Living Well
How to Choose The Right Probiotic: Gut Secrets Decoded!
Jul 4, 201690% Of Each Of Us: Bacteria!
You know 90% of the cells in your body aren’t human, right? Don’t fall off your chair if you didn’t, it’s a simple fact! Our bodies contain 100 trillion bacterial cells, about 10 times the number of the rest of the cells. And this is true of each of us on the planet – irrespective of age, sex, race, etc.
Stress, processed foods, ageing and the consumption of antibiotics reduce the number and efficiency of this ‘good bacteria’ in our body. how to pick a probiotic increases the numbers and functional efficiency of the good bacteria, leading to an enhanced state of health.
Considering that it is the one dietary supplement that each and every one of us on the planet can use, it’s hardly surprising that it’s being touted today as the core foundation to good health.
Your Bacterial Signature: No One Size Fits All
Today, one of the most exciting frontiers of medical research is trying to identify individual probiotic signatures. Each of us have a different “microbiome” or bacterial composition that makes up who we are.
This is affected by a mind boggling number of factors – from the first set of bacteria you got your mother when you came out through the birth canal (assuming natural birth), to whether you were breast fed, to how much you got to play in the dirt in your childhood to the food you ate, to how much antibiotics you consumed…you get the idea.
So, choosing a probiotic depends greatly on the constitution and your diagnosed condition.
Different strains of bacteria have different effects on people, so it is very important to make sure you consume the right probiotic for your body type and your disease.
While this ideally needs a practitioner to help you, we’ve put together most important thumb rules you need to use to get started.
3 Simple Rules to how to pick a probiotic:
The Right Strains
how to pick a probiotic
Ensure that the probiotic has 6-8 non-competing strains of bacteria. Probiotics with too many strains of bacteria may pose a risk of overgrowth. The two most important kinds of probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. While the former lives in our large intestine, the latter lives in our small intestine. A good probiotic should contain 6-8 strains of these two put together.
Dr. David Perlmutter, neurologist, leading expert on probiotics and author of several
bestselling books on the subject, likes these five strains for their overall effectiveness:
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Lactobacillus brevis
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterium lactis (also called B. animalis)
- Bifidobacterium longum
Size Matters
The probiotics you find on shop shelves indicate a CFU number – this stands for ‘colony forming unit’, and indicates the number of live bacteria in a sample of the product. An ideal CFU number to look out for in a supplement is between 6 – 10 billion CFU each day (also written as 6 x 109 or 10 x 109)
Ensure Live Bacteria
Pick a product that ensures that (a) the bacteria are live when you buy them, meaning, they have been shipped and stored under proper refrigeration and are “viable through end of shelf life” (b) the product guarantees ‘delayed-rupture technology’, to protect probiotics from stomach acid and deliver it live to your intestine, where it needs to go.
We’re still learning about probiotics so going with the above rules of going with a broad-based 6-8 strain probiotic combination may be the best way to make a choice by yourself. However, if you’re suffering from certain specific problems, there are research studies that support the use of certain specific strains of bacteria.
Probiotics For Specific Ailments:
Traveler’s Diarrhea
The probiotic strain Saccharomyces boulardii may be helpful in preventing traveler’s diarrhea, which is usually a result of consuming contaminated food or water.
Lactose Intolerance
Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus produce the enzyme lactase that can help break down lactose. Absorbing it becomes possible for lactose intolerant folks.
Eczema, psoriasis, etc.: Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus fermentum have been studied to help those with skin conditions.
Antibiotic-Related Diarrhea
Saccharomyces boulardii has been shown in several studies to help prevent / cure diarrhea that happens when we take antibiotics.
So, don’t just go by your gut. Use this guide to get your probiotic journey started. Here’s wishing you happy shopping and a happy gut!
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Antara suffered from an autoimmune disorder for more than 17 years. Conventional steroids and medication didn't work. She has since used probiotics and other dietary supplements to effectively manage her health condition.
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