Our bodies contain an amazing amount of bacteria, and much of it is actually considered to be good to have. The human immune system is actually 70-80% made up of digestive system bacteria, so understanding how to optimize digestive health is a priority. When there is a buildup of “bad” bacteria, it can back up into the rest of the body, harming the intestines, invading the blood, and creating larger health problems. Bad bacteria comes from a variety of environmental and dietary sources, and it’s important to keep these levels in check. According to WebMD, probiotics may even help with IBS, diarrhea, colitis, acne, and even eczema. Everybody is different, so boosting the presence of good bacteria in the gut means different things to each of us.
Reviews.com is a team of researchers that has recently released a guide to finding the best probiotics. They recommend looking at the following factors when choosing a formula that’s best for you:
BACTERIA COUNT
Probiotics come with a certain amount of bacteria that come live within the supplement. It’s important to find a colony forming unit (CFU count) that maximizes the efficiency of the cultures. Look for supplements that contain at least 1 billion CFUs per serving. Some probiotics will have lower numbers than this, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t work — just shoot for something in this range. You may find formulas with far more than this. Often high CFU probiotics are prescribed by a doctor for specific reasons, so you can always check with your physician to be safe.
SHELF LIFE
Probiotic cultures are live when they arrive and die off over time. Each supplement bottle comes with an expiration date, which ensures that the bacterial count will be present until expiration. You might find a great probiotic at an excellent price, but keep in mind that it will only have that CFU count until the expiration date.
TYPES OF BACTERIA
According to the National Center for Biotechnology, strains like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus have been found to have a variety of health benefits. Look for formulas with variety in the strains, as bacterial strains tend to work better in teams.
It can be hard to navigate the world of probiotics, but keeping these factors in mind can help you choose something that works well for you. You can check out the full guide to choosing a probiotic and see what Reviews.com suggests here: https://www.reviews.com/probiotic-supplement/
