By now, you’ve probably heard that probiotics are good for you. But what does that actually mean—and what should you look for when choosing one?
The supplement market can be frustratingly opaque, full of buzzwords, confusing terminology, and sales gimmicks. It can feel like you need a medical degree to navigate it. You might be tempted to grab the first bottle you see, but not every supplement is equal regarding probiotics.
How do you know if you’re taking the right probiotic for your needs? Read on to find out.
What are Probiotics?
First, it’s essential to understand what probiotics are—and, maybe more importantly, what they are not. Marketers can make many claims about probiotics in sugary cereals or cleaning sprays, but the actual definition is relatively simple. When we talk about probiotics, we mean the live, beneficial microorganisms that live in and on our bodies and comprise our microbiome.
Each of us has a unique, diverse microbiome, made up of trillions of bacteria that facilitate innumerable bodily functions, from helping us digest food and support immune function to the health and appearance of our skin.
The health of our microbiome is important for our overall wellness and functioning—and key to stabilizing our microbiome is ensuring a balance of beneficial bacteria. One way to do that? Seek good bacteria in fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut and by taking a high-quality probiotic supplement.*
3 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Probiotic
When you’re looking for a probiotic supplement, the first question to ask is, what’s actually in the bottle?
You’ll want to find a probiotic from a manufacturer you can trust that values transparency, clarity, and integrity, so you know exactly what you’re getting and how it is intended to help.
With that in mind, we recommend checking out the following criteria when you’re choosing your next probiotic supplement.
1. Are CFUs Important?
If you’ve spent time looking at probiotic labels, you might have seen something called CFUs.
CFU stands for “colony forming units,” and it refers to the number of bacteria in the supplement that can divide and colonize your body.
You might think that a higher CFU = a better probiotic, but that’s not the case. A higher CFU doesn’t matter if the probiotics you’re consuming aren’t getting where they need to go—or if the strains you’re consuming aren’t suitable for your needs.
Instead of prioritizing CFUs, consider the specific strains that are best suited for your current needs.
2. Can the Probiotics Survive Long Enough to Work?
For probiotics to take up residence in your gut, they must survive the journey through your digestive system.
Up to 96% of probiotics in standard capsules, powders, and liquids die when exposed to stomach acids. At Hyperbiotics, we use a proprietary delivery method called BIO-tract® to protect the beneficial bacteria in our probiotics from the harsh environment of your digestive system. BIO-tract® shields the probiotics in a protective gel matrix and slowly releases them once inside the gastrointestinal tract for optimal delivery.*
This allows Hyperbiotics to provide 15X more survivability, leading to greater probiotic delivery to your gut—and greater potential health benefits to you.‡*
3. Does it Contain the Right Strains?
Just like you wouldn’t take aspirin to treat heartburn, when choosing a probiotic, you should look for one that targets your particular health needs.*
Different strains of bacteria do various things in your body; only some have been clinically verified to achieve specific results. (1) While most probiotic supplements on the market don’t bother with strain specificity, Hyperbiotics offers Precision Probiotics: targeted probiotic formulations for your unique demographic, life stage, and health needs.*
Rather than choosing a one-size-doesn’t-fit-all, generalized formula, our probiotics are customized for your needs, right now.*
Precision Probiotics for Every Body
Ready to find your perfect probiotic? Read on to learn more about each of our Precision Probiotic formulas, or take our 60-second probiotic quiz to find the right formula for your current needs.*
Daily Probiotic Support*
PRO-15: For Everyday Gut Health*
Our best-selling flagship formula, PRO-15 Probiotic for women and men, contains 15 targeted probiotic strains plus prebiotics to help support your overall gut health and immune system. This vegetarian and non-GMO multi-strain formula is perfect for everyday gut support. It is free of allergens, including dairy, gluten, yeast, soy, sugar, nuts, artificial flavors, artificial colors, and preservatives.*
PRO-15 Advanced Strength: For Superior Support*
PRO-15 Advanced Strength contains the same 15 targeted probiotic strains to support gut, digestive, and immune health, with the powerhouse addition of Kiwifruit powder. This superfruit ingredient supports colon health while helping probiotics colonize within your intestinal tract. Kiwifruit powder naturally includes prebiotics, polyphenols, a kiwi-unique enzyme called actinidin, and insoluble fiber. This triple-strength formula provides targeted support for bloating and gas. It helps keep you regular without overstimulation and supports normalized transit time for bowel movements.*
PRO-Kids: For Your Little One*
Support your little one’s gut and immune health with our PRO-Kids formula. PRO-Kids contains four targeted probiotic strains to help restore your child’s beneficial gut bacteria and comes in an easily-swallowed, tiny “pearl” for safe and effective delivery. PRO-Kids is sugar-free, with no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.*
PRE+PRO Advanced Strength: For Full Spectrum Support*
This advanced strength premium formula combines probiotics and prebiotics in one supercharged supplement. Each capsule contains 100mg of healthy prebiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and 60 billion CFUs for immune function and targeted gut support when battling occasional bloating and gas.*
Organic PREbiotic Powder: Fuel For Your Good Bacteria*
Are you confused about the difference between pre- and probiotics? Imagine prebiotics as the “fertilizer” in your probiotic garden. These unique fibers nourish healthy bacteria and enable colonization within your digestive tract, feeding your good bacteria for overall gut support.
Our organic Prebiotic Powder is a proprietary blend sourced from acacia, Jerusalem artichoke, and green banana. It is uniquely designed for the colonization of good gut bacteria while supporting immune function, healthy digestion, weight management, and metabolism.^*
Targeted Formulas For Your Unique Needs
Gut Health Support*
Hyperbiotics Pro Gut Integrity contains EpiCor®, a clinically-studied ingredient that aids in vitality and wellness, along with five targeted probiotic strains to support your immune system. (2)*
Immune System Support*
Hyperbiotics Immune Defense orange-flavored chewable probiotic contains two targeted probiotic strains clinically proven to help support your immune system and upper respiratory health. (3)*
Dental Health Support*
PRO-Dental mint-flavored chewable probiotic tablets are uniquely formulated with four targeted, science-backed probiotic strains, including S. salivarius BLIS K12™ and S. salivarius BLIS M18™, plus chelated zinc to help support oral, dental, and upper respiratory health. The probiotic strains in PRO-Dental work together to create a healthy oral environment without the buildup of sticky deposits and crowd out undesirable bacteria. Our activated charcoal toothpaste contains a targeted probiotic strain for oral health and whiter teeth for even more dental support.*
PRO-Women with D-Mannose + Cranberry: Flora Balance and Urinary Tract Health*
Designed specifically for women, our PRO-Women formulation supports women's immune, digestive, and urinary tract health. It can also help with regularity and weight management and support your overall flora balance.^*
With naturally occurring D-Mannose and cranberry extract, PRO-Women also supports normal urinary function daily.*
PRO-Moms: Support for Expectant and Nursing Moms*
PRO-Moms contains six targeted probiotic strains to help support digestion and regularity for expectant and nursing moms through pregnancy, birth, and beyond. PRO-Moms was mindfully formulated with targeted strains for healthful bacterial balance and to encourage a healthy start for their little ones.*
PRO-Men with Curcumin Phytosome: Prostate Health Support*
A must for prostate health support, PRO-Men is uniquely designed with six targeted probiotic strains to support men of all ages. Bioavailable curcumin phytosome provides additional localized care for men's immune, digestive, and urinary health and supports bones, joints, and cardiovascular health.*
Our PRO-Kids ENT is uniquely designed to support your child's inner ear, nose, and throat health, in addition to their immune system.*
Glucose Support: For Metabolic Health*
Our Glucose Support probiotic combines seven targeted probiotic strains with banaba leaf extract and vitamin D3 to help support digestive, metabolic and immune health. The probiotic strains and banaba leaf extract in this formula have been studied to support the maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels already within a normal range. (4,5)†*
With targeted strains of Bifidobacterium, PRO-Bifido works to provide comprehensive support to help keep you healthy as you age by supporting your immune function, bone and joint health, mental and emotional well-being, weight management, and colon and digestive health for the long haul.^*
Better Body: For Healthy Weight Management^*
Research has shown that a balanced gut microbiome is key to long-term weight management. (6) Our Better Body Probiotic gently and sustainably supports your health goals with six targeted probiotic strains for digestive and metabolic health. At the same time, white kidney bean extract plays a role in the caloric impact of starchy foods and supports healthy blood sugar levels, allowing you to curb energy spikes and crashes.^*
PRO-Mood with L-Theanine: Healthy Stress and Relaxation Support*
Designed to support a healthy mood and stress response, Hyperbiotics Gut-Brain Balance contains six targeted probiotic strains and Suntheanine® (L-theanine) to harness the power of the gut-brain axis to support concentration, memory, cognitive focus, learning performance, and mental clarity.*
PRO-Pets: Probiotics for Dogs & Cats*
Your furry friends are family, too. Hyperbiotics PRO-Pets contains six targeted probiotic strains to help support your dogs and cats digestive and immune health and comes in a tiny probiotic pearl with a natural pork flavor your pet won’t be able to resist.*
Summary
At Hyperbiotics, we are committed to helping you achieve optimal gut health. And when it comes to your microbiome, a “one size fits all” simply isn’t good enough.
That’s why we specialize in Precision Probiotics.
We design our supplements to meet you where you are, with a probiotic formulation for each family member at every stage of life. Whether you’re simply looking for additional gut and immune support to help you feel your best or addressing a targeted health need, we can help you find the Precision Probiotic formula that best fits your unique lifestyle.*
Still need help deciding which of our products is suitable for you? Take our quick Probiotic Finder Quiz. Then, check out our full line of Precision Probiotics at Hyperbiotics.com.*
References
- Int J Microbiol. 2020; 2020:8854119 [PMID: 32565816]
- BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017; 17:441 [PMID: 28870194]
- Eur J Nutr. 2020; 59(1):409-417 [PMID: 31734734]
- Phytother Res. 2012; 26(3):317-24 [PMID: 22095937]
- Med Sci Monit. 2017; 23:3044-3053 [PMID: 28638006]
- Prev Nutr Food Sci. 2020; 25(2):113-123 [PMID: 32676461]
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
‡BIO-tract® vs. instant release formulations under in vitro test conditions.
†Supports blood sugar levels already within a normal range.
^Provides weight management support as part of a healthy lifestyle with a reduced-calorie diet and regular exercise.