Do you regularly consume a plain high quality organic yogurt or kefir, sauerkraut, microalgae, kimchi, and/or kombucha tea (all natural sources of probiotics)?  Are you stress-free, eat only whole foods, and exercise regularly?  If this describes your diet and lifestyle, then you do not likely need to supplement with probiotics.   I try and live as healthy a lifestyle as possible, but I know I still need to supplement with probiotics.  Taking vitamin D3 and omega 3 fatty acids along with probiotic supplementation, is essential for healthy body function as most people who live in our modern times are deficient in all of them.

Benefits of Probiotics

Besides a front line defense of our immune systems, probiotics also promote colon blood flow, produce vitamins and antioxidants, allow for proper nutrient absorption, and even helps keep inflammation under control in the body, something that is very important to my patients in my chiropractic office or anyone who is suffering from a chronic health condition.  Probiotics have also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol levels.  Sign me up.

Brand?

The question changes from should I supplement with probiotics (absolutely) to what probiotic should I supplement with?  The type and source of probiotic that we are designed to benefit from come from soil, fruits, and vegetables NOT dairy, soy, corn or wheat (many brands use these – stay away from them). The type of probiotic bacteria we require was established years before humans developed agriculture or consumed dairy, soy, wheat or grains.

The brand of probiotics I take and recommend in my office is Probiotic Sufficiency™ because it contains the correct type of bacteria (9 strains), they are naturally derived, and finally, they have a high dose of 15 billion colony-forming units (CFU) per capsule.

Use

A probiotic supplement should be either refrigerated or frozen and the dosage should have a control built in to accommodate shipping.  Probiotic Sufficiency™ actually put 19 billion organisms in each capsule rather than the 15 billion on the label claim to ensure a minimum of 15 billion due to degradation during storage or shipping – talk about quality control!

Look, it would be wonderful if we didn’t need any supplements, but this is one for certain you should consider if your goal is better health.

Be Well,