Probiotics have become a popular buzzword in the health and wellness world, and for good reason. When the right strains of these live microorganisms are taken in adequate amounts, probiotics can benefit your gut health, immune system, and more [1].
But with so many probiotic brands available, how do you know which one to choose? Can you just grab any bottle off the shelf? Please don’t! After all, not all probiotics are created equal. We’re here to give you all the information you need to save you from wasting precious time and money on products that don’t work.
In this article, we’ll explore how to choose the best probiotic supplement for your gut health and overall well-being.
What are Probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts. These microbes help maintain or restore the balance of the gut microbiome. They may support digestive health, enhance immune function, and potentially improve other aspects of well-being.
Why take probiotics?
First and foremost, it's important to note that not everyone needs to take a probiotic. Following a healthy and varied diet (or exclusively breastfeeding for babies that haven’t started solids) could be enough to keep your gut in optimal condition. But in certain situations, probiotics can be an effective means of supporting gut health.
These tiny microorganisms may support your gut by:
- Producing lactic acid and other molecules that hamper the growth of unfriendly bacteria
- Protecting and restoring the gut barrier, which in turn reduces symptoms of “leaky gut”
- Boosting host immune response and host defense to fight unfriendly bacteria
- Producing some essential vitamins
- Helping to digest food [2], [3]
When to take probiotics
We often hear the question, “Should I take probiotics?” and “For how long?” The answer varies from person to person as it depends on your gut microbiome composition, symptoms, and specific conditions.
At Tiny Health, we believe that probiotics aren’t always necessary. And, if you do need one, the duration of usage depends on various factors and varies from person to person. Identifying your goals is a great place to start. Are you hoping to alleviate symptoms, address specific conditions, or boost the levels of key missing microbes? All of these questions are important when you are considering the best probiotic supplement for your gut health.
What about probiotics for babies and toddlers? Different situations such as cesarean (C-section) birth, antibiotics, and the lack of key microbes such as Bifidobacterium are some of the circumstances for which we may recommend supplementing with probiotics.
For adults and children, we recommend you consider taking probiotics for the following conditions:
1. When prescribed antibiotics
Antibiotics kill not only the unfriendly bacteria but can also kill beneficial gut bacteria, which may lead to gut dysbiosis.
These changes in your microbiome can last for months and even years [4], [5].
It’s highly recommended to take probiotics the first day you start on antibiotics and continue during the entire period of treatment [6]–[8]. We also recommend that you continue taking probiotics for at least one to two more weeks after you stop the antibiotics.
Because antibiotics can also kill the probiotic bacteria, make sure to spread out antibiotic and probiotic treatments as much as possible throughout the day given your prescribed antibiotic regimen.
2. When you have digestive symptoms and complaints
If you have certain gastrointestinal complaints, you can use probiotics along with specific dietary interventions to address symptoms. Probiotics may help with common gastrointestinal conditions or disorders such as diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease.
3. When you have bacterial vaginosis
If you have bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition that commonly pops up during pregnancy, you can consider taking probiotics. When it comes to BV, there’s evidence backing the use of Lactobacillus to restore the vaginal microbiome and prevent recurrence [9]–[14]. Studies support the use of Lactobacillus in the form of oral probiotics or vaginal suppositories.
4. When you or your child have low levels of essential bacteria for gut health, like Bifidobacterium
Along with dietary interventions, you can consider taking probiotics to increase low levels of beneficial gut bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium. A gut microbiome test can tell you whether these bacteria are in or out of the appropriate range. Having a healthy amount of Bifidobacterium is especially important for future moms, as these are key bacteria passed from mom to baby during birth or breastfeeding.
Many probiotic supplements contain well-studied and clinically tested Bifidobacterium species. Taking a product like this may help to increase the levels of beneficial bacteria in your gut. Keep in mind that probiotic bacteria don’t need to colonize your gut in order to have a beneficial effect. Most of the time they are transient passengers that contribute to the gut environment, but do not remain for a long period of time.
If I have more than one condition, do I need to take two different probiotics? And if so, how should I take them?
Yes, you can take two probiotics for two different conditions. For example one for BV and one for digestive complaints.
It’s important to know that different products are designed to help with different types of conditions.
Consider starting with only one probiotic for a few days to assess your gut’s response. Then you can introduce a second one. You may also want to consider starting with a lower dose to give your gut time to adjust.
Although there is no evidence to suggest that taking two different probiotics together affects their effectiveness, it may be beneficial to separate their intake by a couple of hours or more.
How to select the best probiotic supplement for gut health
There are so many probiotic brands on the market that it can be hard to figure out which is best for you. Always ask the following questions when selecting a probiotic supplement [15], [16]:
Is it specific enough to provide the specific benefits you’re looking for?
Depending on your needs, you may want to choose a Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, or Bacillus probiotic.
When we talk about specificity, we mean choosing probiotics that have been clinically demonstrated to have benefits for a specific condition. Some strains may be beneficial for infant gut function, some for adult symptoms, and others may help fight vaginal infections.
Select a product that has evidence for the symptom or condition you’re looking for. See if the manufacturer's website mentions any clinical study backing up the effectiveness of a probiotic for a specific condition.
Is it backed by research?
Look for a product that has been tested and shown to be effective in human randomized controlled trials. Manufacturers typically list clinical studies on their product web page if there are any, or they mention the main findings in these studies. Evidence in non-human studies is not as strong, because findings in mice may not translate to humans.
Is it an effective dose?
Probiotic concentration is typically measured as colony-forming units (CFU), which indicate the number of viable bacteria present in a serving. The best probiotic dosage is one that has been tested in randomized clinical trials and proven effective. Most probiotic products have been tested at a concentration between 1-10 billion CFU/day.
Keep in mind that more is not always better. Many products are offered as superior only because they contain higher CFU, but this doesn’t always mean that the product is stronger or more effective than products with lower CFU. It’s also important to note that probiotics for babies often contain less CFU than those for children or adults.
What does the label say?
Look for a label that contains the complete names of the probiotic microorganisms since no two species are the same [17]. Quality products always include the genus, the species, and the strain name. For example, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG: Lactobacillus is the genus name, rhamnosus is the species name, and GG is the strain name. Make sure that the product you buy mentions all of them.
If you’ve taken a Tiny Health Gut Test, you’ll notice that our top recommended probiotics almost always contain strain details. In some cases, we may recommend products without this information if other options aren’t available. Sometimes we also have our own internal data to back up a product’s effectiveness.
In addition to the names of the probiotics in the product, look for a label that also:
- Clearly states the exact CFU per dose till the expiration date
- Describes the recommended use and for which indication you can expect to see a beneficial effect
- Points towards the recommended dose
- Describes the storage conditions
- Has company contact information where you can get more information about the product
Here is an example of a label that includes most of this information:
And here is an example of a label that doesn’t include strain information:
Do I need to buy products with more than one strain? Are they more effective?
Not necessarily. Just like with probiotic concentration, more is not always better.
Many studies have shown the health benefits of both single-strain and multispecies probiotic formulations. The key factor is whether or not the product has been clinically studied and has been shown to have health benefits. Always remember that different strains can have different impacts, so look for products that contain the appropriate strain when possible.
Why should you look for probiotics with clinical results on the entire formulation?
Probiotics often contain a mixture of different strains. But for scientists, it’s easier to study individual strains to determine their properties and benefits. Because of this, strains that were discovered a long time ago tend to have more research and clinical data supporting their effectiveness than newer strains or combinations of strains.
Today, probiotic companies often don't make their own strains. Instead, they mix strains from different probiotic producers to create their products. Ideally, each of these blends would be clinically tested. That way, studies could determine if the blend is effective. Many products contain well-studied strains, but the final product isn’t tested. Combining strains can affect how well they work. This is because some strains may inhibit others’ growth or efficacy.
If possible, select products with where the entire formulation has been tested and found effective. That way, you can ensure maximum health benefits and that you aren’t throwing money down the drain.
My probiotic doesn’t seem to be working, what can I do?
Regardless of the origin of the probiotic strain, the number and combination of strains contained in a product, or the amount consumed, some individuals will respond to probiotic treatment, while others will not. This is similar to how many conventional medications work, where some individuals may experience benefits and others may not.
If the probiotic you're taking isn't yielding the desired results, we recommend trying an alternative brand or strain that has been shown to be effective for your specific condition or symptom.
We suggest waiting for a minimum of a couple of weeks to assess the impact, but certain probiotics may require a longer duration to produce visible changes. Sometimes manufacturers provide a recommended time frame. It’s possible that you don’t notice any immediate changes in symptoms but the probiotic may still be having a positive impact on your gut microbiome.
For more information about probiotics, how to use them, and what to look for when buying a product, you can refer to the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics.
Choosing the right probiotic with Tiny Health
Do you want to know exactly which probiotic would be the best pick to support your gut or vaginal microbiome? Tiny Health is the only at-home microbiome test with probiotic strain tracking. Our microbiome tests for babies, children, and adults teach you about your microbiome and give unbiased lifestyle and product recommendations to put your family on the path to better lifelong health. With each test, you’ll get personalized probiotic recommendations based on your microbiome results and current symptoms you’re experiencing.
