In our gut or intestine we have about 10,000 more good healthy bacteria than anywhere else in the body. We need this type of bacteria in order to absorb all of the nutrients and goodness from the foods that we digest and also to fight off any bad bacteria which may try to invade, which could eventually end up breaking down our immune system. For many people checking out the many options of probiotics on supermarket shelves or drug stores is the easiest way to go. If you read the labels on any of the brands of probiotics they should state that there are at least 6 billion live bacteria included in each pill but descriptions may also state that there are trillions. That may be a turn-off to most people but don’t let it be. The live bacteria – dead ones are no good – are good bacteria that you are returning to your gut in order tohelp towards absorption of healthy nutrients.
Best Probiotic Supplement – Getting natural supplementation…
There are many different ways to digest natural probiotics such as eating yogurt on a regular basis which contains live and active cultures so you need to purchase real yogurt not the fancy non-cultured yogurts which are on the market especially those which have been pasteurized as the process kills the cultured bacteria. If you have an intolerance towards dairy products you can find non-dairy options such as those yogurts made from rice, soy and coconut milk. Depending on which probiotic you wish to take either as a supplemental or a food it is purely your own choice. There is no real evidence stating which is the best product or supplement to take other than reading labels and making sure that whichever you choose does indeed have probiotic cultures.
Best Probiotic Supplement – Getting supplements from food
One advantage of choosing food as means for you to gain such probiotic cultures is that the food you choose will most likely be a healthy food and so that in itself will improve your body’s immune system right from the get go. Some guidelines to look out for if choosing pill form are as follows:
- Buy a well-known brand which states exactly what culture of probiotic culture your pill is made up of such as Lactobacillus acidophilus or Lactobacillus casei.
- Some pill brands can either be found as capsules containing powder or tiny beads and some pills have a special coating which allows the pill to only be digested in the small intestine, it won’t start to break down in the stomach.
- The number of bacteria cells found in pill form can vary from 1 trillion cells to 6 billion cells – again it all depends on the manufacturer.
- How often and for how long you take a probiotic pill supplement should be clear on the label and you should discuss taking this form of pill with your doctor.
- Various brands of pills may require that upon opening they should be placed under refrigeration others can tolerate room temperature.