Probiotics Tablets and Chewables – What to Look For

Probiotic tablets may seem like the latest natural health products to capture the public eye, but what is the value of these supplements to the user?

Are the many claims about these products accurate and should consumers be adding a daily probiotic pill to their diet?

Bacteria and yeast which reside naturally within the human body and confer a health benefit to the host are referred to as probiotic microorganisms.

It is estimated there are in excess of 10 trillion of these microbial cells living within the human gastrointestinal tract at any given moment.

They span a wide range of bacterial and fungal species and many of them are responsible for keeping our digestive system running smoothly, as well as assuring our immune system functions optimally.

Supplementation of necessary healthy bacteria is often added to daily regimens through the use of probiotics tablets.

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* ❯

Why Buy Probiotic Tablets?

Supplements of probiotic bacteria and yeast are available in many forms including pills, pearls, tablets, liquid drops, chewable gummies, drinks, powders and foods.

Tablets are different than pills because instead of being swallowed whole like pills or capsules, they are chewable and usually flavored.

Probiotics tablets are an excellent choice for people who have trouble swallowing pills or who may be taking their supplement without water at some point during their day.

Chewable tablets are also available in doses appropriate for children. These are an especially convenient means of safely dispensing probiotics to young children who are often unable to swallow pills or capsules safely without concern for choking.

Tablets Versus Pills and Capsules

Probiotic bacteria and yeast, though potentially strong harbingers of good health, can be quite fragile unless they are kept within the appropriate environment.

The digestive system is an especially harsh terrain and many probiotic supplements need special enteric coating to protect them until they reach their intended destination. An enteric coating is a special polymer barrier which erodes slowly during digestion.

The highly acidic environment of the early digestive tract will gradually wear it away, after which it releases its payload of beneficial probiotic bacteria into the large intestine and colon.

Chewable tablets often contain higher counts of bacterial cultures because many (or most) of the bacteria will not survive the transition from mouth to colon. If using chewable tablets, choose acidophilus or other bacterium which can colonize earlier in the digestive process, allowing for use of greater numbers of the live cultures.

Read labels carefully and always choose a chewable tablet which specifically states they are formulated to reach the necessary location intact.

What to Expect

For children, chewable tablets are nearly always flavored in fresh fruit samplings like grape, cherry and orange.

Many children will ask specifically for their probiotic supplement because the manufacturer has flavored it well.

Flavoring often means hidden sugars are lurking, but the amount contained in a single daily dose is negligible unless a child has other health issues and is unable to tolerate sugar in any amount.

Probiotics tablets can contribute to better digestive health and many people with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and Crohn’s Disease report a decrease in symptoms when taking supplementation daily.

Immune response can become more appropriate and swift when the microbiota of the gut is in correct balance. More than 70% of the immune system is found in the gastrointestinal tract and any imbalance in this system will, in some way, affect the immune system as well.

Children and adults who take antibiotics to combat illness or infection are often told to take probiotics during or after antibiotic treatment in order to restore good bacteria levels in the gut which have been inadvertently affected by the antibiotic drugs.

Safety Report on Probiotic Pills

Almost everyone can take probiotics tablets safely, though individuals whose immune systems may be compromised should consult their doctor before usage.

Nursing or pregnant women should talk with their doctor before using any nutritional supplement.

Children can usually take probiotics without any complications or side effects, though some children can be especially sensitive to nutritional supplements. Check with your pediatrician about what probiotics tablets are appropriate for your child.

Review

Probiotics tablets are found easily in most health food shops and through online stores.

Because bacteria can be sensitive to temperature, moisture, air and environmental factors, read labels carefully to assure the product selected is manufactured in such a way to protect the delicate microbes until they are able to reach the intestines where they can colonize and out-compete the pathogenic bacteria residing there.

Most adults who are unable to swallow pills or capsules can find a probiotics tablet which is right for them.

Children’s tablets can be taken by adults, as well, though the dosage may need to be increased 2-3 times to be effective. These tablets are often offered in a variety of flavors, allowing them to be consumed without the usual dread accompanying pill taking.

Probiotics tablets are a convenient means of daily supplementation as they can be taken at any time, with or without water.

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