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Top 5 Probiotics For The Whole Family In 2022
What top scientists are discovering about our gut and how it can dramatically affect the quality of our lives.
Occasional gas, bloating, and constipation? Chances are your gut’s to blame. In fact, scientists, researchers and physicians are discovering that the gut is responsible for many aspects of our health and ultimately, the quality of our lives.
Along with housing over 70% of our immunity, our gut directly impacts our digestion, lungs, heart, and even the brain! When bad bacteria start outnumbering the good, it can negatively impact one or more of these vital systems.
A quality probiotic supplement can do wonders to help replenish our gut with billions of helpful bacteria, re-establishing the correct balance of our gut flora.
Unfortunately, not all probiotics are made the same. And with so much clutter on the market it’s tough to know what direction to take when looking for a high quality supplement. So, HealthLine Updates Reviewers did the hard work for you, by revealing what to look for and what to avoid when shopping for an effective probiotic.
We researched hundreds of probiotics on the market to give you the 5 very best probiotic supplements on the market today.
6 Ways Probiotics Can Skyrocket Your Health
A recent study has shown a direct relationship between common bacterial imbalance in the gut and the ability to fall and remain asleep. This can lead to occasional sleep issues that zap our energy during the day and create erratic sleep patterns. In short, the more good bacteria in our gut, the better our sleep!
Sometimes, the bad bacteria in our gut start outnumbering the good. Not only does this make it more difficult to digest food, but it can sometimes lead to embarrassing gut issues such as gas, bloating, and occasional diarrhea. A high-quality probiotic can help correct this imbalance, leading to a marked improvement of these symptoms.
Ever wondered how some people slide past the age of 100, and seem to do so effortlessly? Chances are it is because of their healthy, youthful gut.
In fact, recent studies show that older adults who are less physically frail and enjoy greater mental acuity had one thing in common: an abundance of healthy bacterial strains in their gut. So, the fountain of youth may just be located in our gut after all!
With over 70% of our immunity residing in our gut, it is imperative to support it in every way possible. Probiotic supplements replenish the gut with helpful bacteria to support our immune system so it can respond to unanticipated attacks.
Many are surprised to learn that our gut has over 500 million neurons that send signals to the brain via the spinal cord. When our bad bacteria is out-of-control, the gut sends confusing signals, which can lead to occasional brain fog, stress, and even memory slips. The gut and brain are intricately linked, so it’s vitally important that the gut is as healthy as possible.
When our good bacteria is plentiful, they line up along the inside the walls of our arteries to defend against invading bad bacteria, much as soldiers would when defending a fort. But when we have too few of these good ‘wall defenders,’ the bad bacteria can jam their way through these thin walls and enter our bloodstream and travel throughout our body — definitely not ideal.
3 Things All Effective Probiotics Must Have
Based on our research and feedback from our HealthLine Updates Shoppers, these are the things to look for in an exceptional probiotic supplement:
- High CFU Count
Since our microbiome is composed of about 100 trillion good and bad bacteria, a high number of Colony Forming Units (CFUs) may have greater impact on the growth of beneficial bacteria within our gut. It’s essential to choose a probiotic which specifies CFU versus “active cultures” or “live cultures.” Look for a formula with a minimum of 10 billion CFU.
- Prebiotics
The latest research shows that fiber-based prebiotics feed the probiotics, helping them to populate and flourish in our gut.24 Choose probiotics supplements containing prebiotics to significantly increase the overall effectiveness of the probiotic.
- Clinically Studied Strains
There are hundreds of different probiotics strains, but many have never been proven effective. The best way to identify the potency of a particular strain is to look at the clinical studies backing it up. To find out if a particular strain has clinical backing, search the strain name on the internet. Look for strains proven effective by clinical studies.
Every year, researchers make new strides in understanding probiotics and how they affect our health. We now understand that there are hundreds of unique probiotic strains that all perform different functions in our bodies. Some strains enhance digestion to minimize uncomfortable symptoms such as occasional diarrhea and constipation, while others can enhance our mood, increase energy, or give us greater mental clarity.
Here are some of the most effective strains available in a high-quality probiotic:
Top Probiotic Strains & Their Benefits
- L. reuteri
Fights pathogenic bacteria (bad bacteria), fights inflammation, and support immune system by promoting regulatory T cell development and function.*
- S. boulardii
Fights growth of bad bacteria & parasites. Slows absorption of toxins. Restores microbiome balance quickly to anti-biotic exposed patients with diarrhea.*
- L. plantarum
Protects against symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Creates enzymes in the gut to digest carbohydrates and proteins.*
- B. bifidum
- B. lactis
Fights bad bacteria, improves the gut lining, promotes healthy digestion, and abdominal comfort.*
While the potency and variety of strains is crucial when looking for in a high-quality probiotic, it’s equally important to know what to avoid when looking for an effective probiotic.
The following 3 tips should help you sidestep those not worth your time:
Probiotics: 3 Things To Avoid
Probiotic strains serve different purposes in the body, so it’s important to choose a probiotic supplement that features a variety of robust strains. Most probiotics feature only one or two strains — far too few to broadly benefit digestive health.
We recommend looking for a supplement with at least 9 unique strains for a more comprehensive approach to overall health and immune function.
Probiotics requiring refrigeration can be damaged or killed off during shipping. They may also be unable to survive the hot, acidic environment of our gut. We therefore suggest choosing a probiotic that is shelf-stable and does need to be stored in the refrigerator.
A high-quality probiotic will clearly identify its specific probiotic strains on the label. Indicated by a combination of letters and numbers following the strain’s name (eg. L. gasseri L22G), these ‘substrains,’ tell you if they are backed by one or more clinical studies.
Unfortunately, many supplements on the market are made with generic (and cheaper) strains, so it’s always a good idea to check the label to ensure specific substrains are there.
Top 5 Probiotic Supplements of 2022
★★★★★ 4.9/5
TOTAL RANKING
A+
OVERALL GRADE
A+
OVERALL GRADE
PROS
- Clinically Studied Strains
- Easy To Take (Mixes in anything)
- 13 Billions CFUs (Highly Potent)
- 12 Probiotic Strains
- Prebiotics (Feed Probiotics)
- Gut Lining Support
- Brain Booster (Phosphatidylcholine)
- Contains L. Reuteri
- 60 Servings
- Refrigeration not Required
- Filler Free
- 90 Day Money Back Guarantee
CONS
- Due to popularity, sometimes it's on backorder/sold out
The Bottom Line
Our HealthLine Updates Reviewers have voted Bio-Heal® Probiotic Powder the most popular daily probiotic they tested.
Bio-Heal® is one of the best formulas on the market, due to its 13 billion live cultures.
Bio-Heal® contains all 5 Top Probiotic strains mentioned above plus 7 more, for a total of 12 robust and clinically studied strains.
Bio-Heal® contains prebiotics, and no synthetic fillers or additives.
It was also the only one that listed each of its clinically studied substrains. Our HealthLine Update Shoppers absolutely loved this probiotic blend.
★★★★★ 4.7/5
TOTAL RANKING
A
OVERALL GRADE
A
OVERALL GRADE
PROS
- Provides 45 billion live cultures
- 11 clinically proven strains
- NutraFlora Prebiotic Fiber included
- No fillers or additives
- 365-day return policy
- Dairy & gluten free, vegetable capsules
CONS
- Due to popularity, sometimes it's on backorder/sold out
The Bottom Line
Live Conscious came in at a respectable #2 on our list, with a potent 45 billion CFUs and 11 strains.
Pro45 offers vegetarian delayed release capsules and pure ingredients. We confirmed that there are no unhealthy fillers or additives.
We also checked its 365-day return policy and were impressed by how easy and straightforward it was. Our HealthLine Updates Reviewers gave this product high marks in the categories of customer service, returns, and overall effectiveness.
★★★★★ 4.4/5
TOTAL RANKING
B+
OVERALL GRADE
B+
OVERALL GRADE
PROS
- Provides 50 billion organisms per serving
- Dairy and gluten-free, vegetable capsules
CONS
- Reports of less capsules in bottle than on label
- No money-back guarantee
The Bottom Line
Some HealthLine Updates Shoppers stated that the storage guidelines of this product was inconvenient.* Although the product contains over 50 billion live cultures, many reviewers believed the product lost its potency due to poor refrigeration by delivery.
★★★★★ 4.3/5
TOTAL RANKING
B+
OVERALL GRADE
B+
OVERALL GRADE
PROS
- Can be found in retail stores
- Dairy and gluten-free, vegetable capsules
CONS
- Only offers 10 billion CFUs per serving
- Contains unhealthy, synthetic fillers
- Only contains one probiotic strain, Lactobacillus GG
The Bottom Line
This product only offers one probiotic strain, Lactobacillus GG. In addition, this product only contains 10 billion live cultures. HealthLine Updates Shoppers noticed fairly short expiration dates.
This product contains undesirable fillers and added colors such as gelatin, sucrose, maltodextrin, magnesium stearate, and titanium dioxide.
★★★★★ 3.9/5
TOTAL RANKING
C+
OVERALL GRADE
C+
OVERALL GRADE
PROS
- Contains 12 probiotic strains
- Clinically studied strains
- Shelf-stable
CONS
- Contains only two prebiotic nutrients
- Only 31 billion CFU
- Includes fillers such as magnesium stearate
- Prebiotics backed by limited clinical studies
The Bottom Line
Primal Probiotics contains a respectable 12 separate strains of clinically-studied probiotics.
Where Primal Harvest falls short, however, is that it contains only two prebiotic fibers, whereas several are needed to feed the various strains. Unfortunately, this product also has fillers such as magnesium stearate, which are completely unnecessary.
Still, its commitment to clinically studied strains and shelf-stable bottle give it an edge over many other probiotics.
- 16 Minutes
- Last Updated 10/25/2021
- Author: Keegan Hurd
Scientific Resources Used
L. reuteri – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5917019/
S. boulardii – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3296087/
L. plantarum – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4705246/
B. bididum – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6920858/
B. lactis – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5029483/
