What are Probiotic Supplements?

With natural foods having inadequate amounts of live bacteria to replenish good flora in our intestine, many of us need to additionally take probiotic supplements. These supplements may be taken as liquids, powders or in capsule form and are extremely safe to consume. A probiotic supplement is a dietary augmentation that helps increase the amount of healthy micro-organisms in our digestive tract. These supplements are available over the counter with details of when and how they need to be consumed.

Types of Probiotics

There are broadly two types of probiotics, namely bacteria and yeast based. Probiotics can be of 2 species, namely Lactobacillus (such as L acidophilus, L Rhamnosus, Bulgaricus, L Reuteri, and L Casei), Bifidobacterium and Saccharomyces Boulardii, which is non-pathogenic yeast.

Choosing the Right Probiotic Supplement

growing consciousness on the benefits of probiotic supplements, numerous probiotic brands have flooded the market. Which is the best probiotic supplement, what bacteria does the supplement contain, how does it meet your specific physical needs, these are questions worth clarifying. Many probiotic supplements are not correctly prepared, processed or stored, and because probiotics have a short shelf life, some supplements may not have the strain that you need and thus, not have the desired health benefit.

Efficacy of a probiotic species taken orally requires that it be resistant to the strong acid and bile in our stomach so that it can pass through the upper gastrointestinal tract without loss of biological potency. However, even the hardiest micro-organisms must be administered regularly to maintain colonization.

A single dose of a probiotic supplement should have a minimum of 4 billion viable organisms for adults and 1 billion for children. It is also clear that these bacteria should be from one or more of the Lactic Acid Bacteria family or Bifidobacteria which are just about the only "friendly-bacteria" tough enough to make it into the intestine where they need to be!

The probiotic should ideally incorporate nutrition for the bacteria too. As your impaired gut may not have the foods that Lactobacillus need to thrive, good probiotics should incorporate a nutrition source too—like the intrinsic supernatant, which is the media the bacteria was grown in.

Desirable properties of a good probiotic supplement:

Should be resistant to stomach acid and bile

Able to colonize in the human gut 

Able to produce antimicrobial substances

Have visible benefits on health

When buying a probiotic supplement, it is best to choose products from well-known companies, especially those that have been tested and researched. Reliable products will indicate the name of the probiotic organisms they contain, and the number of organisms a single dose provides (known as CFUs or Colony Forming Units).

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) recommends that consumers should consider 4 criteria when comparing probiotic supplements:

• Choose the right probiotic strain
• Probiotics must be tested in humans and shown to have health benefits
• Choose a quality product at the right quantity
• Pick quality packaging and a trusted manufacturer.  In the United States, most probiotics are sold as dietary supplements, which do not undergo the same testing and approval process that drugs do. Manufacturers are responsible for making sure that the probiotics are safe before they’re marketed and that any claims made on the label are true. Products should have an expiration date printed clearly on the package and packaging should ensure an effective level of live bacteria through the “best by” or expiration date. Climate changes, exposure to oxygen and moisture can be important to keeping probiotics alive.

Side Effects of Probiotic Supplements

Probiotic supplements have few side effects if any. Since they merely augment and replenish the healthy bacteria that naturally exist in our body, the potential for adverse reaction is extremely low. Side effects of probiotic supplements may be mild and cease after a week of regular use. Common side effects include abdominal bloating, diarrhea, frequent gas and intestinal cramping. Drinking adequate amounts of water and avoiding high-fiber foods, laxatives and other products that increase bowel movements are a great way to ease these side effects. These common side effects refer to something called the Herxheimer effect—and it is common especially in people who have never taken probiotic supplements before. The Herxheimer effect happens when there is a mass exodus of toxic organisms leaving your body and the transit routes out get clogged. (www.thinkfungus.com) If you experience this, lighten up on your dose, or drop down to every other day until you feel well enough to increase your dose again.

Products that destroy healthy bacteria in your intestine

• Antibiotics
• Birth control pills
• Steroids and hormonal drugs
• Fluoride
• Chlorine
• Tea and coffee
• Carbonated drinks
• Synthetic vitamins
• Preservatives
• Additives
• Pesticides
• Fertilizers
• Stress

Benefits of Probiotics

Heavy use of antibiotics, preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals consumed via food may cause the destruction of many friendly microflora in our gastrointestinal tract. However, research shows that when probiotic supplements are consumed as powders, liquids or capsules on a regular basis, they have numerous advantages in, 

Helping to manage lactose intolerance^6,7

Helping to prevent cancer^21,22

Assisting in lowering cholesterol^23,24,25

Helping to support immune function^12,13

Helping to reduce the severity of antibiotic-associated diarrhea^10,11

Helping to reduce inflammation^14,15

Helping to prevent harmful bacterial growth^17,18

Helping to improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome^26,27

Getting Natren Probiotic Supplements to Work for You

Natren is a leading manufacturer of probiotic supplements with over 30 years of experience. The company produces a host of probiotic supplements that can be bought online. Natren has products for people of all ages and animals. One of Natren’s products, Healthy Trinity, has 30 billion colony forming units (CFU) of beneficial bacteria per capsule. These probiotics enhance digestion, improve nutrient absorption, stimulate proper elimination and maximize your immune function¹.

Besides high quality probiotic supplements, which are a result of extensive research, another aspect that sets Natren apart from its competitors is the care it takes in refrigeration and transportation of its products. Like all living creatures, probiotics need to be protected from harsh environments; their life-spans are diminished by heat, light and moisture. Natren products are shipped in dark glass bottles with tin lids to protect the bacteria from harmful light and moisture. They are refrigerated to keep them cool and extend their lives so that they have guaranteed potency through the printed expiration date. 

Natren’s products are micro-enrobed with a unique oil matrix, as that is the best way to protect probiotic bacteria from stomach acid. Natren Trenev Trio^® is the first to introduce a micro-enrobing, unique delivery system – a hard gel capsule in which three super strains of probiotic bacteria are suspended in sunflower oil and vitamin E to keep the bacteria separate, non-competitive and protected from gastric digestive juices for optimum survival.

Additionally, all Natren’s probiotics are laboratory tested bile-resistant strains which survive bile salts. All of Natren's dairy-free powders, namely Mega Dophilus Dairy-Free, Bifido Factor Dairy-Free, Mega Vegi-Dophilus, and Digesta-Lac Dairy-Free are all Vegan.
Since probiotic supplements should be consistently consumed for maximum health benefit, this can add to your household budget. A great way to address this is to simply buy Natren’s Yogurt Starter and make your own probiotic rich yogurt at home.

Today, animals and pets are integral members of many homes. However, it is common for us to slip up on feeding or exercising our pets, which may cause them tremendous discomfort. Natren has a range of products to help with animal constipation and diarrhea. With some good bacteria, diarrhea and upset stomach in your animals could be a thing of the past!

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³Lee, M.C., Lin, L.H., Hung, K.L., and Wu, K.Y., Oral bacterial therapy promotes recovery from acute diarrhea in children, Acta. Paediatr. Taiwan, 2001; Sep-Oct;42(5):301-305.

⁴O’Mahony, L., McCarthy, J., Kelly, P., Hurley, G., Luo, F., Chen, K., O’Sullivan, G.C., Kiely, B., Collins, J. K., Shanahan, F., Quigley, E. M. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in IBS: symptom responses and relationship to cytokine profiles. Gastroenterology, 2005; 128(3): 541-551

⁵DePalma, G., Cinova, J., Stepankova, R., Tuckova, L., Sanz, Y. Pivotal advance: Bifidobacteria and gram-negative bacteria differentially influence immune responses in the proinflammatory milieu of celiac disease in children, Journal of Leukocyte Biology 2010, 87: 000-000.

⁶Kim, H. S., and Gilliland, S. E.  Lactobacillus acidophilus as a dietary adjunct for milk to aid lactose digestion in humans, J. Dairy Sci. 1983, 66: 959-966.

⁷Effect of the microbial lactase (EC 3.2.1.23) activity in yoghurt on the intestinal absorption of lactose: an in vivo study in lactase-deficient humans.  B J Nutr. 1990, 64: 71-79.

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¹¹Vivatvakin, B.; Kowitdamrong, E. Randomized control trial of live Lactobacillus acidophilus plus Bifidobacterium infantis in treatment of infantile acute watery diarrhea. J Med Assoc 2006.

¹²Bjorksten, B.; Sepp. E.; Julge, K.; Voor, T.; Mikelsaar, M. Allergy development and the intestinal microflora during the first year of life. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008 Vol. 108: 516-520

¹³Ozdemir, O. Various effects of different probiotic strains in allergic disorders: an update from laboratory and clinical data. Clinical and Exp Immunology 2010. 1-10

¹⁴Gruber, C. et al. Reduced Occurrence of Early atopic Dermatitis. The Journal of Allergy and clinical Immunology 2010, 126(4): 791-797.

¹⁵Lee, J. et al. Meta-analysis of clinical trials of probiotics for prevention and treatment of pediatric atopic dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008, 121: 116-121.

¹⁶Hoyos, A.B. Reduced Incidence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis Associated with Enteral Administration of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium infantis to Neonates in an Intensive Care Unit. Int J Infect Dis 1999 Vol. 3: 197-202.

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¹⁹Lin, H.C.; Su, B.H.; Chen, A.C.; Lin, T.W.; Tsai, C.H.; Yeh, T.F.; Oh, W. Oral Probiotics Reduce the Incidence and Severity of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants. Pediatrics 2005 Vol. 115(1).

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