Benefits of Probiotics

Probiotics are a food supplement that have many benefits. The more you learn about them, the more you would appreciate their importance. According to WebMD:

“Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for you, especially your digestive system. We usually think of these as germs that cause diseases. But your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy. You can find probiotics in supplements and some foods, like yogurt. Doctors often suggest them to help with digestive problems.”

Many different types of bacteria are classified as probiotics. Most belong to one of these two major groups: Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

Lactobacillus is found in yogurt and other fermented foods. It’s often recommended by healthcare experts for people who have digestive issues, such as diarrhea. It can also help people who are lactose intolerant and have difficulty digesting lactose (the sugar in milk).
Bifidobacterium is found in dairy products. It can help with various digestive issues, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Probiotics are highly recommended by healthcare professionals, including doctors (medical and naturopath). If you have any digestive issues, talk to your healthcare provider. Our medical doctor and our naturopath, both think very highly of probiotics. The following benefits of probiotics were provided by our naturopath. We’ve added a few items to the list of benefits below from WebMD and Cleveland Clinic.

What Can Probiotics Do for You?

Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that help control the critical balance in the digestive system by inhibiting the growth of undesirable bacteria and pathogens. Simply put, probiotics are all-natural, holistic supplements with proven benefits.

The Many Benefits of Probiotics

Assist in digestion
Produce natural antibiotic-like substances to protect against infection
Help to kill viruses and parasites
Augment the immune system
Fight inflammation
Suppress pathogenic bacteria
Inhibit tumors and carcinogenics
Fight fungal and yeast infections
Promote or aid liver function and detoxification
Assist in alleviating allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, and systemic candida
Prevent osteoporosis by enhancing calcium metabolism
Improve urinary and vaginal health
Promote human longevity
Help with weight loss
Produce B-vitamins and folic acid
Provides relief with bloating, gas, and constipation
Assist leaky gut and promote intestinal health
Aid in oral health

Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) (ulcerative colitis)
Clean the colon, which greatly reduces bad breath and body odor
Improve general gastrointestinal health and prevent disorders
Normalize bowel movement
Prevent and control common diarrhea
Control diarrhea caused by antibiotics
Control infectious diarrhea (caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites)
Prevent dermatological problems
Assist in skin conditions, like eczema
Therapeutically benefit arthritic conditions
Prevent allergies and colds
Reduce accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries
Metabolize proteins and help eliminate toxic wastes

Here are some details on how probiotics work.

Hydrocarbons are broken down by probiotic bacteria which means the food is being split into its most basic elements. This allows almost total absorption through the digestive system. In this way probiotics dramatically increase overall nutrition and enhance rapid cellular growth and development.
The intestinal tract is cleaned by probiotics. They go under the layer of crud on the intestinal walls, attach themselves and dislodge the accumulated decay. This waste is then flushed out naturally.
Probiotics also produce many important enzymes and increase the availability of vitamins and nutrients, especially Vitamin B, Vitamin K, lactase, fatty acids and calcium.
Probiotic bacteria strengthen the immune system. Because of this support of the immune system, they have been used in alleviating allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome and systemic candida.
Constipation is quickly relieved by probiotics and the bowel movements become normalized, which means diarrhea is also reduced.
These good bacteria produce specific proteins that act as antigens. The reservoirs of nonspecific antigens are then available for the immune system to use in battling all kinds of different disease conditions.
When probiotics attach themselves to the intestinal walls, they produce a mildly acidic environment that slows the growth of disease-causing bacteria. This also helps the immune system because it is freed from some of the work in the intestines and can carry on its work in the rest of the body.
Probiotic bacteria work in symbiosis with tissue and organ cells to metabolize proteins and help eliminate toxic wastes from the body.
In addition, probiotics stimulate B-Lymphocyte and related anti-body production. They produce huge pools of extra anti-bodies, ready to protect and defend against infection.
Probiotic bacteria produce Lactoferrin as a by-product of their metabolism. Lactoferrin is an iron-binding protein essential to retrieving iron from foods we eat. Increased Lactoferrin can help relieve iron-assimilation deficiencies.
They help to kill viruses and parasites.
People taking probiotics have experienced lowered cholesterol.
Allergies and skin problems are aided by taking probiotic bacteria.
Yeast and fungal infections are prevented, and sometimes eliminated with supplements of probiotics.
They also stimulate the body’s own production of alpha-interferon, a key regulator of our immune response.
Since probiotics clean the colon, bad breath and body odor are greatly reduced. This is because the lungs and skin will be utilized by the body to help eliminate toxins when the intestinal tract is clogged and functioning poorly.

Are Probiotics Safe?

As with starting any other supplement or medication, always check with your healthcare provider first. We got an approval from our medical doctor before we started using probiotics. There is hardly a naturopath in the United States that doesn’t recommend using probiotics. In general, probiotics are considered safe and we’ve never heard of anyone having negative side effects from taking probiotics. However, we are not doctors, or healthcare experts. It’s best to listen to the doctors and your own healthcare professional.

Here’s what some of the doctors say about the probiotics and their safety.

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH):

“Probiotics are microorganisms with potential health benefits……….Significant adverse effects are rare, and there are no known interactions with medications.”

Here’s a quote from WebMD about probiotics safety:

“Although no studies have shown probiotics to be harmful in healthy people, Barry Goldin, MS, PhD, a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine, says terminally ill cancer patients and people with conditions with the potential for leaky bowels, including acute pancreatitis, should NOT consume probiotics. Just to be safe, tell your doctor if you’re thinking about taking (or eating) probiotics regularly.”

WARNING: People with depressed immune system (HIV, cancer, etc.), or those who are acutely ill, should get their doctor’s approval before using probiotics.

Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Gail Cresci says:

“Probiotics are generally recognized as safe, but they’re typically not recommended if you have a compromised immune system. Ask your physician if probiotics are right for you.”

According to WebMD Medical Reference, which was reviewed by Dr. Brunilda Nazario, MD on June 25, 2018:

“For most people in good health, experts say probiotics won’t cause any issues. If you do get side effects, they’re usually very mild, like a little more gas than usual. But use caution if you have a serious health condition or your immune system — your body’s defense against germs — is weak. In those cases, it’s best to check with your doctor first to see if they’re safe.”

Can You Overdose on Probiotics?

This is another question that people often ask. Could I be using too much probiotics? Our naturopath told us that there’s no such thing as taking too much probiotics. In other words, you can’t overdose on probiotics.

Dr. Rudolph Bedford, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California assures us:

“You can’t eat or take too many, he assures. “Whatever your body doesn’t use, it gets rid of. There’s no downside to probiotics.”

According to Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine:

“Since our bodies normally host upwards of 100 trillion bacteria, it’s very hard to overdose on probiotics, or “good” bacteria. If anything, research suggests that eating lots of these bugs via fermented foods, like yogurt or sauerkraut, or supplements can help you maintain a healthy balance of intestinal microbes that aid digestion and keep your immune system strong.”

In general, people hardly ever have any issues with taking probiotics. However, Dr. Rajapaska points that “In rare instances, if your immune system is very weak, probiotics may cause a serious infection.” That’s why it’s a good idea to always check with your healthcare professional, preferably your family doctor, before taking any supplements.

Selecting a Probiotic Brand

Probiotics are measured in Colony-Forming Units (CFUs). Studies show that higher number of CFUs produce better results. According to an NIH publication from 2008, “Typical dosages vary based on the product, but common dosages range from 5 to 10 billion colony-forming units per day for children, and from 10 to 20 billion colony-forming units per day for adults.” In recent years, it’s common to see probiotics with 40 billion or even 60 billion CFUs.

We did hours of research and then we verified with our family doctor to make sure the brand we picked was a good choice. Our doctor approved our selection. Interestingly, the brand we selected is called Physician’s Choice so it wasn’t a surprise that our doctor was familiar with this brand. It’s by far the most purchased probiotics brand sold on Amazon with almost 11,000 ratings as of April 2020. However, ratings and reviews are by no means a guarantee of the quality and effectiveness of a product. That’s why we have our own reasons for selecting this particular brand.

Physician's Choice Probiotics

We selected Physician’s Choice for many reasons. Here are a few.

It contains 10 probiotic strains, 60 billion CFUs (Colony-Forming Units), and an organic prebiotic blend.
You only have to use 1 capsule a day, rather than the 4 capsules we had to take with another brand.
It includes prebiotics and probiotics, based on the clinical research.
Doesn’t need refrigeration because the patented bottle uses technology that maximizes the ability of the bacteria to survive.
The bottle is shelf stable and protects the bacteria from light and moisture, which can damage the bacteria.
The patented capsules allow the bacteria to travel through the stomach before being released in the intestines.
The organic Jerusalem artichoke root and chicory root powder feed the probiotic organisms to help them survive and thrive.
The manufacturer publicly discloses the names of the independent labs that have tested the probiotics for viability. For the record they are Eurofins Scientific, ACL Laboratories, Analytical Resource Laboratories. For their third-party testing and certifications, they use Covance.
The probiotics have a two-year shelf life and is suitable for both men and women.
You can take this probiotic before or after food because it includes organic prebiotic fiber, which acts as the natural food source for the probiotics. Without the prebiotic, the probiotic bacteria can starve to death.

Because these probiotics contain 60 billion CFUs, rather than 20 or 40 CFUs, the chances for the probiotics to colonize your gut are much higher. If the probiotics can’t survive or colonize, they are not very effective. The cost of Physician’s Choice at the time we purchased it was very reasonable. Here are the supplemental facts.

If you decide to purchase this brand, we recommend you compare the cost both at Amazon.com and Physician’s Choice website. The cost may be almost the same, but with Amazon Prime you won’t have to pay shipping costs.

Obviously, you don’t have to settle on the manufacturer we picked. You should do your own research and select a brand you like. You may also want to experiment with different brands until you find the one that works best for you. If a probiotic doesn’t work for you within 30 days, move on to a different brand and with a different strain of bacteria. Gastroenterologist Dr. Rudolph Bedford, MD suggests, “The two bacteria studied the most are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Find a probiotic that includes these.”

Here are a couple of links to help you select the best probiotics.

WebMD: Which Probiotic is Right for You?
Cleveland Clinic: How to Pick the Best Probiotic for You

How Long it Takes to See the Results?

We have seen positive results from using probiotics within 1-2 days for acid reflux symptoms. However, everyone reacts differently to health supplements. In general, most people see good results within a week or two, but it may take up to a month in certain cases.

If you are using probiotics for digestive issues, such as acid reflux, gas, bloating, or constipation, you should expect some good results in 2-4 days. For IBS, you should start seeing results in 7-14 days. Depending on the reason for taking probiotics, you may have to wait for a month to see results.

If you don’t see good results in about 30 days, try a different brand with different strain, as we mentioned earlier. If you are taking probiotics with fewer CFUs, e.g. 20 billion or less, you may not see results at all or you may have to wait much longer to see the effects. However, this doesn’t mean that probiotics with fewer CFUs are useless. It depends on how they go through your system, whether they survive your stomach acid or not, whether they include any prebiotic to feed the probiotic bacteria, etc. Depending on the brand, the probiotics may be dying quickly. We have noticed amazing results with Physician Choice because we believe the prebiotic helps keep the probiotics alive for longer time, as explained earlier, and the large amount (60 billion) of CFUs increase the chances of probiotics getting to where they need to be……in the gut.

We used Jarrow Formulas’ brand Jarro-Dophilus EPS on and off for many years. It contained only 5 billion CFUs and we have to take 4 capsules each day. It’s difficult to remember to take 4 capsules a day and if the probiotic brand requires you to take multiple capsules, it could mean that the probiotic bacteria is dying too quickly so you have to keep taking a whole bunch of capsules in the hope that some will survive and do the job. We saw some results with Jarrow Formulas’ brand, but didn’t quite experience the results we wished we had. It was also very expensive. When we switched to Physician’s Choice, the results were simply amazing.

We’ve experienced all kinds of digestive problems for a very long time. We’ve tried a lot of medications and natural cures. Apple Cider Vinegar was very helpful, but still not the miracle cure. However, once we switched to Physician’s Choice probiotics, within a couple of weeks we experienced some amazing results.

Once we switched to Physician’s Choice probiotics, within a couple of weeks all our digestive issues from the past decades were completely cured. The result was no aches, no pains, no bloating, no gas, no acid reflux, no chest pains, no indigestion, and no constipation.

Other Things to Know About Probiotics

“Saccharomyces boulardii is a yeast in probiotics, which can be useful for several types of digestive issues.” (WebMD)
“Probiotics may cause bloating and gas, as well as changes in your stool patterns — all indications that the product is working.” (Cleveland Clinic)
“The bacterial balance can be disrupted by medical conditions, emotional and physical stress, and, most notably, use of antibiotics, which destroy the good bacteria along with the bad.” (Cleveland Clinic)
You may read on the Internet that you should take probiotics, while you are using antibiotics. One pharmacist told us that probiotics are a supplement for your digestive issues, they don’t interfere with the antibiotics at all. However, our family doctor disagrees…..and we trust our family doctor. We were told that some probiotics can interfere with antibiotics under certain conditions and therefore we were advised to avoid taking probiotics while we are on antibiotics. We were told we can go back to using probiotics after we’ve stopped using the antibiotics.
It’s rare to have any side effects from probiotics, but according to WebMD “In some cases, mild side effects might include an upset stomach, diarrhea, gas, and bloating for the first couple of days after you start taking them.” If you have an allergic reaction from probiotics, which is very rare, then obviously you should stop taking them and contact your doctor.

Other than using their product for health benefit, we have no relationship with Physician’s Choice (the maker of the probiotics brand mentioned on this page) or Amazon. We don’t benefit (financially or otherwise) by mentioning these company names. We don’t sell the product; we only use it as a consumer. We get no kickbacks, no money, no nothing!

Probiotics