In this blog:
We go through some of the most common myths about probiotics to get to the bottom of whats fact and whats fiction.
[3-4 Min Read]
Myth #1: Probiotics Dont Have an Impact on Health
FALSE: There are many tall tales and online outlets talking about how probiotics are useless and how people dont need probiotics. This is not true.
Probiotics are the microbiome of good bacteria in the bodys gut. Its proven that people need good bacteria as well as bad bacteria to function normally. Sometimes, due to stress, changes in the diet, or changes in the environment, the natural supply of good bacteria dwindles, and health problems begin to arise. This is where probiotic supplements come in. Probiotics deliver the good bacteria back to the gut and rebalance the gut microbiome.
Myth #2: The Average Person Doesnt Need Probiotics
FALSE: There are many mundane things that people do without thinking that can have a big impact on their guts biome. Even something as simple as eating fast food too often or stressing about something a bit too much can cause a person to have an irritated stomach or an imbalanced gut microbiome.
Taking probiotics can counteract the effect these daily stress events have on stomachs and ensure people live a healthy life with an efficient digestive system.
Myth #3: Fermented Foods Provide Enough Probiotics
FALSE: While it is true that fermented foods are high in naturally occurring probiotics, they are far from a perfect solution. People have very specific probiotic needs and while fermented foods can provide some of the probiotics needed to keep a healthy gut, they are lacking in people-specific probiotic solutions. For example, yogurt has many good bacteria that are not meant for people and do not stay in the gut.
This means that the probiotics found in yogurt may not be effective for some people. There are also concerns about how long the food and beverages have been on the shelf and if the probiotics in them would have any efficiency. Probiotic supplements are designed with the bodys gut in mind and are meant to last so they provide benefits when taken regularly.
Myth #4: All Probiotics are the Same
FALSE: Just because a probiotic brand is popular or common does not mean that the probiotic brand is the one for you. Your gut microbiome and health needs are unique to you and while it may seem like any probiotic can do the job you need, what you should really be looking for is a probiotic specifically tailored to your needs.
Probiotic supplements are made up of a bunch of different strains that each do different things. Scientists have studied each strain and how they interact with the human body to determine what strains are good for which problem.
Always check with your health care professional if you have specific health goals in mind.
Myth #5: Taking Prebiotics are Enough to Support Gut Health
FALSE: Probiotics are a great step to getting and keeping guts happy and healthy. However, probiotics only affect the bacteria in the body.
While that good bacteria in the gut can impact many different aspects of a persons personal health, there are plenty of other components of the gut that also need to be supported for complete gut health.
For example, dietary fibers are an important part of keeping a healthy gut, but dietary fiber rich food like leafy greens, whole grains, and sweet potatoes are sorely missing in many peoples diets. Keeping a healthy diet is just as important as taking probiotics.
Myth #6: I Only Need Probiotics if Im Taking Antibiotics
FALSE: While you should always be taking probiotics when taking antibiotics, that is not the only time probiotics are necessary. Antibiotics kill the bacteria in our body when we are sick or have an infection.
The antibiotics do not usually determine what is a good bacteria or bad bacteria, they just get rid of them. This can lead to a deficiency in good bacteria and a need to replenish with probiotics. Therefore, people think that you only need probiotics with antibiotics. There are more uses for probiotics than just to replenish what antibiotics take away. Probiotics should be used whenever gut related issues occur.
Myth #7: Probiotics Give Me Digestive Discomfort
FALSE: Digestive discomfort can come from a number of things whether it be the food you eat, the stress in your life, or something completely different. All probiotics do is add good bacteria back into your gut biome to try and bring it back into equilibrium.
Any discomfort felt when taking probiotics can be from the additives that are in the probiotic or if the probiotic is fighting any bad bacteria that is harmful to you. But the act of taking the probiotic itself should not give digestive discomfort.
Myth #8: All Good Probiotics Need to be Refrigerated
FALSE: Needing refrigeration is not a sign of quality for probiotics. While refrigeration is required for some probiotics, some do not need to be kept refrigerated. However, if you still keep them refrigerated or frozen, you can actually preserve the probiotics, so they stay potent for longer. Probiotics have a relatively short lifespan; therefore, once they have become active and begin moving through their lifespan, they are more likely to die off sooner rather than later.
While refrigeration helps keep probiotics in suspension so they can last longer, if the packaging does not specify refrigeration, it is not necessary.
Myth #9: Probiotics with Higher CFU Counts are Better
FALSE: CFU stands for Colony Forming Units and is the standard measure for how many bacteria are in a probiotic. Simply put, a higher CFU count does not always mean that the probiotic is more effective than another. Instead, it means that it works in a different way.
Because there are so many different strains of bacteria in a probiotic and many different applications for those strains, a high CFU should not be the only factor when choosing what probiotic to take. There is additionally the issue of the survivability of the probiotic.
While it is good to have a high CFU, that number means nothing if none of the bacteria survives the trip to the gut biome. So, having a research-backed probiotic that is proven to be effective is what people should be looking for.
Myth #10: If I Take Probiotics for Too Long, Do They Lose Effect?
FALSE: Probiotics are the good bacteria that a body needs to function properly. Because of the benefits that probiotics can bring, it is difficult to say that the body will become used to good bacteria without also mentioning that the probiotic is doing its job.
Further research is needed, but initial studies indicate that every gut biome is different. Absorbing prebiotics and probiotics can vary widely from individual to individual. The good news is that any excess probiotics will be safely passed through your digestive system without any negative reaction.
Myth #11: Probiotics can Replace Medications
FALSE: Probiotics are not intended to replace any medication and have been shown to be effective in conjunction with medications. This is because of the good bacteria that is found in probiotics and the health benefits that they can have. However, always consult a medical professional when dealing with questions about medications.
Sources:
Nierenberg, Cari. “Don't Be Fooled: 5 Probiotics Myths.” LiveScience, Purch, 27 Oct. 2016, https://www.livescience.com/56611-probiotics-myths.html.
“Top 10 Myths about Probiotics.” OMNiBiOTiC, 17 Sept. 2021, https://www.omnibioticlife.com/top-10-myths-about-probiotics/.