Time for a gut check: Are you missing out on the healing benefits of probiotics? Find out why you should join the culture club.
Beneath that hard-won flat belly, your gut is teeming with trillions of bacteria that help you digest food as well as thwart intruders. You can give these "friendly" bacteria a boost by adding probiotics—the live microorganisms found in yogurt and other fermented foods—to your body.
"We're only at the cusp of understanding the potential of probiotics," says Gregor Reid, Ph.D., a microbiologist at the University of Western Ontario. In the near future, Reid theorizes, probiotics may be used in prescription drugs to treat a range of conditions, from acne to depression.
While probiotics are by no means a magic pill, many experts feel they're especially useful when your body's normal bacterial balance is interrupted—which can happen when you're stressed, ill, traveling, or taking antibiotics, says Lisa Ganjhu, D.O., a gastroenterologist at the Miller Practice at New York University Langone Medical Center.
It's easier than ever to get your fix these days: Not only is the yogurt industry exploding ($2.27 billion worth of yogurt and kefir, a fermented milk drink, were sold in the U.S. in 2012, according to the Specialty Food Association), but an increasing number of foods fortified with probiotics are being introduced as well. All sources are not equally effective, however. Use these guidelines to cut through the hype and find out the best probiotics for you.
Foods
"The best, most natural forms of probiotics are fermented foods," says Ganjhu. Fortified foods, such as probiotic-enhanced dough, may deliver less of a health infusion since the manufacturing process can kill off many of the healthy live cultures. Besides yogurt and kefir, some common foods made using fermentation include sauerkraut, kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage), and pickles.
The amount and kind of live cultures per bite vary, but words like raw,lacto-fermented, or unpasteurized on the packaging will indicate that the bacteria haven't been killed off in the manufacturing process, says Jenny Sansouci, a certified health coach with Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City. Yogurt with the "live active cultures" seal indicates that it has not been heated after the fermentation process and contains at least 100 million cultures per gram (or 10 million cultures per gram for frozen yogurt). Unless it contains one of the bacterial strains that have been studied, however, it still may not have proven probiotic benefits.
"It's great if you can eat some fermented foods every day, but two or three times a week is a good place to start," says Sansouci.
TRY:
DanActive ($3, at supermarkets) Some research suggests that it can help ease some types of gastrointestinal distress.
Lifeway Frozen Kefir ($6 for a pint, at supermarkets) Kefir can improve digestion and restore beneficial bacteria after a round of antibiotics.
Mama O's Premium Kimchi ($32 for two jars, including shipping,kimchirules.com) Lactobacilli, found in kimchi, can help prevent yeast infections.
Real Pickles Organic Sauerkraut ($6.49, at natural-food stores and realpickles.com) A study published in the British Journal of Nutritionfound that eating sauerkraut may help prevent cancer.
Supplements
If you aren't sure that you're getting enough probiotics from your diet, a daily supplement can be helpful, says Sansouci. (It's nearly impossible to OD on probiotics.)
Most probiotic supplements include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, two of the most well-studied strains. Products with more bacterial strains—sometimes called "mega probiotics"—aren't necessarily better, but some experts say it's a good idea to switch supplements every month or two.
Recommendations vary, but Sansouci says she has found supplements with at least 20 billion live organisms per dose to be the most effective in her practice.
You can choose among powders, pills, and liquid shots. Some are sold chilled and must be kept that way to maintain their effectiveness. But the success of a product has more to do with the specific microbes it contains than what form it takes.
TRY:
Align ($40 for 42 capsules, drugstore.com) It contains Bifantis, which helps maintain digestive balance.
Florastor ($46.50 for 50 capsules, drugstore.com) A study found it alleviates antibiotic-related diarrhea and may help aid the immune system, so it's smart to take when traveling, says Reid.
RepHresh Pro-B ($30 for 30 capsules, at drugstores) The only probiotic clinically shown to balance yeast and bacteria daily.
Dr. Frank Lipman's Be Well Probiotic Powder ($44 for 60 servings,bewellbydrfranklipman.com) Can be helpful for chronic indigestion and bloating. Add a teaspoon to your smoothie or mix with water.
Culturelle Digestive Health Probiotic Chewables ($25.29 for 24 chewable tablets, at drugstores) Has been shown to boost general digestive health.
Feed Your Face
The next frontier for probiotics? Your cosmetics bag.
Friendly bacteria are making the leap from yogurt to skin creams, gels, and makeup, thanks to research that shows probiotics hold promise for warding off acne and eczema and may even have anti-aging properties. By adhering to keratin, a protein in your skin, certain bacterial strains could help maintain and heal the outer layers to prevent dryness and combat inflammation, says Francesca Fusco, M.D., of Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Try Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream ($18, burtsbees.com) and Clinique Redness Solutions Makeup SPF 15 ($27,clinique.com).
