What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast that make up part of what’s called the human microbiome.
These tiny microorganisms:
- Populate the small intestine and large intestine
- Support gastrointestinal health
- When probiotics are taken in adequate amounts, they may confer health benefits on the host.
Why are probiotics important?
Probiotics are key drivers of health and can address a range of health concerns. Research suggests that a healthy microbiome can positively affect:
digestion (may help with gas, bloating, irregular bowel movements, etc.)
women’s health issues (e.g. vaginal and urinary tract infections)
immune health
children’s health (e.g. eczema and allergies)
mood1
overall wellness
Probiotics and Health
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Probiotics have been extensively studied for digestive concerns and can be particularly helpful in managing IBS symptoms, such as abdominal pain.2
Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea (AAD)
Microbiota imbalances caused by antibiotics can negatively affect health in many ways and for long periods of time.3 Pharmacists recommend taking a probiotic during the course of antibiotic treatment to reduce side-effects such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD).
Digestive complaints
(e.g. gas, bloating, constipation)
Probiotics are often recommended for gastrointestinal complaints such as gas, bloating, and constipation. Research shows that certain probiotic strains reduce gut transit time and improve gastrointestinal symptoms such as gas.4
Women’s Health Issues
(e.g. urinary tract infections and yeast infections)
According to Statistics Canada, 75% of women have at least one vaginal yeast infection in their lifetime, which is commonly caused by the stubborn yeast, Candida albicans.
Lactobacillus strains may also be helpful in women who have a history of recurrent, complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs).5
Immunity Benefits
(e.g. cold/flu and upper respiratory tract infections)
With over 70% of the immune system in the gut, it acts as the body’s primary defense system. Research supports the use of probiotics for immune support with clinical studies demonstrating health benefits related to cold and flu.
Travel
Which probiotics are best for travelling?
Some probiotic products are shelf-stable, while others need to be refrigerated. If travelling, look for a convenient shelf-stable probiotic that does not need to be kept in the fridge. Research suggests that a probiotic strain known as Saccharomyces boulardii is the preferred probiotic for traveler’s diarrhea.6 & 7
Kids Health
At what age can children start taking probiotics?
Infants as young as one day old may begin taking probiotics as long as the formula is recommended for newborn infants. Taking a probiotic supplement as early as infancy may help promote a healthy balance of intestinal flora in the infant gut.
Please refer to the probiotic label for age specific recommendations.
Kids Health
What form do infant/children probiotics come in?
Probiotic formulas designed for infants and children come in different forms, such as powder or chewable tablets.
Please refer to the probiotic label for directions on how to take it.
Prebiotics and their benefits
Prebiotics feed probiotics – by feeding your own personal strains of probiotics in the gut they grow and increase in population while decreasing bad bacteria. Feeding your own personal strains and working with what you have is key to why prebiotics work so well to improve and often resolve many different kinds of digestive issues.
Prebiotics are a great addition to a probiotic to increase effectiveness and synergy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Probiotics work in many ways to benefit our health, some benefits include:
- Improve microbial balance in the intestinal tract
- Helpful in cases where beneficial bacteria have been lost, such as wih aging or antibiotic therapy
- Help to support healthy gut flora
Live probiotics can be found naturally in a variety of foods (e.g. fermented foods). Some examples of probiotic-rich foods that can support your microbiome are:
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Fermented vegetables (e.g. sauerkraut).
To encourage bacterial diversity in the gut, supplements are preferred over probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt. Multi-strain probiotics contain a variety of bacterial strains, and supplements are available in higher potencies. Additionally, exact amounts of each probiotic strain are labeled, so you know how many bacteria are delivered with each serving.
Bacterial diversity in the gut is important for digestive wellness. Lactobacillus strains: Most prevalent probiotic bacteria in the small intestine. Bifidobacterium strains: Mostly found in the large intestine or colon.
Some probiotic products are shelf-stable, while others need to be refrigerated. If travelling, look for a convenient shelf-stable probiotic that does not need to be kept in the fridge. Research suggests that a probiotic strain known as Saccharomyces boulardii is the preferred probiotic for traveler’s diarrhea.
The culture count of probiotics is labelled in CFUs or Colony Forming Units. This refers to the total number of bacteria per serving. When a probiotic states 50 billion CFU, this means an estimate of 50 billion active bacterial colonies are in each serving.
When choosing a probiotic, it is important to consider your individual health goals and needs. Higher potency probiotics (e.g. 100 billion): Typically recommended for chronic health issues or following a course of antibiotics.
Lower potency probiotics: Often used for daily maintenance in healthy individuals.While many people discontinue using a probiotic once their symptoms subside, probiotics are generally considered safe and can be taken daily, much like a multivitamin.
Please consult your healthcare practitioner for specific recommendations.
The number of bacterial strains is important because diversity in the gut matters. A multi-strain probiotic formula introduces a variety of strains (both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains) to the digestive tract.
While all probiotics offer health benefits, certain probiotic strains have been clinically studied and are indicated for certain conditions, such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea, traveler’s diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Probiotics that have a delivery system can be taken any time of day, with or without food. Most people benefit from taking their probiotic upon rising or before bed, as it’s easier to remember to take this daily supplement at a set time each day.
Please refer to the directions on the label.
Yes, probiotics can be taken with other vitamins and medication. If you are on antibiotics and/or antifungals, take your probiotic at least 2-3 hours before or after.
If you are taking medication, consult your health care practitioner prior to use.
5 quality criteria:
- Scientifically Studied
- Synergistic Strains
- Guaranteed Bioactivity
- Identified Quality Strains
- Gastrointestinal Survival
It’s never too early to start. Probiotics are a gentle, natural first step to promote their digestive balance. Look for a product formulated for children. Powdered formulas and chewable tablets that can be given to infants and toddlers are specifically labeled. If you are uncertain about giving your child a probiotic, consult your health care practitioner.
Everyday factors such as poor diet, stress, travel, and even the use of some medications can offset the balance of healthy bacteria in your digestive tract. Probiotics help your body digest valuable nutrients from your food and play an important role in producing needed vitamins such as vitamin B12 and vitamin K.
Beneficial good bacteria that reside in the gut are living organisms that need to be fed to thrive and survive. Prebiotics feed good bacteria which strengthen and increase while decreasing bad bacteria.
Probiotic supplements give us strains of good bacteria but they are foreign strains to our unique microbiome. By feeding your own personal strains of good bacteria with prebiotics science is showing that this is a more effective way to increasing good bacteria and balance the microbiome by working with what you have. Prebiotics improve digestion and supports regularity quickly and effectively.
Absolutely. Those with a compromised microbiome (due to antibiotic treatment, for example) would benefit from the synergistic effect prebiotics & probiotics have on the gut.
When finished antibiotic treatment it is recommended to take a probiotic to repopulate the gut with good bacteria that potentially would have been killed off. Prebiotics can make your probiotic work even better by feeding the good bacteria consumed. However, if you have not taken antibiotics recently prebiotic supplementation alone is an effective method for strengthening the microbiome.Resistant starch is the most widely-consumed prebiotic in history which is found in certain fruits, vegetables and grains. Resistant starch restores an important part of ancestral diets that get lost due to processing, heating and preferences that characterize a modern diet. Resistant Starch refers to all starches that are not digested by the time they reach the large intestine. Keep in mind not every fibre has a prebiotic effect and not every prebiotic is a fibre, but resistant starch does and is!
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References:
- Messaoudi M et al. Beneficial psychological effects of a probiotic formulation (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175) in healthy human volunteers. Gut Microbes. July 2011;2(4):256-261.
- Harper A et al. The Role of Bacteria, Probiotics and Diet in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Foods. Feb 2018;7(2):13.
- Francino MP. Antibiotics and the Human Gut Microbiome: Dysbioses and Accumulation of Resistances. Frontiers in Microbiology. Jan 2016;6:1543.
- Waller PA et al. Dose-response effect of Biofidobacterium lactis HN019 on whole gut transit time and functional gastrointestinal symptoms in adults. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. 2011 Sep;46(9):1057-1064.
- Gupta, V et al. Recurrent urinary tract infections in women: How promising is the use of probiotics? Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology. July-Sep 2017;35(3):347–354
- Kelesidis and Pothoulakis (2012) Efficacy and safety of the probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii for the prevention and therapy of gastrointestinal disorders. Therap Adv Gastroenterol 5(2):111-25. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3296087/) « A meta-analysis of 12 RCTs of various probiotics (including S. boulardii) for the prevention of traveler’s diarrhea found a significant reduction in the risk of traveler’s diarrhea when probiotics are used" (McFarland, 2007)
- McFarland, L.V. (2007) Meta-analysis of probiotics for the prevention of traveler’s diarrhea. Travel Med Infect Dis 5: 97–105. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17298915/(opens in a new window))
Disclaimer:
THIS PAGE IS NOT INTENDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING MEDICAL ADVICE.
This page is for information purposes only. This booklet does not provide specific medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this booklet. Reliance on any information in this booklet is at your sole risk, and neither Clorox nor Rexall is responsible or liable for any information, products or resources that you obtain through this booklet.