Are Probiotics Right For You?

Most of you in this healthy-living community know what probiotics are and what purposes they serve in our digestive systems.  Yet some of you may not be familiar with them at all.  I wanted to take some time to address them because I have recently become a convert to the world of daily probiotic supplementation.

Probiotics are essentially foods or supplements that contain "good bacteria".  These microorganisms help with digestion and offer protection from any harmful bacteria that may be present in your body.  They take over when your intestinal bacteria have too much work or are weakened or even destroyed by antibiotics, stress, poor nutrition or any other factors.

Most people are familiar with supplements in pill form.  Here are a few that I keep in my medicine cabinet.  The dosages range anywhere from 1 billion to 50 billion bacteria each so knowing what you're looking for is the first step in determining your dosage.

People generally consume probiotics from foods like miso, yogurt, kombucha, fermented and unfermented milk and some soy or juice products.  Most foods have a very small amount of bacteria but this isn't always the case.  One example is the Good Belly juice line.  These are a probiotic juice drink that contain about 20 billion organisms per shot.  They are soy free, dairy free as well as vegan.

I bought a package of these a few weeks back when I was on antibiotics for a stomach infection (h.pylori).  In addition to Good Belly, I also purchased a few other brands of probiotics so I could get a feel for what worked for me.

Bio-K+ is another drinkable probiotic supplement.  There are three different flavors of the fermented milk version: original, fruity and strawberry.  They also provide a dairy free version as well as capsules in regular and extra strength.  I purchased the Fruity fermented milk shots at Whole Foods.

As you can see from the above photo, these are a bit more potent than Good Belly shots.  Each Bio-K+ bottle contains 50 billion bacteria.

I stumbled upon these the day after I began my 14-day antibiotic regime.  After a painful day of stomach cramping, fatigue and headaches, I called my mom who recommended a liquid probiotic.  I started taking one bottle each day for the next two weeks.  The results were nothing short of miraculous.

My stomach pains disappeared completely, I became more energized, alert and the effect on my digestive system was amazing.  For the first time in my adult life, I was regular.  I even went out of town for 3 days and didn't get all backed up.  Sorry if this is TMI but I know a ton of people suffer from irregularity while travelling so if I can just help one person, I will have done my part.

Probiotics may also help:  (Source)

• Treat diarrhea, especially following treatment with certain antibiotics
• Prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections
• Treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Reduce bladder cancer recurrence
• Speed treatment of certain intestinal infections
• Prevent and treat eczema in children
• Prevent or reduce the severity of colds and flu

If that's not enough to convince you then I don't know what is.  I will honestly admit that since I first started taking these I have felt so much better in all areas of my life.  Working out is easier since I have more energy, I can eat whatever foods I want to without having to worry about stomach pains and even if I have to travel somewhere I will never have to worry about bathroom struggles anymore.

Anyone else have good/bad experiences with probiotic supplements??  Thoughts?