Getting Started with Probiotics
Your body is full of trillions of amazing microbes that work synergistically to keep you healthy and feeling like your best self. They have many important roles that include helping you digest your food, keeping your immune system functioning strongly, and absorbing nutrients from food as it passes through your digestive tract.
Unfortunately, the body’s preferred microbial “map” is delicate and easily affected by dietary and environmental influences including overconsumption of processed food, exposure to toxins, lack of sleep, lack of time spent in nature, and over sanitizing. This imbalance often leads to common but uncomfortable symptoms including bloating after meals, intense cravings for sweet foods, fatigue after eating, constipation, diarrhea, and skin issues such as acne or eczema.
These symptoms are not a life sentence, and just because they are common doesn’t mean that they are “normal”. So now knowing this, you might be wondering “Okay great, so now what do I do?”. Cue probiotics.
Probiotics are typically a combination of live healthy bacteria and/or yeast that provide many health benefits and naturally exist in your body. They are well known for their gut enhancing effects and are often a recommended supplement for digestive discomforts, however their effects are much further reaching than simply gut health. Probiotics work by balancing your gut flora and crowding out pathogenic microorganisms. As they work to balance the bacteria in your intestinal tract, inflammation levels and the immune system improve at the same time which means that as supplementation continues, overall health and well-being improve as well. Symptoms of improvement may look like improved energy, cognition, reduction of digestive discomfort, and improved mood. Recent research suggests that probiotic supplementation may benefit a variety of conditions including gut infections, thyroid health, IBS, Crohn's Disease and more.
Types of Probiotics
The major sources of probiotics are fermented non-digestible carbohydrates, food, supplements, dairy based compounds, and non-dairy fermented food. Top food-based sources include: kefir, kimchi, full fat greek yogurt, sauerkraut, natto, kvass, apple cider vinegar, tempeh, and miso. Although including these probiotic rich foods in your diet is beneficial for maintaining a healthy microbiota, the probiotic count in food sources is comparatively lower than in supplements. Therefore, probiotic supplementation can be beneficial in restoring gut bacteria balance if an imbalance is present.
Choosing the right probiotic supplementation can seem complicated and overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be! Although there are many different strains and types, there are three main categories that probiotics can be classified into.
Category 1: Lactobacillus & Bifidobacterium
These are live beneficial bacteria that typically do not colonize the microbiome, but do improve the health of the host. They are also known as lactic-acid producing probiotic bacteria.
Category 2: Saccharomyces Boulardii (S. Boulardii)
This is a healthy fungus that is not a normal part of the human microbiome. This means that it does not colonize within the gut, but does improve the health of the host.
Category 3: Soil-based Probiotics
Unlike the two above, this category of probiotics can colonize the host as the strains are highly resistant to stomach acid. This means that there is potentially an increased delivery of more viable probiotics to the small intestine.
Although all strains can be beneficial on their own, combining strains often provides significant results for individuals when compared to single strain supplementation. As all strains of probiotics work in similar ways to address digestive symptoms, picking one high quality probiotic from each category and using them in rotation may provide you with the diversity you need for gut restoration.
How to Select a High-Quality Probiotic Supplement
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t actually review the quality of probiotics and research shows that some probiotic supplements are not worth buying. Though you should be wary of purchasing a probiotic that is much cheaper than others (which usually means quality assurance corners were cut), you don’t need to necessarily purchase the most expensive probiotic supplement either. When comparing probiotics, look for:
Independent Laboratory Analysis. This ensures that the product meets its label claims
Free of Major Allergens. Wheat, gluten, milk, casein, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts and soybeans. Quality probiotics will also be free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Genetic Testing. This ensures that the product strain or species meets the label claim, which ensures that you aren’t inadvertently ingesting harmful organisms.
Validated Potency. Ensures that the potency listed actually matches the label claims.
Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP). Set of best practices for dietary supplement manufacturing in the United States where temperature and air quality are tightly controlled for quality control.
Getting Started
The good news is you don’t need to weed through all of the probiotic supplements on the market on your own to find the right one for you. Our probiotics are chosen using the quality assurance standards above, and may be effective in addressing many health concerns. We recommend our curated Digestive Maintenance bundle which is formulated to help support your digestion, microbiome, and overall health.
Ready to purchase this Essential Curation? Become a member today and get unlimited access to our store, take a comprehensive health assessment to find out which of our Essential Curations are right for you, get members-only discounts, access to educational videos, webinars, live Q&As and much more!
About the Author:
Emily Alexander, M.Ed, FNTP—Emily is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner with Curated Wellness. She is passionate about supporting others in their journey to improve their relationship with food and their body through gentle nutrition, and is a firm believer that understanding the bio-individual components of nutrition is one of the best ways to do so. Emily completed her Master’s of education in health education and promotion with a concentration in eating disorders, and draws from both her educational background and life experience to help her clients improve their energy, understand their bodies, boost their athletic potential, and break down diet myths one at a time. Read more about Emily.
The information presented on this website is intended for educational purposes only. Statements within this site have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any specific condition or disease, nor is it medical advice and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise. Readers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health conditions or concerns. One should always consult a qualified medical professional before engaging in any dietary and/or lifestyle change or new health program. Curated Wellness does not take responsibility for any health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content.
