Most people would have heard about probiotics and its health benefits. After all, it is one of the most talked out supplements over the past few years. And even though some people may want to try it out, they often do not know how to choose a good probiotic supplement. If you are among them, then you will definitely find this post helpful. Below, we look at five things you need to watch out for when buying probiotics.
Strain Diversity
The first thing to look for is the diversity of the strains. Probiotic supplements that contain a variety of strains of bacteria will be far more effective than one that only uses a few strains. This is because each strain of bacteria will usually have a different function. As such, taking multiple strains of bacteria ensures that they work cohesively to better our health. As a rule of thumb, you need to ensure that a probiotic supplement contains at least these three bacterial strains – B.longum, L.acidophilus, B.bifidum.
Colony Forming Unit
Colony Forming Unit (CFU) measures the bacterial count in the probiotics. At the lower range, you will find probiotic supplements with CFUs of 3 billion. But as far as possible, stick with a supplement that has at least 10 billion CFUs. Only then can you start experiencing the benefits of consuming the probiotics. But do keep in mind that any supplement over 50 billion CFUs are unnecessary as they don’t provide any significant value when one considers their cost.
Brands
As with any other product, it is better to stick to well-known brands. Usually, these brands have built their reputation by providing high-quality probiotics. Hence, you will be safer choosing a well-known probiotic brand rather than something that no one has ever heard of. And if you are confused with the many brands, unable to decide which one will be the best for you, check out these recommendations and Discover Which Probiotics Supplement Is Best For You!
Expiration Date
Always look for expiration dates of the probiotics you intend to buy. This will let you know how long the bacteria inside the bottle will last. Generally, probiotic supplements are not required to publish expiration dates. However, it is recommended that you only choose brands that clearly state the expiration date of their supplement right on the packaging.
Potency
Potency essentially refers to the quantity of bacterial strain that a supplement will contain at the time of expiry. When you buy probiotics, you might notice that it states the potency. For example, a manufacturer might state a potency of 30 billion CFUs. Now, the most important thing to look for is the applicability of the potency. Is the 30 billion CFU only present when the product was manufactured? As such, does it mean that if it is purchased, say 3 months from the manufacturing date, the potency will be reduced to 15 to 20 billion CFUs or something similar? As far as possible, only buy probiotic supplements that state potency at the time of expiration. This will give you a good idea as to how to select a good supplement.
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