Which probiotic to choose?

There are many forms of probiotics available to purchase. The main difference within the different forms of probiotics available is the species and the strain. In order for a probiotic to be effective it must first survive the acidic conditions in the stomach and then be able to evade digestion in the small intestine. The best forms of probiotics that are effective in humans are probiotics that are of a human genus and not of an animal genus. However, it is their strain within the species that makes all the difference. For example, different dogs are all part of the same species, but each breed is different to each other and has its own purposes. A German Sheppard makes a great guard dog and a Beagle makes a great hunting dog. If you need a good guard dog, you would be wasting your money on a poodle. This same principle can be applied for probiotic strains, as similarly you could be wasting your money if you don’t get the right probiotic for the job.

Inner Health Plus contains the NCFM (North Carolina Food Microbiology) strain of Lactobacilli acidophilus. This is one of only a handful of strains considered to be of therapeutic quality, as it fills the true ‘probiotic’ criteria.

Find out more information regarding this strain on What makes Inner Health Plus different from the rest?

When selecting a probiotic, you need to ensure the good bacteria will be strong and healthy. The following are some key criteria when selecting a quality, therapeutic probiotic:

Is the probiotic:

• Stomach acid resistant
• Bile resistant
• Able to adhere to the human intestinal wall
• Able to colonise and grow in the human gastrointestinal system
• Able to inhibit the growth of pathogenic (bad) bacteria
• Of human origin

Many bacteria in yoghurts, for example, are called ‘transient’. That is they do not live, or colonise in your gastrointestinal system. These bacteria will not necessarily produce a therapeutic result. They may be helpful while they are there, but they don’t stay there for long.