When to Take Probiotic Supplements

Scientists and clinicians both report that the data is not sufficient enough to determine whether everyone needs to supplement with probiotics. Dr. Sheryl Berman at Bastyr University says that only a handful of studies have been done examining probiotic use in normal healthy individuals. Additionally, researchers have not yet looked at short versus long-term use of these supplements. Berman suggests that people check with a naturopath or physician before taking a probiotic supplement and she cautions that very immune-suppressed or compromised people should be careful of these live bacterial supplements.

But after antibiotic use, probiotics can be lifesavers. Practitioners across disciplines, from Ayurveda and Chinese traditions to naturopathy and Western medicine, agree that antibiotic use upsets the digestive flora and that probiotic supplementation can help reverse the damage. McNease suggests people use probiotics twice as long as they had taken antibiotics. Family practice physician Dr. David Mathis even recommends longer courses of probiotics, as much as four times as long as they had taken antibiotics.

How to Choose a Supplement

Faber says that we’re still in the early stage of completely understanding how to use probiotics for specific conditions. Most probiotic products are relatively generic, and the ones that seem to be the most effective contain several species and strains of beneficial bacteria. Someday, as the research in this area continues, it will be possible to get specific strains of probiotics to treat individual imbalances.

In the meantime, how can a person walk into their local health food shop, drugstore, or doctor’s office and pick up a high-quality probiotic or even one that is effective? Faber finds that people who insist that probiotics don’t work are often not taking one that is strong enough or contains actual live strains of microorganisms.

According to research by Dr. Berman and Diane Spicer at Bastyr University, who tested a number of supplements and found that quality and viability of live organisms varies widely, refrigerated supplements are more likely to contain live cultures and less likely to be contaminated. However, there are a number of non-refrigerated probiotics that are also effective.

Look for enteric-coated tablets, which are protected from the stomach’s strong acids. But make sure that the capsules don’t pass through the body intact; that’s a sign that you’re not getting any benefit from the probiotics.

Check manufacture and expiration dates as probiotics are living organisms, and are only beneficial when they are still alive. Products may give information about active colonies at the time of manufacture, but over time they may not stay viable. Supplements beyond their expiration dates may no longer be active. Along these lines, look for packages that move quickly from the shelf. A layer of dust may be an indication of dead bacteria. Contamination can also be a concern; check that brands test their products.

Supplemental Foods

Yogurt is pasteurized, which kills the live bacterial cultures. There are a number of brands, however, that add live bacteria back to the yogurt before placing them on the shelf, including Stonyfield Farms, Nancy’s Yogurt, and Brown Cow. Buy brands that add live cultures and avoid yogurt that is overly sweet. Although Faber finds that yogurt can be important for probiotic maintenance, there is not usually enough bacteria in yogurt to recolonize a compromised system.

Kefir, a fermented dairy product similar to yogurt, contains higher concentrations of live cultures. Faber is not the only healthcare practitioner to recommend kefir; Ayurvedic physicians suggest it to improve digestive health. Brands like Lifeway are readily available, as are cultures to make kefir at home. Kefir is easier to make than yogurt, as it doesn’t require specialized equipment.

Maintaining a healthy relationship with a variety of probiotic microorganisms is vital for one to stay optimally healthy. Through probiotic foods and supplements, our digestive systems and entire body can remain in balance.

Some Recommended Probiotic Supplements

Yogurt With Live Cultures

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By Felicia Tomasko

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Healing Lifestyles & Spas Team

Healing Lifestyles & Spas mission is to help our readers to live mindfully, eat joyfully, spa consciously.

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