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Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that offer your body and mind a healthy advantage. Linked to improved digestive and heart health, probiotics are also known to have a positive effect on your skin, clarity of mind, and overall mental health. While you can get probiotics from fermented foods like yogurt, buttermilk, and kefir, good quality supplements offer a much higher number and better strains of probiotics. The idea of consuming beneficial bacteria to boost health has been around since the 1900s. The comparatively new term ‘probiotic’ means ‘for life’. Not only are probiotics available in the form of supplements, but they are also added to food items that are commercially available today. With such a deluge of options out there, there are a couple of things to remember – there are different species and strains of probiotics which affect your health in specific ways, and not everyone reacts in the same way to the same type of probiotic. In order to understand the benefits of probiotics so as to evaluate the ones that are best for you, it is important to know about the most common probiotic strains and what they can do for you.

Common Probiotic Strains

There are two primary species of probiotics that are important for good health – Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Finding a supplement that has the right medley of probiotic strains is paramount to your health – these are the most common and well-researched strains to look for.

• Lactobacillus Acidophilus

One of the most common and popular strains of probiotics, L. Acidophilus serves an important function when it comes to immunity and the health of your digestive system. Particularly beneficial for women, research on L. Acidophilus shows its efficacy in reducing digestive issues such as gas, bloating, IBS, leaky gut syndrome, diarrhea, and lactose intolerance. It also makes it easier of your gut to absorb nutrients from the food you eat, and boosts your immune systems to fight off infections with ease. L. Acidophilus wards off allergies, and enhances vaginal and urinary tract health.

• Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG

When it comes to battling traveler’s diarrhea and diarrhea caused by antibiotic consumption, this strain is one of the most effective probiotics to take. Once consumed, L. Rhamnosus GG adheres to the intestinal walls and fights off infections in the gut as well as the urinary tract. Recommended for those with lactose intolerance and difficulty with digesting dairy products, this strain is also one of the best for improved vaginal health.

• Bifidobacterium Bifidum

At the time of birth, B. Bifidum makes up about 95% of the intestines and serves to protect a newborn from germs. This strain attaches itself to your colon lining to support overall digestion, nutrient absorption, and digestion of sugars. Recent studies show that B. Bifidum helps reduce the chances of coming down with flu and colds. This strain also adheres to the walls of the vagina where it lowers the pH levels and prevents the thriving and growth of bad bacteria.

• Bifidobacterium Breve

An anti-aging probiotic strain, B. Breve protects you from the nasty effects of candida/yeast infections, and E. coli, too. It also helps ease bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and gas. This strain is popular for being effective against a large number of harmful bacteria as it can digest a variety of molecules unlike other strains.

• Streptococcus Thermophilus

Thermophilus is a well-researched strain that is particularly good for the health of women. Along with digestive issues such as leaky gut, IBS, and diarrhea, this strain also aids in dairy digestion by producing lactase. It boosts immune resistance to common infections, too. S. thermophilus is a boon to the commercial food industry as it is a true starter strain for making cheese and yogurt that is chockful of probiotics.

• Bacillus Coagulans

Coagulans is another bacterial strain that produces lactic acid and enzymes that aid in lactose digestion. It boosts your body’s capacity to utilize nutrients and minerals such as phosphorus, iron, and calcium. It also aids vaginal health – studies show that 91% of women who supplemented their daily diet with B. Coagulans enjoyed the benefits of improved vaginal health, better vaginal pH levels, and lesser vaginal discomfort. A part of the Bacillus family of bacteria, this spore-bearing bacterium stay in the body for a longer time as compared to other bacteria because they are highly resistant to light, stomach acid, moisture, and heat.

• Streptococcus Salivarius K12 and M18

Both these strains are found primarily in the mucous membranes of the oral cavity/mouth. K12 has been linked to fewer sore throats, better ear health, reduced dental plaque, and overall oral health in children and adults alike. M18 is particularly linked to improved inflammatory response in the gums and teeth.

• Lactobacillus Paracasei

This strain is unique in its ability to boost liver function and immunity. L. paracasei is a resistant strain that resides in the small intestine. If consumed with milk protein, this strain may become more resistant to stomach acids and colonize in the colon.

Choosing Your Probiotic Supplement

Just like all strains are not created the same, all supplements are not created the same. Research shows that probiotics need some support to get to where they need to go. Most supplements that come in capsule form have no protection technology and this causes less than 4% of the probiotics to actually survive inside your gut. LoveBug Probiotics’ supplemental tablets are proven to 15 times more effective than capsules owing to patented protection of BIO-tract® technology and time-release delivery such that 60% of the probiotic organisms survive and thrive through your digestive system. Power-packed with multiple strains of the most effective probiotics, LoveBug’s supplements ensure that your system receives the best bugs, in the best way, so you can get the maximum benefits from it.

References

Cribby, S., Taylor, M., & Reid, G. (2008). Vaginal Microbiota and the Use of Probiotics. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases, 2008, 256490. http://doi.org/10.1155/2008/256490 Liévin-Le Moal, V., & Servin, A. L. (2014). Anti-Infective Activities of Lactobacillus Strains in the Human Intestinal Microbiota: from Probiotics to Gastrointestinal Anti-Infectious Biotherapeutic Agents. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 27(2), 167–199. http://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.00080-13 Macfarlane, G. T., & Cummings, J. H. (1999). Probiotics and prebiotics: can regulating the activities of intestinal bacteria benefit health? BMJ : British Medical Journal, 318(7189), 999–1003. Markowiak, P., & Śliżewska, K. (2017). Effects of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics on Human Health. Nutrients, 9(9), 1021. http://doi.org/10.3390/nu9091021 Tang ML.Nestle Nutr Workshop Ser Pediatr Program. 2009; 64:219-35; discussion 235-8, 251-7. Epub 2009 Aug 19. Zamani B, Golkar HR, Farshbaf S, et al. Clinical and metabolic response to probiotic supplementation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Int J Rheum Dis 2016;19:869-79.