Top Probiotic Brands… and Companies to Avoid

Choosing a probiotic best suited for your specific health needs can seem overwhelming.

There are many brands, blends, formulas, species and strains available. Companies producing probiotic products run the gamut with major corporations like Kraft and Nestle, as well as smaller companies like Biocodex and Dr. Ohhira.

New companies enter the market frequently, though only the best are able to compete with the giants in this competitive marketplace.

Well known probiotic brands include large corporate names like Dannon, General Mills, Kraft, Nestle, and Procter & Gamble.

Lesser known, but very reputable brands include Jarrow, Dr. Ohhira, Garden of Life, Yakult, Renew Life, Dr. Mercola, Culturelle, Attune Foods, Biocodex and VSL Pharmaceuticals.

Probiotics

Digestive Supplement

Gut Health

Digestion

Immune Function

How It Works:

• Supports a healthy immune system & microflora
• Promotes digestion & nutrient absoprtion
• Combats pathogenic bacteria; Improves metabolism

Dosage:

Between 1 - 10 Billion CFUs per day

Safety:

Rated Likely Safe

Top Probiotics Products* ❯

View User Ratings* ❯

Using Probiotics to Boost Health

A probiotic is a microorganism which, when consumed in adequate amounts, confers a health benefit to its host (the human).

A majority of every mammal’s probiotic bacteria and fungi are found in the gastrointestinal tract, mouth and vagina.

An average adult has nearly four pounds of these living organisms within their biome at all times. They are naturally at home within our bodies, and the benefits they confer to humans are a byproduct of their natural fundamental life processes.

Generally, probiotic bacteria are members of the genuses Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. There are many species of bacteria contained within each of these genuses, but only certain ones are known to be beneficial to human health.

Manufacturers of probiotic supplements carefully select and blend these microbes together so they are best able to create the desired outcome.

For example, when treating infant diarrhea, supplementation with B. infantis may be all that is needed. But, if an adult is experiencing diarrhea after taking antibiotics, it is likely they will require a blended formula of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and one or more strains of Bifidobacteria.

The combination of different strains can create a synergistic effect in some cases.

Best Probiotic Brands

Although large corporations like Procter and Gamble, Nestle and Kraft offer extensive lines of probiotic supplements, many health conscious people prefer to use specialized blends created by, and manufactured by, smaller companies and individuals.

There are exceptions to this, though. A good example is Procter and Gamble’s Align probiotic product, but in general, it is though that companies which specialize only in probiotics and health supplement products seem to be more particular about their ingredients.

In addition, they are often more closely connected to their supply chain and able to monitor and source the best materials without having to deal with corporate protocols.

Large corporations often source supplies from wherever they can be found most affordably. This allows them to price their product competitively against other large corporate products and to meet the expectations of their shareholders.

Many smaller probiotic specialty companies create their own products, or they source them from smaller suppliers, farms and individuals. Also, because so much research is focused on these potentially healing microorganisms right now, smaller companies are able to adjust more quickly, allowing them to incorporate or shift ingredients which are found to be most beneficial to consumers.

Popular Probiotic Supplements for Sale

Brands which consistently rate in the Top Ten are Dr. Ohhira’s probiotic line, Culturelle, Jarrow Formulas and Yakult.

With the exception of Yakult, all of these brands offer full lines of probiotic products including specialty blends targeting certain symptoms or types of GI tract disruptions.

Yakult, on the other hand, is a yogurt-like drink which has been extremely popular in Japan for many years and is only now gaining recognition in the USA, the EU, Canada and Australia.

Prices can vary significantly from brand to brand depending on the type of probiotic microorganism(s) used in the product, as well as the substrates upon which the bacteria or fungi are grown.

For example, Jarro-Dophilus Allergen-Free is fermented and processed without the use of any known allergens like dairy or nuts. This can be especially important to people who are lactose intolerant or have other food allergies.

A majority of probiotics are fermented using dairy products, particularly those of the Lactobacillus genus because dairy is rich with lactase. However, there are also vegan probiotic supplement brands on the market.

Many Probiotics Contain Dead Cultures

Another consideration between brands is storage. Recent studies have found that certain probiotic products sold at popular grocery store chains in the USA contain far fewer live cultures in the bottle than what it advertised on the label.

This is an unfortunate reality of the probiotics industry since the bacteria may die quickly after being packaged in pill or capsule form. Many of these products can take a long time between when they are manufactured to when they are used by the consumer.

This means it is important that you look for brands that have a reputation of delivering a high count of live cultures in their products (known as CFUs).

Some products can be kept in a cabinet or purse, while others need refrigeration. The storage requirements to maintain the stability of the microbes may determine the brand of probiotic you buy.

Many companies offer shelf-stable probiotics which have been previously freeze-dried, while companies like Garden-of-Life keep their bacteria and fungi cold from the moment they are first harvested. This means that Garden-of-Life ships in refrigerated packs to assure viability of their product.

Individuals who travel frequently may not be able to bring refrigerated probiotics with them on trips, thus shelf-stability may play an important role in the selection of probiotic brand.

Conclusion

Probiotic brands encompass a vast selection of probiotic species, blends, and methods of administration. For general purposes, those from large corporate manufacturers are probably sufficient.

Smaller companies are often the choice for health conscious individuals because of their primary focus on probiotics, as well as their ability to shift with new scientific data as it comes available.

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