Probiotics are live bacteria that provide a benefit for your digestive system. Your gut contains trillions of microbes, including both good and bad bacteria.

Probiotics, found in fermented foods or probiotic supplements, add more beneficial bacteria to your gut. This helps crowd out unwanted microorganisms, allowing the good bacteria to thrive and support digestion.[1]^†

Here are some of the main benefits of taking probiotics:[1]^†

• Add good gut bacteria: Your gut is home to both good and bad bacteria. Probiotics add more of the good ones to help support digestive balance and your gut health.^†
• Aid digestion: Probiotics help with breaking down nutrients so that your body can better absorb them.^†

Help relieve occasional digestive issues: Sometimes we experience gas or bloating, usually after a meal. Probiotics can help address these occasional issues and support regularity.^†

If you’re wondering: are probiotics healthy for you, consider this: your gut is home to a vast community of microbes. While scientists are still figuring out what the perfect balance looks like, they know that these microbes play a big role in supporting your health.

By taking probiotics regularly, you can support your gut microflora, which in turn supports other functions within your body.

When you consume probiotics, they work together with other microbes in your gut; but since they get flushed out every day, it's essential to replenish them daily. [3]^†

As always, be sure to first consult with your healthcare practitioner before you add a new dietary supplement to your routine.

Probiotics are usually named by their genus, species, and specific strain. These three parts might look like this on the label:

• Lactobacillus (the genus)
• plantarum (the species)
• 299v (the strain)

Some popular probiotics include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, as well as certain Bacillus species and yeasts.

These friendly bacteria play a key role in keeping your gastrointestinal environment healthy and supporting your gut microbiome. Plus, some of these probiotics have specific benefits backed by well-designed clinical studies.[4]†

Good question! Probiotic supplements use Colony Forming Units (CFUs) to measure the number of live microorganisms in each serving.

Most supplements contain between 1 and 15 billion CFUs per dose. However, a higher CFU count doesn’t always mean a better product.

Some strains have been clinically studied to provide specific health benefits at lower CFU levels. Check the label to find the specific strain and its associated benefits.^†

It depends. As we said above, probiotic benefits depend on the specific strain. Some strains do help with regular bowel movements.^†

For example, Bifidobacterium lactis HN019™ has been clinically studied to ease occasional constipation and irregularity, while Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG can help with gas, bloating, and stomach discomfort.^†

The best probiotic for you depends on your specific needs. Different probiotic strains have been studied to provide different benefits, so you might need to first check with your healthcare practitioner to determine your needs when it comes to gut health.^†

Here are just a few examples of specific health needs that can be addressed with probiotic supplements:

• Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG: helps relieve occasional gas, bloating and abdominal discomfort^†
• Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: helps relieve occasional constipation and irregularity^†
• Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12: helps support digestive health and a healthy immune system^†

Find these strains and more in our Probiotics portfolio.

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The best time to take probiotics is the time of day that is most convenient for you to remember! Sometimes that means attaching your probiotic supplement to a mealtime, like breakfast or dinner.

Just remember to pair your supplement with cold or room temperature water, as heat can affect the live cultures. The other important consideration is consistency: try to take your probiotics at the same time every day.

There might be some signs that your probiotics are working for you. For instance, you may notice a change in gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as less frequent bloating, gas, abdominal discomfort, or less irregular bowel movements.^†

It's important to remember that every probiotic strain is different, and every individual's gut microbiome is different. We suggest that you keep track of any changes you notice in your digestion so you can discuss them with your healthcare practitioner; they can best advise you on what to look for when it comes to your specific situation.^†