woman choosing vitamins and supplements for immune system.

Probiotic Buyer’s Guide

Choosing a probiotic can feel challenging. With so many options available – both online and in stores – it’s hard to decide on the best probiotic for you and your needs. But choosing the right probiotic doesn’t have to be complicated. In this blog, we’ve provided some tips for shopping for a probiotic and choosing the best probiotic for you.

Read More: Probiotics 101: What Are The Different Types Of Probiotics And How Many Should I Take?

Why You Need A Probiotic

Probiotics are on seemingly every store shelf today – and with good reason. As live microorganisms that promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria, probiotics have been linked to a range of health benefits,[1] including:

  • Balancing “good” bacteria in your gut
  • Contributing to overall heart health
  • Supporting your immune system
  • Reducing everyday bloating and improving overall gut health

With such a wide range of health benefits, probiotics can be an important part of your daily routine. And while more research is needed on probiotics and their impact on certain health conditions, taking a probiotic is a great step to maintaining your overall health.

How To Choose The Right Probiotic 

While taking a daily probiotic can help you maintain your overall health, choosing one can feel pretty challenging. There are a huge number of probiotics on the market – and not every bacteria in a given probiotic is effective for your specific health needs.[2] While probiotics commonly come from two types of bacteria, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, these two groups can contain many different strains of bacteria. And each strain can impact your body differently. [3] So while talking with your doctor about specific probiotics and your health needs is always a good idea, here are a few places to start when searching for a probiotic.

Understanding Bacteria  

While Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium might just seem like strange-sounding strains of bacteria, they can actually have very different effects on your body when taken as a probiotic. 

  • Lactobacillus: This group of bacteria is possibly effective in addressing a range of conditions, including gut issues like everyday stomach pain, constipation, and diarrhea in healthy individuals. There is also some evidence that it may help treat eczema in children.[4]
  • Bifidobacterium: Similar to Lactobacillus, this group of bacteria is also possibly effective in relieving everyday constipation and gut pain in healthy individuals. However, this is some evidence that Bifidobacterium may also be effective in treating a certain digestive tract infection in healthy individuals that can lead to ulcers.[5]

Read More: Should I Take A Probiotic Daily?

Individual Strains 

While having a general understanding of good bacteria is a great start, it’s important to remember that each group includes many different strains. For example, studies have shown that the B420 strain of Bifidobacterium lactis can possibly help control body mass and waist circumference.[6] Since there are so many different strains and associated health effects, it’s a good idea to chat with your doctor about the best probiotic for you.

Probiotics For Women And Men

It’s important to recognize that women and men have very different health needs, and therefore, may require different probiotics. But choosing the right probiotic for your gender might be a challenge – while research suggests that probiotics impact women and men differently, there’s still no conclusive evidence as to the best probiotic for each gender.[7] However, there are a couple of key factors that could influence which probiotic is best for your body. For example, women might be looking for improved vaginal health, while men might be interested in boosting their metabolism. So while both women and men have different health needs, when it comes to choosing a probiotic, it’s best to look at your specific body when making a decision. 

The Floradapt Difference

At Floradapt, we’ve cultivated a strain library of over 1,000 different, wild-type strains for our high-quality probiotics. Our strains are selected after a rigorous screening and testing process, and support overall health, including gut, digestive, and cardiovascular health. And, Floradapt probiotics also offer superior efficacy for infant colic. So whether you’re looking for immune defense or gut comfort, at Floradapt, we have a probiotic to fit your specific needs.

[1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-health-benefits-of-probiotics
[2] https://www.health.harvard.edu/vitamins-and-supplements/health-benefits-of-taking-probiotics
[3] https://gastro.org/practice-guidance/gi-patient-center/topic/choosing-the-right-probiotics/
[4] https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-790/lactobacillus
[5] https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-891/bifidobacteria
[6] https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/probiotics-how-to-choose-the-right-one-tell-if-theyre-high-quality-and-more
[7] https://journals.lww.com/jcge/fulltext/2015/02000/gender_in_probiotic_use.4.aspx