Do probiotic products live up to the hype? Not according to some doctors. They would say probiotics DO NOT live up to the hype and randomly buying a probiotic off the shelf of a local drugstore isn't going to do you any good. Why? ⁠
⁠
This is probably due to the fact that not all probiotics are the same. ⁠
⁠
Here are some points to consider when buying a probiotic:⁠
⁠
(1) Survival rate. If you can find a probiotic with a third-party tested 100% survival rate that is pretty amazing. Shopping by CFU counts may not be the best way to choose a probiotic. More doesn't mean better with probiotics. ⁠
⁠
(2) The number of strains is a lot less important than what the strains do and if the probiotic contains the actual strains it says it does. Probiotic strains should come with solid research supporting them. ⁠
⁠
(3) Since most probiotics die as they pass through the system, they don't have an effect. Maybe consider strains that are colony forming and actually are shown to stay in the digestive system long enough to do something. ⁠
⁠
(4) Did you know in a research study done in 2016 at the University of California-Davis only one out of 16 probiotics contained the actual strains listed on the label? I might suggest choosing a probiotic that has DNA verification of the strains being used. ⁠
⁠
(5) The mark of a healthy microbiome/gut is microbial diversity. With that said, does consuming a few strains in large doses daily equal a healthy gut? Not from my understanding. ⁠
⁠
There is a reason so many probiotics are so inexpensive. They may not be doing anything. ⁠
⁠
If you are going to take a probiotic, take one that works, take it at the right time in a gut health protocol, and take it with a wide variety of precision prebiotics to increase the good bacteria in the gut, not just a few.⁠⁠

If you have questions, please send us a DM on Instagram @silverfernbrand, or visit https://www.silverfernbrand.com/#quiz-5XHJMn for our protocols.