The Right Probiotic Can Aid Digestion, Detoxification, Immune Health and More
In the world of supplements, none have received more attention than probiotics. They are revered for their ability to heal the gut, improve immunity and even reverse disease, so you might be asking yourself: “What can’t probiotics do?”
It’s true: a healthy microbiome is foundational for just about every aspect of human health, and a good probiotic is a key piece of the puzzle.
Unfortunately, it is easy to exclaim about probiotics’ superhuman abilities and overlook the discouraging truth that most brands are actually dead on arrival and offer little to no health benefits.
Then how do you find a probiotic that actually works?
How should you avoid common probiotic myths and stop wasting money?
In this article, I’ll show you what to look for, what to avoid, and how to choose a top-rated probiotic.
The Ugly Truth About Most Probiotics
Simply put: not all probiotics are created equal. The definition of probiotics according to the World Health Organization is “live microorganisms which, when consumed in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” (1)
Over 95% of probiotics on the market today do not meet the following criteria that define a true probiotic designed by nature:
Meet the standards of being a living microorganism that can survive passage through the gut all the way to the colon
Able to offer therapeutic doses that are clinically specified
Have clinically studied health benefits to humans
Probiotic Myth #1: If My Probiotic Is Refrigerated, It’s a Quality Product
Most probiotic brands you’ll see on the market are dead on arrival. What I mean by this is that they are either dead before you even swallow them, or dead by the time they reach the colon.
Bacteria are naturally fragile, so they are sensitive to heat, moisture and temperature. For this reason many probiotics require refrigeration, although nowadays there are technological methods that allow some to remain shelf-stable.
Unfortunately, it’s a common belief that refrigeration marks a quality probiotic. The truth is that it may or may not.
What’s more important is whether or not the bacteria are prepared and bottled in a way that they can survive supplement production and the acidic journey from your mouth to your gut.
Probiotic Myth #2: More CFU’s Are Always Better
CFU stands for Colony-Forming Unit and refers to how many bacteria in the product are able to divide and form colonies.
A common marketing ploy in the world of probiotic supplements will have the consumer believe that if a probiotic count of 10 million CFUs is good, 10 billion must be far better. Unfortunately, this is a dangerous myth and a prime example that many probiotics are not what they claim to be. More CFUs are not necessarily better.
It’s important to first understand that behind every species of bacteria are thousands of strains, many of which offer no benefit to humans, or have never been studied.
A high-quality probiotic is one that provides strains clinically proven to support human health, and survive the gastric environment. And this is where spore-based probiotics like MegaSporeBiotic come into play.
Why Choose a Spore-Based Probiotic with Antioxidants?
Spore-based probiotics differ from other probiotic supplements on the market because they are specifically designed and manufactured to survive harsh digestive conditions and arrive to the intestines in-tact.
Spores are derived from the word “seed,” and are the most basic building block of a new cell. Found naturally in the environment, spores are the most effective and efficient delivery method of probiotics.
Most probiotic are produced in the aerobic (oxygen is present) environment of a lab and cannot survive in the anaerobic (oxygen is not present) environment of the large intestine. Spores, however, can be dormant for long periods and ‘come to life’ in the large intestine.
Once spore-based probiotics like MegaSporeBiotic reach the colon, they are able to colonize, increase microbial diversity, work to strengthen the immune system and protect you from infection.
MegaSporeBiotic is actually the first probiotic and antioxidant combination and works to:
Aid digestion
Improve elimination and regularity
Control bacterial overgrowth
Detoxify the intestinal tract
Reduce pain and inflammation
Assist in the reduction of cholesterol
Produce key nutrients
Provide immune modulation for prevention and treatment of infections, allergies and asthma
We’ll get to why bacillus spores are superior in a moment, but first I want to mention one particular bacillus strain: Bacillus Indicus HU36TM. This strain naturally produces forms of lycopene, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, beta carotene and lutein in the digestive tract at the site of absorption. This means that these key antioxidants are in their most bioavailable form known to science, and will offer maximum health benefit.
Why I LOVE Bacillus Strains in my probiotics
Reason #1: Bacillus Strains Survive the Digestive Tract
Along with the HU36TM strain, bacillus spores overall are best designed to survive digestion and arrive in-tact to the intestines. This is thanks to their bi-phasic life cycle, meaning that, depending on their environment, they seamlessly transition between their active and dormant forms.
In this stunning example of nature’s innate wisdom, these highly intelligent spores surround themselves with an endospore, a hard outer shell that offers protection from heat, light and other environmental risk factors.
This scientific discovery has truly been a revolution in the world of probiotics, and is what allows bacillus-based MegaSporeBiotic to survive and arrive at the site of colonization alive, where it can perform its probiotic functions.
Reason #2: Bacillus Strains Help “Govern” Your Microbiome
Initial studies suggest that bacillus strains could inhibit overgrowth of certain pathogenic bacteria by interfering with quorum sensing signaling. (2)
Quorum-sensing refers to the ability of certain bacteria to sense the density of bacterial populations (quorum), and the hypothesis is that bacillus strains can interfere with this process, therefore preventing dangerous gut colonization of harmful bacteria.
Reason 3: Bacillus Strains Can Fight SIBO
If you have SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) or know someone who does, you also know that many probiotics can actually exacerbate symptoms by adding fuel to the fire.
If you suspect SIBO, you can work with a functional medicine practitioner to do a small intestinal bacterial overgrowth test. Certain well-studied strains included in MegaSporeBiotic that won’t irritate SIBO include Bacillus Clausii, Bacillus Coagulans and Bacillus Subtilis HU58.
Reason #4: Each Bacillus Strain has so many benefits
Consider the health benefits of each of the following bacillus strains:
Bacillus clausii: This strain is the most widely used probiotic drug in the world, and is a potent immune stimulator. It is especially antibiotic resistant and can be used during antibiotic treatment.
Bacillus coagulans: This strongly-studied strain has been successfully used in the treatment of IBS, Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis, and is also a potent immune stimulator.
Bacillus subtilis HU58: The HU58 strain produces over 12 effective antibiotics, along with the beneficial nattokinase enzyme and vitamin K2. (Note that natural ‘antibiotics’ like HU58, olive leaf and other herbs will not damage friendly species.)
Bacillus licheniformis: This unique strain produces the antibiotic bacitracin. It also produces the protease enzyme and improves protein digestion.
Bacillus indicus HU36: This strain is the only one that produces carotenoids like beta-carotene and lycopene. Bacillus HU36 also produces key quinols and vitamins, and is the most effective antioxidant probiotic strain on the market.
Now that you understand why bacillus strains are across-the-board superior, let’s dive into how they can pair with other products in gut repair and healing protocols.
MegaSporeBiotic and Gut Repair Strategies
As miraculous as a high-quality probiotic truly can be for your health, it’s not the end-all-be-all. Especially when talking about gut health and repair, probiotics are generally one piece of a carefully designed and comprehensive healing protocol, depending on the condition and symptoms.
After a whole foods diet is in place (and potentially a more specific dietary protocol in certain cases) MegaSporeBiotic pairs well with other microbiome products for the following conditions:
Candida overgrowth
SIBO (Small-Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth)
Food sensitivities
Stomachaches
Gas and bloating
Constipation and diarrhea
Other digestive issues
(If you want to hear the details on developing specific protocols for specific symptoms, check out my interview here.)
Spore-based probiotics have shown to heal leaky gut, increase microbial diversity, decrease symptoms of IBS and improve immunity. MegaSporeBiotic is my favorite spore-based probiotic and it is currently part of over 10 active clinical trials looking at its potential therapeutic role in the treatment of other health conditions. (3)
The world of supplementation can be tricky, if not downright confusing. Probiotics top the list of misleading products on the market, so be sure you are making a worthwhile investment that will get you the results you want.
Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and FunctionalDetoxProducts.com.
Check our her easy 5-Day DIY Detox Guide here!