How To Choose A Probiotic Supplement

Diarrhea is a disgusting, unpleasant surprise. Maybe it was that spicy taco you ate or the lavish steak that flushed right through your system. Perhaps the antibiotics you're on or the stress you've been under at work have contributed to this unfortunate activity in your bowels. Taking a constipation drug can lead to even more repulsive effects, creating further bloating, stomach cramps and uneasiness. Instead, you may want to consider a probiotic supplement to naturally regulate your system again, restoring healthy bacteria and bolstering your immune functioning.

Dr. Ohhira Probiotics 12 PLUS is a popular supplement containing twelve strains of friendly bacteria (probiotics), prebiotic nutrients, four organic acids and micronutrients like vitamins, minerals and amino acids. This product claims to contain a strain of TH10 bacteria that is "6.25 x stronger than any naturally-occurring lactic acid bacteria." Additionally, the product promises that only mountain spring water has been used and that there are no pesticides, meat byproducts, artificial additives or preservatives. While Dr. Ohhira's majestic story about the ingredients being "hand-gathered from the mountains and seas of Japan" sounds a little superfluous, Dr. Ohhira himself was awarded "Best Scientist of the Year" and his formula was heralded as "Best Product of the Year" by the Japanese Food and Dairy Association in 2004.

Another popular probiotic supplement is the Primal Defense Probiotic, which comes in powder form or probiotic capsules. The Primal Defense claim-to-fame is that it's "the only probiotic formula to contain a unique whole food blend with Homeostatic Soil Organisms." These organisms live in soil untainted by herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals. The twelve healthy microorganisms contained in this formula promise to "replenish the valuable probiotics our pasteurized, irradiated and disinfected food no longer provides." Proponents claim benefits in gastrointestinal functioning, bowel systems and immune systems.

Sixty Dr. Ohhira Probiotics 12 Plus supplements can be purchased on sale for $39.85 at www.drohhiraprobiotics.com/index.html. Thirty Culturelle probiotic supplements can be purchased for $17.99 at www.culturelle.com. Forty-five tablets of Nature's Secret Ultimate Probiotic will cost you $16.99 at www.herbalremedies.com/natures-secret. Twenty-eight Align probiotic can be purchased at www.aligngi.com. The best way to see if a probiotic supplement is for you is simply to try one out for a month and take an objective look at the effects.

More about probiotic supplement

Probiotic Formula

The idea of adding more friendly bacteria to our guts is still foreign to Americans. However, Europeans and Asians have been ingesting probiotic products for decades already in the form of probiotic yogurt, cereal, milk, cheese and probiotics supplements. As of 2001, Nestlé introduced the first probiotic formula for babies, which contains the beneficial bifidobacterium lactis bacteria aimed at easing the stomachs of colicky babies.

Good Bacteria

The body may contain varying levels of both harmful and good bacteria at any given time. When there is an abundance of bad bacteria, we may come down with a cold, feel sick to our stomachs or have diarrhea. By contrast, if the beneficial bacterium is more prevalent, then we may feel at peak healthiness, enjoy an easy time digesting and have regular bowel movements.

Probiotic Supplements

"If you're healthy and are not planning to take antibiotics, go into the hospital, or maybe take a trip out of the country, then there is no benefit from taking probiotics," said Lynne McFarland, a microbiologist at the Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care System and coauthor of "The Power of Probiotics." Probiotic supplements can be found in food, powders and capsules around the world and are believed to contribute to healthy immune and digestive systems. Even so, not all Americans are convinced there are any benefits.