your wallet. Try to find a probiotic with the qualities listed below, even if that means they cost a little more than your local grocery store’s generic brand.
WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR IN A GOOD PROBIOTIC
Based on our research and feedback from our Smarter Shoppers, these are the things to look for in an exceptional probiotic supplement:
FORMULATED BY A DOCTOR
It takes specific expertise to form an effective probiotic formulation. More is not necessarily better. The exact combination of strain type, quantity and prebiotics determines the product’s quality. Look for real doctors specializing in gut health backing the product.
HIGH CFU COUNT
Since our microbiome is composed of about 100-trillion good and bad bacteria, a high number of CFUs will have greater impact on the growth of beneficial bacteria within your gut flora. Look for a formula with a minimum of 40 billion CFUs
MULTIPLE STRAINS
Taking a probiotic with a variety of good bacteria strains can help balance your microbiome. Unfortunately, most probiotic supplements only provide one type of strain. That’s why it’s crucial to find probiotics that use a comprehensive approach to promoting balance in your gut bacteria.
Try to find a supplement with at least 9 individual strains.
Focusing on the qualities above is a good start, but to find the best probiotics on the market, we suggest adding these little-known secrets to your research regimen.
THE 3 SECRETS OF A HIGH QUALITY PROBIOTIC
IT LISTS ITS SUBSTRAINS
The substrains listed next to each strain indicates that a specific probiotic strain has undergone clinical studies. Many probiotic formulations do not list their specific substrains. This is a huge red flag that suggests they may be using generic (and cheaper) substrains that have not been clinically studied.
IT CONTAINS PREBIOTICS
The latest research shows using fiber-based prebiotics (such as NutraFlora Fiber) will help the probiotics populate and flourish in your gut. This will significantly increase the overall effectiveness of the probiotic.
IT DOESN’T REQUIRE REFRIGERATION
Refrigerated products can be damaged during shipping. Another note: you’re not always going to have access to a refrigerator, so we suggest choosing a probiotic that is well-formulated to withstand room temperature and does not require being refrigerated during periods of non-use.
OUR SPECIALIZED RANKING SYSTEM
At Smarter Reviews, we employ a comprehensive evaluation system to analyzeand measure the full value of products, by looking at the ingredients, clinical studies, safety, projected effectiveness, return policies, and overall customer satisfaction. This method is known as the Smarter Reviews Ranking System.
TOP 5 PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTS OF 2017
We’ve compiled a list of what we’ve found to be the top five products in
this category, on the market today.
by 1MD
TOTAL RANKING
647 VOTES
9.6/10
- INGREDIENT SAFETY
8.4 AVG.
9.7/10
- PROJECTED EFFECTIVENESS
8.1 AVG.
9.4/10
- VALUE
8.2 AVG.
9.6/10
- RETURN POLICY
8.8 AVG.
9.3/10
- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
8.0 AVG.
9.8/10
VOTE AND REVIEW
PROS
- Contains 50 billionlive cultures in each capsule
- 11 diverse strains
- Endorsed by an MD
- Each vegetarian capsule is acid-resistant
- NutraFlora Prebiotic Fiber is included
- Only one capsule per day is needed
- Has no synthetic fillers or binders
- Each substrain is listed and has been clinically studied.
CONS
- Due to popularity, sometimes it’s on backorder/sold out
THE BOTTOM LINE
Our Smarter Shoppers have voted 1MD’s Complete Probiotics Platinum the most popular daily probiotic they tried. It is one of the best formulas on the market, due to its 50 billion live cultures, 11 robust and clinically studied strains, NutraFlora prebiotic fiber, veggie capsule composition, and nosynthetic fillers or additives.
This was the only product we could find that has been endorsed by an MD, specifically a Gastroenterologist (gut and digestive health physician). It was also the only one that listed each of its clinically studied substrains. Our Smarter Shoppers absolutely loved this probiotic blend.
*Results are based on the Smarter Reviews Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
I Want the Smarter Choice
by Renew Life
TOTAL RANKING
310 VOTES
8.9/10
- INGREDIENT SAFETY
8.4 AVG.
9.1/10
- PROJECTED EFFECTIVENESS
8.1 AVG.
8.8/10
- VALUE
8.2 AVG.
9.3/10
- RETURN POLICY
8.8 AVG.
9.1/10
- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
8.0 AVG.
8.3/10
VOTE AND REVIEW
PROS
- Provides 50 billion organisms per serving
- Dairy and gluten free, vegetable capsules
CONS
- Reports of less capsules in bottle than on label
- No money-back guarantee
- Refrigeration recommended for best quality and efficacy
THE BOTTOM LINE
Some Smarter Shoppers stated that the storage guidelines of this product was inconvenient.* Although the product contains over 50 billion live cultures, many reviewers believed the product lost its potency due to poor refrigeration by delivery.*
*Results are based on the Smarter Reviews Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
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by Culturelle
TOTAL RANKING
328 VOTES
8.6/10
- INGREDIENT SAFETY
8.4 AVG.
8.5/10
- PROJECTED EFFECTIVENESS
8.1 AVG.
8.7/10
- VALUE
8.2 AVG.
8.4/10
- RETURN POLICY
8.8 AVG.
9.1/10
- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
8.0 AVG.
8.2/10
VOTE AND REVIEW
PROS
- Can be found in retail stores
- Dairy and gluten-free, vegetable capsules
CONS
- Contains unhealthy synthetic fillers
- Only offers 10 billion CFUs per serving
- Only contains one probiotic strain, Lactobacillus GG
THE BOTTOM LINE
This product only offers one probiotic strain, Lactobacillus GG. In addition, this product only contains 10 billion live cultures. Smarter Shoppers noticed fairly short expiration dates. This product contains undesirable fillers and added colors such as gelatin, sucrose, maltodextrin, magnesium stearate, and titanium dioxide.*
*Results are based on the Smarter Reviews Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
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by Meta
TOTAL RANKING
581 VOTES
7.3/10
- INGREDIENT SAFETY
8.4 AVG.
7.7/10
- PROJECTED EFFECTIVENESS
8.1 AVG.
7/10
- VALUE
8.2 AVG.
7.1/10
- RETURN POLICY
8.8 AVG.
8.2/10
- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
8.0 AVG.
6.5/10
VOTE AND REVIEW
PROS
- Does not require refrigeration
- Found in retail stores
- Contains Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, a clinically studied strain
CONS
- Only offers one probiotic strain
- Contains only 1 billion CFU’s
- Contains unhealthy, synthetic fillers
- Limited money-back guarantee
THE BOTTOM LINE
Smarter Shoppers discovered that this product had a lower CFU than all other products on the list and only offers one probiotic strain. The application of such a product meant a very limited range of health benefits when used. This product also contains some undesirable fillers like magnesium stearate, sodium caseinate, and titanium dioxide (for color).
*Results are based on the Smarter Reviews Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
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by TruBiotics
TOTAL RANKING
576 VOTES
7.1/10
- INGREDIENT SAFETY
8.4 AVG.
7.1/10
- PROJECTED EFFECTIVENESS
8.1 AVG.
6.5/10
- VALUE
8.2 AVG.
6.5/10
- RETURN POLICY
8.8 AVG.
8.3/10
- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
8.0 AVG.
7.4/10
VOTE AND REVIEW
PROS
- Can be found in retail stores
- Is a very well-known brand name*
- Comes in two package sizes: 30 and 45
CONS
- Only offers 1.5 billion live cultures per capsule
- Only includes 2 strains
- Includes fillers such as magnesium stearate and titanium dioxide
- Does not contain prebiotics
THE BOTTOM LINE
TruBiotics is a very popular brand overall since they have the popular One-A-Day vitamins.* However, 1.5 billion live cultures per serving is concerning as a limited provided quantity, and nowhere near the most live cultures we’ve seen offered among the best brands of probiotic products.* The additives of magnesium stearate and titanium dioxide are also unwanted fillers that do more harm than good.*
*Results are based on the Smarter Reviews Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
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CITATIONS
- “How Alcohol Affects The Gut Microbiome.” Dr. Edward Group. 08/09/2016. The Global Healing Center.http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/how-alcohol-affects-the-gut-microbiome/
- “17 Ways to Protect Your Microbiome and Keep Your Belly Blissful. Dr. Frank Lipman. 04/20/2015. The Be Well Blog. https://www.bewell.com/blog/17-ways-to-protect-your-microbiome/
- “How Pollution Affects the Gut Microbiome. Dr. Edward Group. 07/12/2015. The Global Healing Center. http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/how-pollution-affects-the-gut-microbiome/
- “Lifestyle Habits That Damage Gut Bacteria.” Dr. David Williams. http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/lifestyle-habits-that-damage-gut-bacteria/
- Laberge, M. http://www.diet.com/g/digestive-diseases (accessed 18, August 2015).
- Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013 Feb;67(2):161-7.
- Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2013;358:273-89.
- Br J Nutr. 2013 May 28;109(10):1866-72.
- Nutr Hosp. 2011 Jan-Feb;26(1):228-35.
- Eur J Cancer Prev. 2013 Jan;22(1):46-51.
- Pediatr Int. 2012 Oct;54(5):682-7.
- Anaerobe. 2012 Aug;18(4):405-13.
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