If you want to get started on a healthier you, adding probiotics (from pro and biota meaning “for life”) to your daily regimen of supplements is a great place to start. Not only do probiotics improve your overall gut health, but the benefits of a healthy gut also lead to other improvements in your life and have been proven in clinical studies to prevent disease.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: “Probiotics have shown promise for a variety of health purposes, including prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis in premature infants, treatment of infant colic, treatment of periodontal disease, and induction or maintenance of remission in ulcerative colitis.”
But what are the benefits of probiotics? With the bad rep that bacteria has, why would you want to swallow even more of them?
Probiotics help with:
- balancing the friendly bacteria in your gut
- anxiety and depression (according to these recent studies)
- can lower your cholesterol and blood pressure
- preventing and treating diarrhea, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome
While probiotics are still being studied and the added benefits to your overall health need more review, they have proven to be useful so far. Research has found that when probiotics are taken as a supplement or through fermented food such as yogurt, your gut will become a more well-balanced place, and that means better overall health factors. Growing scientific evidence has suggested that we can overcome and even prevent illnesses with a daily dose of probiotics. Talk about healthy bacteria.
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In our guide to the best probiotics, we’ll focus mainly on supplements, but don’t forget that probiotic yogurt is another excellent way to get your daily dose!
Check out our favorite probiotics below.
1. Care/Of Probiotics
BEST OVERALL
The subscription service Care/Of delivers a unique bottle of vegan probiotics right to your door, and their products are a blend of B. lactis, L. rahmnosus, and L. acidophilus. This blend of probiotics works to improve your overall gut health and support your immune system. The strains of bacteria used are based on scientific research and will hopefully lead you to live a fuller, healthier life with a well-balanced gut.
2. AG1 Daily Supplement
BEST POWDER
The daily powder supplement offered by the company AG1 (formerly known as Athletic Greens) seems to have taken over the internet recently, and for good reason: this powder is excellent for daily gut health as well as for other dietary needs. If you’re looking for a probiotic that’s inside a daily supplement powder, then check out this unflavored product from AG1. Mix in with a smoothie for best results.
3. Physician’s Choice Probiotics
BEST RATED
This bottle comes with 60 billion Cfu’s — that’s colony forming units — per serving, is made up of ten probiotic strains, and has a prebiotic blend to top it off. Physician’s Choice is Amazon’s bestselling probiotic brand for good reason: without additives, coating or mysterious ingredients, this bottle will help improve your gut health as soon as you swallow your first capsule.
79,000+ POSITIVE REVIEWS!
4. OLLY Probiotic
BEST GUMMIES
50 delicious gummies with a billion live cultures all help you maintain a natural internal balance and keep your digestive tract in good shape. Take a daily dose of these mango-flavored probiotic gummies to give your immune system a boost. You might have trouble stopping at your daily dose, because these taste too good.
5. Nutrition Essentials Probiotic
BEST CFUS
These tablets boast the highest number of colony-forming units (CFUS) per serving on the market, and they come with a money-back guarantee. Each of the 60 one-a-day tablets supports internal vitamin production and aids relief from a range of common digestive issues.
6. GNC Probiotic Soft Chews
BEST SOFT CHEWS
With an additional boost of two grams of fiber within each berry-flavored soft chew, these GNC probiotics offer even more digestive help than your average supplement. In addition, these candy-like gut helpers are gluten- and lactose-free.
7. Hyperbiotics PRO-15 Probiotics
BEST CAPSULES
These patented, micro-release pearls offer 15 times more results than capsule probiotics. The specialized formula allows the “perfect probiotic” to reach deeper into your gut where they are most effective. This results in a product that provides optimal digestive and immune health as well as mood and energy level-lifting results.
10,000+ POSITIVE REVIEWS
8. Cilo Greek Yogurt Bars
BEST FOR ON THE GO
Clio Greek yogurt bars are great for kids and adults thanks to the convenient packaging. Grab one of these and throw it in your bag and get your billions of probiotics along with eight grams of protein in a sweet treat. We have tried these out, and believe us when we stay, we’re keeping our fridge stocked.
9. Nature’s Bounty Probiotic GX
BEST FOR TRAVELING
These USA-made capsules contain around 20 billion active cultures that can provide relief from gas, bloating and a range of abdominal discomforts. Free from artificial colors, sweeteners and flavors, these one-a-day capsules are an ideal daily dietary supplement.
10. Dr. Stern Probiotic Supplement
ALSO CONSIDER
Featuring 12 specifically hand-picked probiotic strains, Dr, Stern’s vegan-friendly capsules help restore a healthy balance to your digestive system and boost your immune system, allowing you to better fight off disease. The capsules also require no refrigeration and are completely free from additives and allergens.