"This probiotic really helped stop my sugar cravings."--said of Ortho Molecular PRO225
"I'm thinking more clearly when I take this probiotic."--comment on Allegany Nutrition 51 Billion Probiotic
"Progurt helped me avoid a digestive flare."--comment about Progurt
"Progurt helped me overcome Candida overgrowth without the use of anti-fungal supplements"--personal testimony
In the scientific community, knowledge of the benefits of a healthy gut biome continues to expand ranging from gastro-intestinal health, to brain and even blood sugar control, just to name a few examples. In consulting, I regularly observe clients getting relief from issues when taking the right probiotic for them. In most cases, the person also needs to make dietary changes but a good probiotic can go a long way to shift the gut biome in a beneficial direction with many resulting benefits. With most probiotics, I would expect to see improvements within a couple days to a couple weeks. Here are some of the issues a probiotic can help alleviate:
sugar cravings
fatigue
constipation
loose stools
difficulty losing weight
gas and bloating
auto-immunity
malabsorption of nutrients
leaky gut
compromised immune system
moodiness
blood sugar imbalances
Beneficial bacteria, in the form of a probiotic supplement, help to crowd out bad bacteria and yeast and support healthy immunity and gut environment. Probiotics also help absorb and manufacture critical nutrients and keep the mucus membrane healthy in the gut. In particular, I find high volume probiotics initially, followed by lower maintenance dose of probiotics to be effective in halting sugar cravings. This works because the good bacteria in the probiotic are crowding out the bad bacteria and yeast that are causing the cravings. A second benefit is the probiotic helps with nutrient absorption and proper digestion which can also lead to improved nourishment and satiation.
The various strains can be helpful in different situations. Since each of us is unique, people will respond to different probiotics in various ways. It's important to pay attention to how you feel with a probiotic. Lab tests may be conducted to demonstrate success of a probiotic. Although there are many things I consider when suggesting a probiotic for an individual, here are some top considerations.
1) Is your immune system under stress or generally healthy?
NO: Someone who tends to have more food sensitivities, leaky gut, sugar cravings, or catches colds and flus more easily may benefit from a higher volume of probiotics. They may respond better to a standardized probiotic than to fermented foods, I have found. The same is true for someone with gastro-intestinal issues like constipation, loose stools, blockages or a diagnosis for a gastro-intestinal illness. These are my top picks and we carry them at our office and do offer shipping as well:
Progurt 5 Pack. 1Trillion CFU. Offering the highest volume, 1 trillion, of beneficial bacteria on the market, this is an outstanding probiotic for the price. This is my favorite probiotic and yields good results in cases of yeast and bacterial overgrowth, chronic constipation, bowel obstructions, etc.
Ortho Molecular PRO 225 15 packets. Another high volume probiotic, 225 billion, this one is helpful when there are sugar cravings, or you just need a boost for a couple of weeks such as after anti-biotic therapy, when travelling abroad, or have a cold. This is also helpful for those with chronic loose stools or constipation. I would not suggest this to those with auto-immune issues generally due to some of the strains.
Ortho Molecular Ortho 100, capsules. A shelf-stable probiotic that is friendly to those with auto-immune issues. This is a great basic probiotic for those that are concentrating on over-coming immune stress and chronic inflammation. The 100 billion CFU dose is not shabby.
Researched Nutritionals CoreBiotic Sensitive. This is a stonger version of Prescript Assist Pro discussed below and the sensitive version does not include pre-biotics which help those sensitive needing a low-fiber diet.This is a unique blend of soil-based organisms. The research on soil-based organisms and their benefits continues to grow.
YES: If the person is in optimal health and a functional review of their bloodwork demonstrates no immune system issues then these are my top picks (unless there are strong sugar cravings and then I would suggest the probiotics offered above under the "NO" answer):
Allegany Nutrition 51 billion probiotic. This affordable option is new to our office and is shelf-stable. It includes 14 strains as well as pre-biotics, trace minerals and enzymes. Check out the product description for more detail.
Ortho Molecular Ortho Biotic powder or capsules. This is a tried-and-true basic probiotic. It includes multiple strains that offer a variety of functions and is shelf-stable.
Researched Nutritionals Prescript Assist Pro. Also priced affordably, I often suggest this probiotic when someone has said they have not noticed a huge improvement with typical probiotics. This can help parents who want a probiotic to boost immunity during the winter months. The studies on these probiotics demonstrate that they tend to linger longer in the gut and may not need to be taken as frequently after an initial 3 month period.
You may notice that all the probiotics I've suggested are shelf-stable. I do tend to see better results with these which may support the claim that they are more viable and stable in the digestive tract when stable at room-temperature versus needing to be refrigerated.
If you would like to purchase any of these items, or set up a consultation to discuss which probiotic is right for you, please contact us.