Beginners Guide To Probiotics: By: Rob Miller
Beginners Guide To Probiotics: By: Rob Miller
to Probiotics
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Disclaimer!
The information provided in this ebook is intended as a guide to help you
understand what probiotic supplements are, where they come from, their
wide array of benefits, and more.
Always check with your doctor before beginning any type of exercise
program or using any product mentioned or advertised by
SupplementCritique.com.
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Table Of Contents
Contents
Intro to Probiotics ......................................................................................................................................... 5
What Are Probiotics? .................................................................................................................................... 6
Why Take Probiotics?.................................................................................................................................... 7
Where Do Probiotics Come From? ............................................................................................................... 8
What To Look For In A Probiotic Pill ............................................................................................................. 9
Strains ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
Delivery Method ..................................................................................................................................... 11
Prebiotics ................................................................................................................................................ 11
Probiotics Facts and Myths ......................................................................................................................... 12
Myth #1: All probiotics are the same ...................................................................................................... 12
Myth #2: Yogurt is a good source of probiotics ...................................................................................... 13
Myth #3: You don’t need to supplement probiotics. You can just get them from your diet. ............... 13
Myth #4: You shouldn’t take probiotics while taking Antibiotics ........................................................... 14
Myth 5: Probiotics Can Replace Medicine ............................................................................................. 14
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Probiotics ..................................................................................... 15
Are Probiotics safe? ................................................................................................................................ 15
Are Probiotics good for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)? ....................................................................... 16
Can I take Probiotics if I’m pregnant or nursing? ................................................................................... 16
Can I take Probiotics if I have high or low blood pressure? .................................................................... 16
Can I take Probiotics if I have diabetes? ................................................................................................. 17
Can I lose weight with Probiotics? .......................................................................................................... 17
Can I take Probiotics with alcohol? ......................................................................................................... 17
Popular (and effective) Probiotic Supplements Sold In Stores ................................................................... 18
Store #1 – GNC ........................................................................................................................................ 18
Peptiva ................................................................................................................................................ 18
GNC Ultra Probiotic Complexes .......................................................................................................... 20
ProbioSlim ........................................................................................................................................... 22
Renew Life Formulas Ultimate Flora MEGA POTENT 150 Billion ........................................................ 23
Store #2 – Walmart ................................................................................................................................. 24
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Align Probiotic Supplement Capsules ................................................................................................. 24
Florastor .............................................................................................................................................. 24
TruBiotics One A Day .......................................................................................................................... 25
Store #3 – CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Grocery Stores ...................................................................... 26
Phillips’ Colon Health .......................................................................................................................... 26
Nature’s Bounty Probiotic 10 Advanced Ultra Strength Capsules ...................................................... 27
............................................................................................................................................................ 27
Nature Made Digestive Probiotics Advanced ..................................................................................... 27
Nature Made Digestive Probiotics Advanced is at Walgreens and CVS. .................................. 27
Its claim to fame is that it works in both the small and large intestines using 12 Billion CFUs
across 2 different strains: B Lactis and L Plantarum. ................................................................. 27
Conclusion / Recommendation................................................................................................................... 29
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Intro to Probiotics
While traditional Western medicine still dominates the healthcare industry
in the United States and the rest of the developed world, there’s been an
infusion of the more Eastern philosophy of treating the patient rather than
the disease into the mainstream.
In recent years, it’s become more and more widely accepted that digestive
heath plays a big role in overall wellness.
Many alternative medicine experts believe that most health begins with gut
health. This is where probiotic pills come in.
I’ve personally reviewed (and even tested) many of them, and it’s really
opened my eyes to their potential.
First we’re going to take a quick look at what probiotics are, why you should
take them, where they come from, and what to look for when choosing the
right pill for you.
We’ll also discuss some of the more frequent myths associated with
Probiotics, as well as examine some frequently asked questions I’ve
personally gotten.
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What Are Probiotics?
It’s normal to think of bacteria as harmful to your body.
After all, we take antiobiotics to kill off harmful bacteria when we’re sick.
But there are good bacteria as well, and your body is full of both kinds.
Sometimes the balance between good and bad changes, and you end up
with a weakened or compromised digestive and/or immune system.
When this is the case, probiotics can replenish and bolster your supply of
good bacteria, and you may be healthier as a result.
Probiotics are essentially live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your
digestive system. (Source)
You can find probiotics in some foods, and in a wide variety of over the
counter supplements.
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Why Take Probiotics?
Within your gut, there are trillions of bacteria – both “good” and “bad”. It’s
believed that the correct balance is 80%/20% Good/Bad.
Balancing and improving your gut health, it’s believed that you can improve
your overall health and well-being, as well as target specific areas of
concern, such as:
May help aid in weight loss and reduce belly fat. (Source)
The gut is the key location of interaction between your body and what
enters it from the outside world.
Populating it with good bacteria can ward off potential dangers before they
get past this first line of defense.
Obesity is yet another condition that can be helped by adding good bacteria
to your gut.
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Recent studies show that obese people tend to have less diversity of gut
flora than lean people.
A 2013 study determined that thin people have 70% more gut bacteria than
overweight people.
It’s not clear yet if this holds true for humans as well, but changing the
composition and ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria in mice changes
their mood and their levels of anxiety.
The studies in this area are still very preliminary, but they have shown
improvements in patients having acne issues after drinking a probiotic-rich
drink, as well as a lessened chance of babies developing eczema when
taking probiotics.
There are other conditions that can benefit from an increase in good
bacteria in your gut.
This is just a small list of the most commonly discussed ones. Now let’s talk
about popular probiotic sources.
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Look on the label for words like “Active Yogurt Cultures” to indicate that
probiotics are present.
Other foods that contain probiotics are Kefir (a cultured mild drink),
certain aged cheeses, sauerkraut, some pickles, and soy based foods such as
miso.
One of the problems with getting your probiotics from food is that the
strains can be limited.
A supplement – if you choose the right one – can cover all the necessary
bases far more easily that trying to get all the different strains from the food
you eat.
These days, it’s not uncommon to see numbers as high as 40 billion CFUs
CFUs per capsule, or more.
But more recently, another number has taken precedence over, or has at
least become as important as, just how many millions of bacteria there are.
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If you’re just looking to improve overall health, you’ll want to look for
something with at least 3 different strains, probably more, covering
different species to basically cover your bases.
The most common strain within the most common species is the L
Acidophilus strain in the Lactobacillus species. This is the one
you’ll find in most yogurts with active cultures. It protects the walls of
the intestines to ensure proper digestion and absorption of nutrients.
This is most commonly used to ease digestive discomfort like gas,
bloating, and diarrhea.
There are tons of other strains to consider, most of which address particular
concerns, so make sure to include them as factors in your choice.
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Delivery Method
You can get probiotics from the foods you eat, and when you’re starting out
trying to increase your good bacteria, eating more probiotic rich food is a
good place to start.
This method keeps the live bacteria safe from stomach acid so they can
reach your intestines in their live state.
Prebiotics
Several of the newer formulations include prebiotics which essentially are
food for probiotics.
They’re fiber, and are generally supplied by the food you eat. But if you’re
not getting enough, it’s possible to increase your intake by taking a
probiotic pill that includes prebiotics
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Probiotics Facts and Myths
The science and research behind probiotics and their symbiotic role with
the biology of humankind has accelerated at a tremendous pace.
This core concept of immunology rewrote itself into the treatment of many
different conditions, ranging from irritable bowel syndrome to depression.
In fact, recent studies have shown that over 80% of the human immune
system actually originates from the intestinal flora.
This is populated with the traditional “bad” bacteria that we think of when
we think of “antibiotics,” as well as these beneficial probiotics.
Does that mean you need to try out 3 dozen probiotic supplements to find
which one is right for you?
Of course not.
But just know that you will experience a subtle (and sometimes dramatic)
difference between probiotic supplements.
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Myth #2: Yogurt is a good source of probiotics
False. In some cases this is true, but in many other cases the yogurt you
have stocked in your fridge may not even contain ANY probiotics.
To find out if the yogurt you have been consuming for the last year has any
probiotics, it should say something like “live and active cultures” on the
ingredients label.
In many instances you can be doing more harm than good, as yogurt
manufacturers will typically dump a ton of sugar into their supplements.
Myth #3: You don’t need to supplement probiotics. You can just get
them from your diet.
This is just patently false.
It’s true that there are several foods that contain a good dose of probiotics.
However, the probiotic levels will vary wildly from batch to batch.
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Unless you know exactly how the food was grown, there’s no way to tell
exactly how much you’re getting.
All the more reason why you should take a probiotic supplement to be sure
you’re getting the proper amount.
The one thing that is true is that certain types of probiotics are killed by
antibiotics, rendering them useless.
This will help to reduce (or in some cases eliminate) any antibiotic
associated diarrhea, especially in children. (Source)
You just need to be sure you’re taking in the right types of probiotics.
Again, this will take careful inspection of the label and any other resources
you can find.
The fact that some nutritionists recommend this sometimes just straight up
grinds my gears.
Supplement your body with the things it may be missing from diet and
environmental factors.
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It’s never recommended to completely replace a medication with probiotics,
so don’t even try it!
The number of serious adverse events per study group was not given
for 309 of the studies.
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Are Probiotics good for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
Since there aren’t a lot of treatment options for IBS, many turn to
probiotics as a natural alternative.
While still skeptical, most doctors will recommend probiotics to their IBS
patients, mainly because they don’t seem to do any harm.
And the science to back up its potential is starting to appear in legit medical
journals.
For example, one study noted a reduction in pain and global relief of IBS
symptoms when compared to a placebo.
Translation: It’s worth giving them a shot.
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Can I take Probiotics if I have diabetes?
In general, yes. There should be no issues taking probiotics if you have
diabetes. In fact, one study conducted recently found that taking probiotics
(along with a suitable diet) can actually lower your A1C by as much as 8.9%.
(Source)
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Popular (and effective) Probiotic
Supplements Sold In Stores
Now that you’re armed with all the background information to make the
right choices when selecting a probiotic, let’s take a look at some of the
most effective probiotics sold in stores.
Note: I’m not associated with ANY of these supplements, and no one paid
me to include them here.
Store #1 – GNC
It’s often the first store we think of when we think about looking for a
supplement, so it’s a logical first choice here as well. After visiting my local
store, here’s a list of 4 top Probiotic pills at GNC.
Peptiva
Peptiva is actually a product that
we’ve personally tested, with great
results.
Here’s the story we got from Brandon Adcock, one of the founders of
Peptiva:
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“The project started as a blank slate for Dr. Katz to create the optimal
probiotic. His thesis boils down to everyone is taking probiotics at the
wrong time.
They’re taking them in the morning then dumping junk food, soda,
stresses of the day, and everything else into their system which isn’t
creating the optimal environment for the probiotic to work. So after
further research, we found that one of the most common reasons people
have trouble sleeping is because gut and intestinal issues.
Two of the most common items purchased at GNC with probiotics are
melatonin and stress relief ingredients.
We decided that people didn’t even realize the connection and we need to
pair the 2 together.
By combining the two, we can ensure the consumer is put into a restful
state to create the optimal environment for the probiotic to work. The
byproduct of this is that you also get a great night’s sleep.
On top of the sleep angle and that we’re using clinically studied probiotic
strains at the specific clinically studied dose, we guarantee a CFU count,
at the time of expiration (18 months), even at room temperature storage.
This requires a lot more investment and drives up the price of the
product. If you look at all of the large low cost probiotic brands, they are
all labeled as “time of manufacturing”.
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Where To Buy Peptiva
You can find Peptiva for sale on their official website, www.Peptiva.com, or
in GNC.
One their website, you can pick up a 1 month supply for $49.99.
Clearly ordering off their site is going to be the cheaper option, and they
also offer discounts for larger orders
GNC appears to have taken the approach that different customers are
looking for different things.
This one would be best for someone just getting their feet wet with
probiotics.
It’s enough to be beneficial, but won’t really target any serious issues. It
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costs $34.99 for a 30 day supply of 30 capsules.
The regular price is not much more than the 10 Billion CFU Multi-Strain
so it would seem to be a no brainer to upgrade to this one if you want to
go multi-strain, especially considering that right now there’s a sale that
brings the non-member price all the way down to $31.99.
GNC Ultra Probiotic Complex 100 has the highest CFU number and
a bit of multi-strain action as well. It’s got Acidophilus and Bifidum, as
well as a smaller multi-strain blend of L Sativarius, B Lactis, and L
Rhamnosus. It comes in very expensive at $49.99 for just 20 capsules.
These are the main GNC named formulas that come in capsule form.
They have a few other options as well, designed to address specific issues,
like lack of energy and immune system support.
There are also different delivery forms, like chewable and powder packets,
but I’d recommend sticking with the capsules for now to make sure you get
all the benefit you can from live bacteria.
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ProbioSlim
Made by the same company that promotes
the Force Factor line of supplements
like Force Factor 2, Test X180, and VolcaNO,
Probioslim is one of the most popular
probiotic pills sold in GNC.
This is where the probiotic support comes from, but you can’t really tell
what that really entails as far as how much actual support you’re getting.
The promo page talks about digestive support and relief from issues like
gas, bloating, and diarrhea, along with weight loss support from Caffeine,
Green Tea, and other Fruit Extracts.
ProbioSlim sells at GNC for $69.99 for a one month supply, although you
can actually find it MUCH cheaper at Walmart for as low as $19.88.
If what you’re looking for is really a probiotic and not a weight loss pill, I’d
choose something with a CFU and strain listing so you know what you’re
getting.
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Renew Life Formulas Ultimate Flora MEGA POTENT 150 Billion
This one calls itself the most potent probiotic
support available in a single capsule.
All the prices I’ve given for GNC products are the Non-Member prices.
If you plan to buy from GNC with any regularity, you should consider
paying the $15 a year to become a member.
You save about $5 on each of the products we’ve talked about here.
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Store #2 – Walmart
Walmart is easy, cheap, and convenient for almost everyone, so it would be
a mistake to skip over it when looking for a viable probiotic supplement or
two.
Most of the choices are on the low end of the price scale, but don’t be
surprised if you find the occasional higher end probiotic.
The below probiotic pills at Walmart are some of the most highly rated and
reviewed, and we chose them for their apparent effectiveness.
Florastor
Florastor is another popular choice available at Walmart.
It provides 5 billion CFUs, and it’s all one strain – Saccaromyces Boulardii,
which is known to support the digestive process.
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The recommended dose is 1 capsules per day, so the 50-count package will
last a little more than a month and a half if you take it as recommended.
It costs $42.78.
Even if you did double your dose, the price would come in at just about $30
a month.
Because the price and the CFU count were so low, I checked the customer
feedback, and it’s almost all positive.
Reviewers talk mainly about relief from gas and bloating, as well as all types
of stomach pain.
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It could be that until more of the population catches on to the potential
benefits of probiotics, these Walmart options may continue to rule the
market.
They don’t tend to be the highest end products; they’re more inclined to sell
the most popular, and at prices somewhat higher than what you’ll find at
Walmart.
CVS and RiteAid customers who offer feedback all give this one
5-stars, citing how fast it works, how healthy it’s kept them, and how it
just plain works.
Again, according to recommendations, the CFUs and strains are low, but
perhaps there’s more benefit than we realize from the lower dose options.
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Nature’s Bounty Probiotic 10 Advanced Ultra Strength Capsules
This is probably the best price we’ve seen for this level of bacteria.
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That makes the 60-count package costing $24.99 last a month.
Customers are excited that they don’t suffer with gas and bloating anymore,
and when they compare it with eating yogurt, they say the effect is very
noticeably different.
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Conclusion / Recommendation
I hope you learned something from reading this guide. For the longest
time, I was actually never a huge proponent of taking probiotics.
This was due to the fact that, most of the times I tried them, I would end up
feeling sick, nauseous, and have an upset stomach.
It wasn’t until after I learned that those effects I was feeling were actually
proof that they were working did I change my tune.
If you have any questions on anything in this ebook, feel free to email me
here.
We’re always here to help!
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