What are probiotics?
Your essential guide to our gut heroes
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms (bacteria) that have beneficial effects on, or inside your body. They’re often described as "good" or "friendly" bacteria.
Trillions of these tiny microorganisms already exist in your body, along with numerous others. By consuming probiotic supplements, you’re increasing the existing populations of friendly microbes.
These invisible heroes help support important bodily functions and your overall health. They also help to crowd out the potentially harmful types of microbes we carry, promoting a balanced microbiota.
Many probiotics are oral supplements designed to be ingested into your gastrointestinal tract (your gut/stomach/mouth). Others are topical products that you can apply to your skin.
What do probiotics do?
Probiotics increase the population of beneficial microbes (bacteria) that already live within your gut and elsewhere.
What is Dysbiosis? The impact of a modern lifestyle on gut health
Dysbiosis is an imbalance of the bacteria in your gut and usually occurs due to the impact of modern life.
However, the effects of modern living (stress, antibiotic use, low-fibre diets) make it increasingly difficult to maintain this balance.
How do probiotics work?
From the minute you swallow a probiotic supplement an amazing journey takes place. As they travel through your digestive system, they “wake up” in your gut, and start to take effect.
These friendly probiotics multiply, forming a team of millions of tiny invisible helpers that work to balance the good and bad bacteria in your gut, which is essential for digestion and overall health.
Daily intake of probiotics is important because these tiny helpers don’t stay forever; they are naturally expelled after a week or two.
Surviving the journey to your gut
For probiotics to work effectively, they must first survive your stomach’s harsh, acidic environment. All BioGaia probiotics are proven to do just that.
Our L. reuteri bacterium is one of the few probiotics in the world that has been clinically proven to settle and thrive in all areas of your digestive system, like the stomach and small intestine. This means they can live and multiply right where they provide the most benefits*.
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Prebiotics and Probiotics – what's the difference?
Both prebiotics and probiotics support your gut health, but they play different roles.
Prebiotics are commonly fibres that feed the good bacteria in your gut, helping them to grow and thrive. Think of them as food for your beneficial gut bacteria.
Probiotics, on the other hand, are live bacteria that you can consume through supplements or in small amounts in certain foods, like yogurt and sauerkraut. They add more of these good bacteria to your digestive system.
Together, they help keep your digestive system balanced and healthy.
Why strain matters: The key to choosing quality probiotics
Bacteria are classified by genus, species, and strain. The strain is the most important information to consider. A strain is a specific type of bacteria, in the same way that a Labrador is a specific type of dog.
Different strains of probiotics can have different effects. For example, one strain may help with digestion while another may help to boost the immune system.
Different probiotic companies make probiotics from different strains, but unlike BioGaia, some probiotic brands lack significant research behind them or do not all share details of these strains on their product packaging.
Without knowing the strain name, you don't know exactly what you are getting. One lactobacillus supplement is not equal to another lactobacillus supplement. Strain information is what nutritionists, doctors and other healthcare professionals look for when recommending probiotics.
We are extremely proud to use one of the world’s most researched strains in all our products, our patented Limosilactobacillus reuteri (formerly Lactobacillus reuteri) DSM 17938. We could talk all day about our amazing L. retueri strains!
Learn more about L. reuteri here
How to choose the best probiotic for you?
Selecting the right probiotic can be a bit overwhelming with so many options available. Here are some tips to help you make an informed choice:
Identify your needs: Different probiotics can support different health areas, so choose a probiotic that matches your specific needs.
Check the strain: Look for probiotics that are labelled down to the strain level, and that the strain is well researched (L. reuteri DSM 17938).
Backed by science: Check that the strain has been tested in clinical studies on humans (not just in vitro) to verify its safety and effectiveness. For multi-strain products, each strain should be defined and supported by clinical research.
CFU Count: CFU stands for Colony Forming Units, indicating the number of live bacteria in each dose. A higher CFU count or ‘multi-strain’ products aren’t necessarily better; it depends on the science.
Expiration Date: Probiotics are living organisms, so they lose potency over time. Reconsider products that only state CFU “at time of manufacture.” This labelling does not account for the decline of CFU during storage, which can affect the product’s effectiveness. So check the CFU count is at the end of shelf-life, not the date of manufacture.
RECOMMENDED USE: Tells you the intent of the product and what you can expect.
DOSAGE/ USAGE/ SERVING SIZE: The amount that needs to be consumed to obtain the desired effect.
CFU (Colony Forming Units): The number of viable bacteria in the product. Avoid products stating CFU “At time of manufacture” - such labelling does not account for the decline of CFU during storage. Lookfor labels with CFU stated at the ‘end of shelf life’.
STORAGE INFORMATION: How to store the product to ensure product quality and safety.
COMPANY NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION: Consumers can contact BioGaia with questions or to get more information.
GENUS, SPECIES, AND STRAIN OF THE BACTERIA: You need all 3 to know what probiotic you are getting. Strain specificity is important as different strains within the same species can have different effects. Choose products that identify down to the strain level.
USE BY/EXPIRATION DATE: This will tell you how long the probiotic will contain adequate levels of live probiotics to have the desired effect. Probiotics are living microorganisms, and their numbers can drop off during storage.
| Checklist | How probiotics by BioGaia comply |
|---|---|
| It’s backed by science | ✓ Products with L. reuteri are among the most scientifically well-documented probiotics in the world. |
| It provides an effective dose | ✓ Through clinical trials on over 22, 000 individuals of varying ages, effective dosing has been verified and varies per product |
| It provides the benefit I’m seeking | ✓ All BioGaia products are clinically proven and approved by Health Canada. For indications, please refer to our website or the product packaging. |
| It’s safe for me | ✓ BioGaia strains all have Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) status and have undergone rigorous safety assessment. |
| It’s labelled properly: Names of microbe CFU Suggested dose or serving size Proper storage conditions Company contact information | ✓ Our labelling always: Specifies genus, species and strain Shows CFU content at end of shelf-life Specifies recommended dose Specifies storage conditions on the packaging Contact information is visible on all labels. |
DOES MORE MEAN BETTER? Not necessarily. A greater number of colony forming units (CFU) does not always equate to a better product. The best-knowndose is the one that has been tested in humans and shown to provide positive outcomes. These levels can range from 100 million to over a trillion CFU per day depending on the strain..
ARE A GREATER NUMBER OF STRAINS BETTER? It depends on the science. Some studies support the effect of a single-strain probiotic product, while some studies show that specific blends of probiotics strains have a positive outcome. Simply having many strains is not a guarantee of a more beneficial product.
DOES STRAIN SPECIFICITY MATTER? Scientists agree that not all probiotics are the same. Choose a strain or strain blend backed by science supporting the effect you are looking for.
DO PROBIOTICS HAVE TO ALTER MY MICROBIOTA TO BE EFFECTIVE? Probiotics typically do not take up residence in your gut and may not evoke any detectable change in the microbes that are normally present. As they pass through the gut, probiotics (and the substances they produce) interact with immune cells, our gut cells, dietary components in the gut and the microbes that live in our gut, and that’s how they exert their benefits.
**All information according to ISAAP.
Our experts answer common questions about probiotics!
Bacteria are classified into genus, species and strains. Probiotic strains of the same species have different characteristics, and may therefore have different health effects. For example, clinical studies with the two strains, Limosilactobacillus reuteri (formerly known as Lactobacillus reuteri) ATCC PTA 6475 and Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938, have shown different effects in clinical studies. That is why a probiotic product must be defined on strain level.
Multi-strain products containing several strains in high doses do not necessarily have a better effect than a single-strain product. Important criteria when choosing a probiotic product are:
The probiotic bacteria must be defined on strain level.
The probiotic product must have been tested in human clinical studies, with the same dose and with the same bacterial strain(s) as in the commercial product.
The patented probiotic strains found in BioGaia's products were originally found to live in the human digestive tract, which means they are very well suited to our bacterial flora. Many other probiotic products on the market contain strains that come from plants or animals.
Even if a bacterium can colonise the gut, regular intake is necessary to maintain sufficiently high levels for proper colonisation. This colonisation is often temporary, which is why taking probiotics daily, whether from food or supplements, is beneficial for ensuring stable levels of probiotics in the gut.
Learn more about probiotics
While fermented foods offer a delicious way to introduce gut-friendly sources into our diet, probiotic supplements provide targeted strains with consistent dosages.
BioGaia’s probiotic supplements with L. reuteri are among the most extensively studied in the world with over 250 clinical studies.
Sources
Effects of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics on Human Health - PMC (nih.gov)
Markowiak P and Śliżewska K (2017) Effects of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics on Human Health. Nutrients, 9(9): 1021
Effects of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics on Human Health - PMC (nih.gov)
The benefits of probiotics bacteria - Harvard Health
Probiotics - NHS (nhs.uk)
Probiotic-Checklist-Infographic.pdf (isappscience.org)
Probiotic_labeling-_rev1029-1.pdf (isappscience.org)
Dispelling-Probiotic-Myths.pdf (isappscience.org)
This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. The article does not imply that any substance mentioned is intended for the diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of any disease.