Probiotics: What is the Best Option For You?

Remember how I agreed to write some blog posts for a company reviewing their probiotic supplements in exchange for free product? The agreement was for two months and I never received the second month's supply....so I decided to try a less expensive option that was recommended to me. I ordered and waited for it to come in the mail. After a week off of probiotics I knew I needed them back! The return of tummy issues. I immediately got another bottle from Silver Fern to keep Cohen on them, and tried this cheaper brand for myself. It seemed to work fine, but I still had issues every once in a while. Yes, it was the holidays and I wasn't eating my best.....or anything close to my best, but I didn't feel like they were doing their job. I decided once I finish that bottle, I will switch back to Silver Fern with Co. Wish me luck!

How to have success:

Follow instructions. One a day for a week, then two a day from then on (for Silver Fern brand). It can hurt your tummy if you start with too much, depending on the brand.

Do you have to take them forever? No. BUT, taking them for a short time will not correct a lifetime of poor gut health. To work best, a combination of probiotics and a whole food diet work well. It is even better to start with a healthy diet and THEN add in the probiotics once you've made it a lifestyle.

The most damaging things to intestinal flora are sugar, excessive grains, caffeine, and alcohol. And, of course, antibiotics.

I don't really have an answer as to how long you need to take probiotics....sorry! I am going to try it for a year and see how I feel about it.

Other benefits: 

Did you know that taking a probiotic might help prevent cavities? There are currently tons of studies out there testing this. If you've had a lot of cavities, you know that too much acid breaks down your tooth's enamel, which leads to cavities. Lactobacillus strains help neutralize your overall pH balance, including in your mouth. I haven't been able to find information that says taking a probiotic WILL prevent cavities, but I think it's only a matter of time until we discover a way to make that happen.

Probiotics also boost your metabolism. See this post to read more about it.

What are your options?

Please note, I have not done any research on these brands except for price. I still believe Silver Fern is the best product based on what it contains, how it is stored, and their quality assurance process (which can be found here under Why Silver Fern Brand?).

Silver Fern: $0.66 per capsule if you take one*, $1.33 if you take recommended dose.

Walmart: Equate, $0.39 per capsule

Walgreens: Walgreens brand, $0.59

Target: Up & Up, $0.66 per capsule

Costco: Florastor, $0.47
             Nature's Bounty, $0.14
             Trunature, $0.13
             Align, $0.65
             Culturelle, $0.29
            Digestive Advantage, $0.22
            Webber Naturals, $0.31

Smith's: Kroger, $0.66 (On sale for $0.56 when I checked last month)

*Babies and children should only take one capsule per day. Adults who take one Silver Fern capsule have also seen benefits.

Where I found some of this information:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/probiotic-pill-oral-health-cavities-377698

http://curetoothdecay.com/blog/how-lactobacilli-bacteria-prevent-tooth-decay-oral-thrush/

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Quality-control-of-probiotics-is-lacking-study-suggests