The best way to judge the quality of the probiotic you are using is to observe how your digestive and colon health respond to it. If it feels good, then you know it's working! You will FEEL the positive effects of a good quality probiotic. Below are several other important points to consider when choosing a probiotic.


How, When and Why to Use Probiotic Supplements: A Quick Summary

A number of factors are responsible for the lack of friendly cultures in our intestinal tract. Beneficial microflora are reduced by excessive use of antibiotics, chlorinated water, food preservatives, junk foods and pollution in our environment. Seventy percent of the women in America and as high as forty percent of the men will suffer from yeast infections. Probiotics are almost always greatly lacking in the presence of a yeast infection and those who have sufficient quantities of beneficial microflora are not as susceptible to yeast infections. Studies at the VA Hospital of Minneapolis show that even amongst normal persons (with no obvious signs of poor health) there are virtually no probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract.

Health professionals recommend probiotic supplements for Candidiasis (yeast infection), digestive disorders (including diarrhea and constipation), gastritis, lactose intolerance, gas, heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome, (including colitis and Crohn’s disease) immune dysfunctions and as a follow up to antibiotic therapy. Under these conditions higher amounts of the probiotic supplements should be used.

Other important functions of a good quality probiotic

The bacterial strains used in a superior probiotic supplement should play an important role in:
• Colonization within the intestinal, respiratory and uro-genital tracts.
• Cholesterol metabolism
• Inhibiting the carcinogenesis, directly or indirectly, by stimulation of the immune system.
• The metabolism of lactose, the absorption of calcium and the synthesis of vitamins.
• Reduction of yeast and vaginal infection
• Constipation and diarrheal diseases
• Gastritis and ulcers
• Acne and skin problems


It is advisable to take a proven probiotic supplement daily even when we are in good health. I recommend a probiotic supplement containing L. acidophilus, bifidobacterium species and FOS with two to (ideally) ten billion live cells (as is found in Probioplus). They can be used just before breakfast or between meals for maintenance. Remember, if the probiotic supplements are not refrigerated and viable, they will quickly lose their health benefits. Also, if these supplements are not taken in sufficient quantities in order to produce results.

Remember that although probiotics play a key role in good health, they are not intended to be substitute for a good healthy diet and active lifestyle. All these things work best together and the synergism of one helps the other! Use of probiotics or any other supplements for therapeutic reasons should be taken with the advice of a health professional who has knowledge and expertise in probiotics and other supplements.


UAS Probioplus is the probiotic of choice for the Whole Approach therapeutic product protocol and for good reason.

Probioplus contains over 20 billion active L. acidophilus, B. longum, B. bifidum and B. infantis cells (including the naturally occurring metabolic product produced by Lactobacillus & Bifidus) at the time of manufacture and guarantees the product to contain at least 10 billion cells up until the expiry date.UAS manufactures the DDS Plus and Probioplus at about twice the guaranteed potency to factor in the following: shipping, storage, shelf life, heat and time out of refrigeration so that you can be sure to have at least half the viable bacteria by the time of expiry. The added precaution of using nitrogen flushed glass bottles for storage ensure as stable a storage environment as possible. As a result of it's quality packaging, the DDS products can be heat stable up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit for a period of time though of course we recommend refrigeration of this product for optimum potency.


How to determine the Quality of your Probiotic

All probiotic products are not alike and do not have similar nutritional and therapeutic values. The name probiotic does not mean anything unless it contains the right strain, in the right amount, in the right formulation and in the right condition (viable) for the intended use.

For this reason, one needs to know the strain, its viability, implantation criteria, and other features and health benefits. Here are a few questions (and the desired answers) to get you started as you research your best choice in probiotic supplementation.

Have the strains in your probiotic been clinically tested for their protective effect against intestinal pathogens?

Lactic acid bacteria have a long history of safe use in dairy products. However, some probiotic supplements now contain bacteria, which have no record of safe use in humans or even animals.

Any new bacterial culture that has no history of prior safe use in humans should be subject to toxicological studies prior to incorporation in any probiotic supplements. We want to know that the culture is benefiting, not harming the host.

Can your probiotic survive the journey through the stomach acid?

Not all strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus and other probiotics are acid-resistant. Selecting acid-resistant strains of L. acidophilus and other probiotics is the key to the success of the probiotic supplement. It is important to remember that enteric coating of bacteria is a poor and unproven substitute for actual acid resistance. Stay away from enteric-coated cultures for a few reasons. One is that no studies show that they work. In nature these cultures are not enteric coated. The process of coating these live cultures with a protective layer may in fact kill them or reduce their viability. If these cultures are supposed to get into the intestinal tract on their own and be acid resilient, the whole process of enteric coating is suspect.

Once your probiotic arrives in your intestinal tract, do you know if it can actually reproduce?

If the product you are using is not clinically proven to reproduce in the human intestinal tract, you may only be receiving breif, transient benefits from it's use. UAS DDS1 products both survive the stomach acid AND repopulate the intestines once they arrive there.

In order for this to happen, the probiotic culture must be able to adhere to the intestinal walls. And, if the product is to provide the full intended support, it will produce natural antibiotics, lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide and inhibit pathogenic bacteria. The following is a list of many pathogenic bacteria which require regular control by beneficial bacteria. Without the antagonistic protection of the "friendly" bacteria against these pathogens, the pathogens can easily overwhelm and therefore imbalance the intestinal ecology.

Bacillus subtilis Serratia marcescens
Bacillus cereus Proteus vulgaris
Bacillus stearothermophilus
Escherechia coli
Streptococcus faecalis
Salmonella typhosa
Salmonella Schottmuelleri
Streptococcus faecalis var liquifaciens
Shigella dysenteriae
Streptococcus lactis
Shigella paradysenteriae
Lactobacillus lactis Psuedomonas fluorescens
Lactobacillus casei Psuedomonas aeruginosa
Lactobacillus plantarum
Staphylococcus aureus
Lactobacillus leichmannii
Vibrio comma
Klebsiella pneumoniae Sarcina lutea
Source: US Patent #3,689,640 In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of DDS-1 lactobacillus Acidophilus

Have the bacterial strains in your probiotic been carefully selected for safety, effectiveness and mutual compatibility?

Some probiotic supplements now contain several different cultures; many of these bacterial cultures have no safe-use history in human health and nutrition. These bacterial may be antagonistic to each other and may alter the gut flora in an undesirable way. So it should not be believed that if one bacterium is good, numerous cultures combined together are even better. To the contrary, only a few select cultures have been proven beneficial and almost all the others are yet to be proven. Also, sometimes when too many bacteria are combined in a formula or when they are combined without proper manufacturing precautions (i.e. growing, freeze drying the strains separately and insuring they remain inert in the capsule/jar), the bacteria which are most powerful for human health, can be overwhelmed by some of the strains that have questionable usefulness for human health.

L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium species are normal inhabitants of the human gastrointestinal tract and are classified as safe supplement ingredients by the US Food and Drug administration. Probiotic formulations containing these beneficial bacteria along with probiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are considered safe, potent and offer many health benefits described earlier.

What manufacturing methods were used in the production of your probiotic?

The manufacturing process used to produce microorganisms for use in probiotic supplements plays an important role in the viability of the culture. The medium, the temperature and other associated factors influence the viability and identity of the microorganisms. A highly controlled, scientifically proven process must be used to insure consistent probiotic viability.

It is also crucial to make sure that the probiotic culture has not itself been contaminated with harmful bacteria during manufacturing process and packaging. Only purchase your product from a manufacturer that has a strong history of providing proven safe cultures. This is to protect both your health and your financial investment in your health.

Viability

The viability of probiotics is not only strain-dependent but is also influenced strongly by their physiological and chemical environment. For example probiotics in liquids including milk and yogurt do not normally survive longer than a few weeks nor are they in high enough populations to ensure a therapeutic effect. For folks with sensitivity to dairy, using yogurt for intestinal health will result in more harm than good.

Guarantee/Assay

In order to know more about the keeping qualities of a probiotic product, it is important to know that the supplement is tested for viable microorganisms at the time of manufacturing and at the expiration date. This quality control procedure is important to the manufacturer as well as the consumer.

The viable cells are guaranteed as CFU (colony forming units) per gram at the time of probiotic supplement packaging. If the supplement does not list viable cells or does not list the amount in CFU form, it is not valid. Consumption of probiotic supplements with two to five billion CFU per day is necessary to have any chance of offering significant beneficial effects.

Storage, Handling, Shipping

Refrigerated storage of probiotic supplements (40 degrees F) is recommended to maintain the viability of the microorganisms. This means even before the bottle is opened! Just like with yogurt, cheese and other refrigerated cultures, probiotic supplements, if not kept refrigerated, may spoil and lose potency rapidly.

Probiotic supplements should be shipped in insulated containers via airfreight to avoid exposure to heat. Viability will not decline with short exposure to heat during shipping. Some companies package probiotic supplements in nitrogen-flushed bottles to maintain viability of the microorganisms during shipping and handling. It is certainly a good idea for these supplements to contain higher potency (higher CFU) than guaranteed on the label. This ensures that at a minimum, you get what you paid for.

Glass Bottle vs. Plastic Bottle

The packaging of sensitive probiotic products is crucial to their continued potency. Probiotics are “anaerobic” organisms, meaning they live in the absence of oxygen. Therefore, exposure of probiotics to oxygen decreases the stability of probiotic bacteria. For this reason, eliminating oxygen from and injecting nitrogen into the storage bottles can enhance the stability of the probiotics. This makes glass a preferred container over plastic, which is somewhat porous. Probiotics packaged in plastic bottles can lose potency during prolonged storage.

Prebiotic/Probiotic Combination

Probiotics combined with probiotics like FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) offer better opportunities for the probiotic strains to grow. The prebiotics selectively feed probiotics so that they can multiply more efficiently in the gastrointestinal tract. They are like “bag lunch” for the acidophilus and bifidus, in that they are food that they “bring with them” to make sure they have appropriate food when they arrive so that they can do their “work”.

Capsule, Tablet, Powder or Liquid?

Capsules are a preferred form of supplementation over powder. Some individuals find it difficult to measure exact dosages with the powder. In addition, each time the powder bottle is opened, the contents are exposed to atmospheric contamination. The powder is oxidized, and is exposed to humidity as well as to some potential contaminants. The spoon used to measure the powder may also add to the contamination if it is not sterile, as well as adding moisture to the powder. For these reasons, deterioration of powder tends to be more rapid when compared to capsules and tablets. However, there is versatility with powder when using with mixes for children or even for esoteric Candida treatments (beyond the normal oral routes).

• Capsules add another layer of insulation against the potential for contamination, moisture and oxygen related damage, etc. And consumers and health professionals alike prefer capsules due to the convenience and viability.

Probioplus DDS Acidophilus
DDS Plus Acidophilus

References:

1. Donahue, D.C. et al Safety of Probiotic Bacteria, Lactic Acid Bacteria. 1998, p 369-383
2. Fuller, Roy. History and Development of Probiotics. Probiotics – The Scientific Basis 1992, p 1-8
3. Dash, S. K. How to Select an Acidophilus Supplement. The Garden Within 1989, p 12-18
4. Havenaar, R. et al. Selection of Strains for Probiotic Use. Probiotics – The Scientific Basis. 1992, p 210-224

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