Probiotics that Actually Work!
by Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum
Although more and more research is showing that healthy, digestion supporting, milk bacteria can be very helpful, getting the right type of Probiotic is critical. Take the wrong type, and you'll just be eating dead bacteria that do you no good at all. Unfortunately, I suspect that this description fits most of the Probiotics/bacteria supplements on the market - and there are many of them!
What happens when unhealthy bacteria get a foothold?
Unhealthy bacteria overgrowing in our bowels can cause a host of problems. These can go well beyond digestive problems such as indigestion, gas, bloating, constipation, spastic colon, and diarrhea. In addition, these bowel infections can make toxins and cause a leaky gut, contributing to chronic fatigue, chronic pain, brain fog, and food allergies. Because of this, more and more research is showing how helpful it is to keep an ample supply of healthy "good guy" bacteria in our guts.
You want healthy bacteria living in your gut so that unhealthy bacteria can't get a foot hold. Healthy bacteria live in what is called a "symbiotic relationship" with us - meaning it is beneficial for both sides. We feed them and give them a warm place to live. In exchange, they actually supply us with helpful nutrients and assist in food digestion. Most importantly, however, they act as one of our major defense armies, protecting our bowel borders against any hostile bacteria in our environment. To do this, they have to be healthy and strong when you take the Probiotic supplement, and be able to get through your stomach acid alive so they can defend the borders in your intestines.
Unless Probiotics are either refrigerated or have a special protective "Pearl" coating, they often will not even survive the trip from the factory to your home. Add this to research showing that 99.9% of bacteria will not survive a trip through your stomach acid, and it suggests that taking most Probiotics are a waste of time.
So, where can I find Probiotics that work?
At this point, I recommend sticking with Probiotics that have a special "Pearl" coating. This coating acts like an "armored tank" that feeds and protects your "healthy bacteria soldiers" during their travels after production and while passing through the acids in your stomach. The Pearl then dissolves and releases them safely after they reach your intestines - which is where they do their work. Because of the "Pearl" coating, no refrigeration is needed.
I recommend using either Probiotic Pearls by Integrative Therapeutics or Acidophilus Pearls by Enzymatic Therapy, which get well over a billion live healthy bacteria per pearl (its closer to 2.4 billion, though the label only claims 1 billion) to the colon where they are needed. To get the same amount of healthy bacteria in 1 pearl to your colon, you'd need to eat around 3 gallons of yogurt! For general maintenance, 1 pearl a day is plenty. For those with active bowel problems, I recommend 2 pearls twice a day for 3-5 months, and then 1 a day for maintenance.
