“Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts promoted as having various health benefits. They’re usually added to yoghurts or taken as food supplements, and are often described as ‘good’ or ‘friendly’ bacteria.” (NHS, 2016)

Probiotics are thought to help restore the natural balance of bacteria in your gut (including your stomach and intestines) when it has been disrupted by an illness or treatment. Even so, there isn’t extensive proof that probiotics truly work, though there are many health claims surrounding their benefits. If you are considering trying probiotics, there are a few issues you need to be aware of.

Probiotics are generally classed as food rather than medicine and this means they don’t undergo the thorough testing that medicines do. Because of the way probiotics are regulated, we can’t always be sure that:

• the product actually contains the bacteria stated on the food label
• the product contains enough bacteria to have an effect
• the bacteria are able to survive long enough to reach your gut

It is also worth noting that there are many different types of probiotics, and this difference means one probiotic may have a different effects on the body than another, and little is known about which types are best. So don’t assume that the beneficial effects experienced with one type is going to be replicated by the next.

The best probiotic supplements contain at least one billion bacteria cultures and are certified by an independent lab for purity and potency. Even better, they’re guaranteed to be viable; after all, we want those guys alive, not dead. To find the best, reviews.com enlisted the help of probiotic and health experts, dug into clinical trial findings, and examined the finalists ourselves. Reviews.com experts chosen four top picks that each target a specific health goal.

The Best Probiotics Supplements

Finally, there’s likely to be a huge difference between the pharmaceutical-grade probiotics versus the yoghurts and supplements sold in shops but once again not all product sold online or in shops contain the amount of probiotics declared on label or are effective for all the cases, discover more.

study and fact related to probiotics courtesy of NSH.co.uk