How to analyze probiotic brands for the best quality to determine if it contains the appropriate therapeutic strength and variety of strains necessary to help improve gut function.
The number of probiotic supplements on the market is nothing short of staggering!
This reflects their huge importance to our health and immunity especially if we have taken a round of antibiotics or other gut flora-altering meds like the Pill.
The fact is that the bacteria living in and on your body outnumber human cells according to the Microbiome Institute.
It is clear that selecting the best probiotic supplement to support and sustain this beneficial microbial activity working synergistically with your biological systems is a critical decision.
Basic Questions to Answer about a Probiotic Brand
How to choose the best probiotic supplement for your particular situation?
Which are the best and most effective?
Are soil-based probiotics important?
Do particular strains matter?
Does refrigeration matter?
While specific strains have been studied for certain therapeutic applications, generally it is best to make sure the probiotic you choose contains a variety of beneficial bacterial species from each of the three main probiotic types:
- Lactobacillus
- Bifidobacterium
- Soil-based organisms (SBOs)
Analyzing a Probiotic Label
Once you have zeroed in on a few brands that contain all of the above, be sure to note that the best probiotic supplement companies list on the bottle the genus (i.e. Lactobacillus) species (i.e. acidophilus) and strain (i.e. DDS-1) of each beneficial microbe included in the probiotic.
If the brand you are considering does not list bacterial strains on the bottle, then a phone call to the company is necessary to learn more.
If the company doesn’t know or won’t tell you, then it is best to choose another brand.
As an example, let’s look at the label of the probiotic brand Bio-Kult, considered to be in the “best probiotic supplement” category by many practitioners in the field of digestive wellness.
My family has relied on this physician-developed brand for many years with excellent results.
We also started using Seed Daily Synbiotic a couple of years ago which we alternate with Bio-Kult. It has a pomegranate prebiotic capsule which we have found particularly helpful for building flora strength.
Other vetted brands to consider are listed at the end of this article that might work better for your situation and/or budget.
Below is an example of how to analyze a particular probiotic brand. I’ve used Bio-Kult to outline the process.
Bio-Kult Strain Types
- Soil Based Organisms (SBOs): Bacillus subtilis PXN 21
- Bifidobacterium strains: Bifidobacterium bifidum PXN 23, Bifidobacterium breve PXN 25, Bifidobacterium infantis PXN 27, Bifidobacterium longum PXN 30,
- Lactobacillus strains: Lactobacillus acidophilus PXN 35, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus PXN 39, Lactobacillus casei PXN 37, Lactobacillus plantarum PXN 47, Lactobacillus rhamnosus PXN 54, Lactobacillus helveticus PXN 45, Lactobacillus salivarius PXN 57
- Other strains: Streptococcus thermophilus PXN 66, Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis PXN 63
Based on the label, Bio-Kult contains all the main probiotic types and labels them appropriately.
As a result, it is a quality brand to be considered within the category of best probiotic supplements (see more brands listed below).
Is Refrigeration a Sign of Quality?
According to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, the best probiotic supplements do not need to be refrigerated and can be stored at room temperature.
This means that the bacterial strains are hardy, the product is high quality and can withstand the warmth and enzymatic activity of the digestive process, and remain intact to do its job properly in the gut.
How Much to Take
When working on a health issue it is important to work up to a therapeutic dose. Based on age, a therapeutic dose would consist of the following:
- Infant up to 12 months – 1-2 billion bacterial cells per day
- Toddlers from 1 to 2 years – 2-4 billion bacterial cells per day
- Children from 2 to 4 years – 4-8 billion bacterial cells per day
- Children from 4 to 10 years – 8-12 billion bacterial cells per day
- Adolescents from 12 to 16 years – 12-15 billion per day
- Adults should have around 15-20 billion bacterial cells per day
To refer back to our previous example, Bio-Kult contains 2 billion microorganisms per capsule.
So, using the guidelines above, an adult would need approximately 8 – 10 capsules per day (split into a morning and evening dose) for therapeutic levels to be reached.
A therapeutic dose should be maintained for an average of 6 months to overtake harmful microbes and reestablish beneficial microbes.
Following a clean, whole foods diet is essential during this time. If you continue feeding your pathogens in the gut with sugar and processed carbohydrates then the probiotics will not have much chance of helping you.
After six months it’s beneficial to reduce to a maintenance dose of probiotics and/or consume fermented foods daily. A maintenance dose would be half the therapeutic amount.
After completion of a course of antibiotics, the maintenance dose should be continued for at least 2 weeks.
Probiotics When Traveling
It is a good idea to take a probiotic when traveling as it is protective of pathogen exposure in an unfamiliar environment.
For example, taking 1-2 capsules of BioKult twice daily for 1 week prior to travel is a helpful preventative practice.
During travel, 2 capsules twice a day is recommended and this should be continued for at least 1 week after arriving back home.
This article contains detailed information on using probiotics for traveling to help keep you well.
Help! My Probiotic is Making Me Sick!
Whenever you introduce a healing food or supplement it is possible to experience a die-off reaction.
Pathogens are being eliminated and releasing their toxins, which can make you feel miserable if it happens too quickly.
Common die-off symptoms can include:
- Feeling ill
- Headaches
- Bloating and digestive distress in general
- Skin eruptions and rashes (eczema flare-up is common)
- Lacking energy
- More difficulty dealing with stress than usual
- Mood swings & difficulty concentrating
- Any other symptoms typical for you
- For children, this can also show up as bedwetting, moodiness, tiredness, restlessness and any other symptoms typical to your child
Know that die-off symptoms mean the probiotic is working, so feel good about that!
Introducing the probiotic slowly and increasing incrementally every few days to a week is a good practice.
To give you a personal example, when my Mom first started taking a probiotic, she could only handle 1/8 of a capsule per day at first.
She worked her way up slowly to the required dosage over a period of about 6 months!
Her ability to learn how to minimize die-off symptoms was extremely important. This enabled her to stay the course to resolve gut imbalance issues over the long haul.
Best Brands (updated)
In conclusion, below are a handful of good brands to consider on your probiotic selection journey.
Several practitioners I personally know who specialize in gut healing protocols recommend one or more of them as well.
I’ve included suggested brands for improved gut health as well as oral probiotics for ear, nose, throat, and tooth/gum wellness.
Gut Probiotics
- Seed (prebiotic pomegranate capsule)
- Just Thrive (also has a separate quality prebiotic)
- Bio-Kult
- Pure Encapsulations
- Terra Flora
Oral Probiotics
I hope you find this information helpful in assisting you to source the best probiotic supplement possible for the health of your family!
References
(1) How Many Bacterial Cells are in the Body?
More Information
How to Prepare the Birth Canal for the Probiotic Gulp
How Prebiotics Benefit Gut Health
Taking Probiotics for Maximum Benefit
I thought I was doing enough by making my own kefir. Am I wrong? Is that not enough? Do I need more?
If you are on the gaps diet or otherwise attempting to heal the gut, you may need more.
That said, IF your kefir is made with LIVE grains and fermented for 24 hours, this is the most powerful probiotic food you can use and if your gut is in good shape, that should be enough.
Sarah I have always respected your help and information,, Thank you ….. Please investigate about prescript Assist probiotic being full of lead and aluminum.. This is a test done by health ranger
Thank you Sarah. I look forward to seeing your review on this. I appreciate it!
Hello Sarah, here is the article from Chris Kresser website:
Prescript Assist Announcement
I’ve recommended Prescript-Assist as one of my top choices for probiotics for many years. I like that it contains soil-based organisms that mimic the natural flora found in ancestral diets. I’ve also found it to be effective, well-tolerated by most people (including those that don’t tolerate other probiotics), and easy to use and travel with (since it doesn’t require refrigeration). I know that hundreds of my patients, and thousands of my readers and listeners, have benefited from it—and the same is true for my family and me.
This is why I’m disappointed to let you know that I will no longer be selling Prescript-Assist on my website, as it is coming off the market in its current form.
The CEO of Enviromedica, which has long distributed Prescript-Assist, informed me that the company has discontinued distribution of this product. He was distraught, as he knows that I’ve been a huge advocate of Prescript-Assist and that many of you have come to rely on it.
Enviromedica made this decision because the manufacturer of Prescript-Assist made a substantial change in ingredients. The result is that the product is now vastly different from the original formula, which had been tested and clinically verified. The product no longer meets Enviromedica’s quality standards.
They made clear that discontinuing the product was not something they wanted to do, but once the ingredients and manufacturing practices changed, the decision was made for them. And I respect them for making it.
Important Update: Current Safety Concerns Regarding Prescript-Assist
Following the post below, I have learned of serious safety concerns regarding the Prescript-Assist product, which continues to be sold on the market. In connection with a lawsuit against Safer Medical of Montana, the original source of Prescript-Assist, it is now known that the active microbial ingredients found in Prescript-Assist were produced by Tainio Biologicals Inc, a biologicals producer for agricultural use only. Tainio Biologicals is not regulated by the FDA, does not follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), utilizes multiple undeclared ingredients, and none of the Tainio products used in Prescript-Assist have been tested for use in humans. We/I support Enviromedica’s responsible decision to remove the product from the market, and we/I ask that people who continue to purchase Prescript Assist based on our prior recommendation not do so.
When I sat down to draft this note to you, I also considered some of the questions you may have:
Are there other products on the market like Prescript-Assist? What can I recommend?
Unfortunately, at this time, there is no product that I know to have a blend of organisms and clinical efficacy similar to that of Prescript-Assist. That said, I have been using Primal Probiotics from Primal Nutrition with my patients as an alternative, and getting good results. Like Prescript-Assist, it has a blend of acid- and bile-resistant strains that can survive the digestive process, it doesn’t require refrigeration, it contains a prebiotic, and it is generally well-tolerated. Primal Probiotics also contains Lactobacillus plantarum, a strain that has been shown to break down methane-producing microorganisms. This could be helpful for people with methane-predominant SIBO.
Why couldn’t Enviromedica just find another manufacturer?
As the distributor of the product, and not the brand holder, Enviromedica does not control who manufactures it. Enviromedica manufactures all of its other products and only made the exception for Prescript-Assist because of its quality and proven effectiveness.
If you have any other questions about the specifics of this situation, please contact Enviromedica directly at [email protected].
Thank you for sharing this! I did not realize this change of ingredients! I am going to dig into the situation and re-verify for myself.
This is posted on the Prescipt Assist website. https://safermedicalmt.com/all-raw-materials-are-tested-prior-during-and-after-through-third-party-testing/
As long as an objective third party is testing the raw materials at each stage of manufacturing in an FDA approved facility, it is safe to take in my judgment.
Hello Sarah,
Do you still recommend PrescriptAssist? I am looking for a SBO and ran across an article from Chris Kresser who said that he no longer recommends PrescriptAssist. It is now owned by a different manufacurer, not Enviromedica. The new manufacturer has made substantial changes to the ingredients according to Chris Kresser. Have you heard of this? I cannot find a date on this article so I am not sure when it was written. Thank you.
Can you provide more details about Chris’ evaluation of what has changed? Yes, Prescript Assist is a vetted product that I still recommend.
My naturopathic doctor advises his patients to stay away from SBOs. He told me that the lterature does not consistently support them as being beneficial. Just FYI
Interesting. I definitely don’t agree with that assessment. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/soil-based-probiotics-plus-fermented-foods-heal-gut/
Sarah,
Here are two articles on testing of commercial probiotic products. Shocking, Prescript Assist is NOT a good product!
naturalnews.com/2019-08-18-prescript-assist-probiotic-supplement-lead-heavy-metals-aluminum.html
naturalnews.com/2019-08-23-heavy-metals-test-results-probiotics.html
Thanks for this info Brenda. Very recent test data I had not seen yet!
Although probiotics are stable at room temperature and do not need refrigerated, they are not stable above room temp. Therefore purchasing a probiotic that is not shipped to the store or your house unrefrigerated would result in a product that has probably died off, shipping vehicles can get quite warm especially in summer months.
I am curious if you’ve been able to research the strains of probiotics used in the home sprays and if you recommend using it to balance the flora in the home? I just didn’t want to go spraying bacteria that doesn’t belong in the air and subsequently our lungs! I’ve contacted all the probiotic homespray companies and the strains they use are of course “proprietary”. So no luck. Not sure if you would have better luck than I!
Thank you!
I personally would never buy the products of any company that gave me a “proprietary” answer to a question about the ingredients in their products.
Hi Sarah, If I may ask.. is it true that the bacteria pf probiotic supplements are not genetically stable?