Knowing what to look for in your probiotic is a good place to start…

1. Will your probiotic do the job?

Firstly, you need to think about what you want your probiotic to do, and if these functions are listed on the probiotic label. Probiotics can:

• Promote digestive health
• Help reduce abdominal discomfort , bloating or gas
• Restore good gut bacteria after taking antibiotics

Your probiotic can help you achieve the results you want, if it contains the strains specific to the task.

2. It’s all in the name: know the strains in your probiotic

The strain is a way of identifying a probiotic, so you know exactly what you are taking. The name of a probiotic is like a ‘first and family name’, you get a good idea of ‘who’ the probiotic is. The strain is like a finger print, it’s unique and tells you exactly who your probiotic is.

Strain identification will appear as a short sequence of letters and numbers after the name of the probiotic, for example; Lactobacillus rhamnosus (HOWARU® HN001). Keep in mind not all probiotic supplement labels will provide this information

3. How many strains does your probiotic need?

You don’t need a whole crowd to get the job done, just the right people. A good probiotic gives you a variety of strains so you get the benefits of diversity, without trying to cram an unnecessary crowd into a supplement; it’s a balance between being specific and diverse

4. Is your probiotic is strong enough?

Finding the strength of your probiotic is easy. The quantity of probiotic is measured by the number of colony forming units (CFU) for each strain. Don’t be fooled by the total CFU of all your strains added up together! Some strains need to be in high numbers (CFU) for stability and others don’t. The CFU for each strain is different, so check your probiotic contains CFU amounts that are beneficial and appropriate for each strain such as Fusion® Health Probiotic Advanced.

5. Is your probiotic tough enough?

Some probiotics are tougher than others. Choose strains that have proven resistance to stomach acid, digestive enzymes and bile salts so they will last better on the inside after you take them.

Mr Vitamins recommends

FUSION Health® Probiotic Advanced because it gets the 5 ticks!

Find out more about Fusion Health Probiotic Advanced here

Top Tips for Probiotics:

To get the most from your probiotic keep it in the fridge!

The numbers of CFU in your probiotic supplement will decrease with time. Even though new technology enhances their survival rates, storing your probiotic in the fridge will minimise natural losses, so you can maintain your probiotic potency for longer.

For best results take your probiotic with food

The survival of probiotic in your gut is significantly better when taken with a meal. Have your probiotic preferably with dairy (If appropriate for your digestive system), or a grain-based main meal.