Natural Probiotics vs. Probiotic Supplements
Natural Probiotics Vs. Whole Foods
If you believe that probiotics are a tremendous way to keep your gut healthy, then I am sure you look to include probiotics into your daily or weekly diet. If this is what you do indeed envision, my next question to you would be then, “What is your idea of how to get those probiotics?”
I bet your initial response is from a pill or supplement. But is this the best way to take probiotics or is there a more “natural” approach to include probiotics? Are there things to consider before taking a probiotic pill?
I bet your initial response is from a pill or supplement. But is this the best way to take probiotics or is there a more “natural” approach to include probiotics? Are there things to consider before taking a probiotic pill?
I've seen lots of people benefit from taking probiotics, including myself, but I have stopped taking probiotics in supplement form altogether and only consume naturally fermented or natural probiotics as a way to keep my gut healthy. Why? After my own bit of research (which I highly encourage you to do as well), I have come to the conclusion that there may be potential issues associated with probiotic use which I'll describe below. It's not necessarily that they aren't effective; they can be in the right situation. I simply believe there are other, more desirable options. I've compiled a list of reasons why people might want to reconsider whether or not they should be taking probiotics? Here are my 8 reasons:
Reason #1: Probiotic supplements are pharmaceutical grade lab experiments
Many people don't realize it, but it's important to know that most of the proprietary strains of probiotics found in supplements are manufactured in a lab and don't come specifically from natural foods. What this means is that they are formulated to be patented and sold for a profit. Now, don't get me wrong, there is not anything wrong with that. I like to think that most companies do what's in the best interest of their consumers. But it's my take that there are more desirable, easier, and tastier ways to get your daily dose of probiotics.... from foods. I believe that in most instances, foods provide our bodies with a significant amount more amount of health benefits needed to prosper. Fortunately, you can't patent foods, and that means there are limited opportunities for profit for companies.
Reason #2: From a cost perspective, it can be quite expensive.
If you have bought a “high quality” probiotic, you'll find yourself spending well over $30-$40 bottle. (If you spend less than $10 bottle, in most instances the quality of the supplement is something significantly less than desired and would seriously consider replacing). When I used to recommend certain probiotic supplements, I found the best quality ones were sometimes well over $50. There has to be a better way to spend $50 a month, right? I believe by choosing to find alternative sources of good, natural probiotics through foods, you could save you and your family $400-$500 a year.
"There is a reason the pharmaceutical industry reinforces the idea that people need to take a probiotic pill every day... and it's not for the health reason they want you to believe." - Jared Toay
Reason #3: The thought of taking probiotic supplements to prevent a future illness from occurring may be completely ineffective and unnecessary.
When people have digestive issues or begin to understand the importance of taking probiotics, oftentimes they take a supplement to bring their body into balance. After a while, a difference is noted as that bacterial balance is shifted in favor of a healthy eco-gut system. What many people may not realize is that probiotics coming from a lab via a pill or softgel don't grow or prosper in our bodies... They essentially die out. So taking your daily dosage of probiotics are not creating a fertile land of good bacteria, but trying to ensure that the number of good bacteria outnumbers the bad. But as discussed in reason #1, while the bacterial are adapting and changing, your probiotic pills are not.
Wouldn't it be better to allow the bacteria to thrive and prosper on the own? Eating fermented foods and following that up by feeding your gut bacteria good foods to feed on (or prebiotics) are far more effective and cheaper than taking probiotic supplements.
Wouldn't it be better to allow the bacteria to thrive and prosper on the own? Eating fermented foods and following that up by feeding your gut bacteria good foods to feed on (or prebiotics) are far more effective and cheaper than taking probiotic supplements.
Reason #4: The quality of the probiotics in the supplement you take may not be all of what it seems.
Even though it may read that there are billions of probiotics in your pill, there will always be serious questions as to about how many actual live microorganisms are actually left in a probiotic capsule by the time you actually ingest it. From a physiological standpoint, probiotics cannot tolerate high temperatures, and if they haven't been constantly refrigerated, there is a good chance they have lost most of their live cultures.
The tendency is to keep the pills cool in order to prolong the shelf life of the probiotics, and in fact, companies often explicitly state in their marketing that you do or do not need to keep it refrigerated or that they are coated in such a way as to not need refrigeration. But for many brands, this is a moot point because many of them do not survive well in the gut and organisms may die off before taking effect in the digestive system, reducing possible negative effects.
The tendency is to keep the pills cool in order to prolong the shelf life of the probiotics, and in fact, companies often explicitly state in their marketing that you do or do not need to keep it refrigerated or that they are coated in such a way as to not need refrigeration. But for many brands, this is a moot point because many of them do not survive well in the gut and organisms may die off before taking effect in the digestive system, reducing possible negative effects.
Reason #5: Your body's bacteria is in a constant state of evolution.
You might recognize the strains of Lactobacillus and/or Bifidobacteria on the label and maybe a few others, but every pharmaceutical company or lab has a different formulation of different strains with different studies and their own reasons why their specific formulation is best. It's important to know not all strains of every type of patented formulas of probiotics interact in our own bodies, and more specifically with the gut in exactly the same way as another.
This is no more apparent than in the widespread use of antibiotics in humans and in our food sources. With the increased usage and availability of antibiotics, it is part of nature that causes that bacteria to learn how to adapt and becomes resistant to certain things. There is the old adage that nothing can stay the same forever and is generally thought of as the reason why there is not one antibiotic that can work for everything. Add to the fact that every body part, like armpits, stomach, intestines, toenails, ears all have vastly different niches for different strains of good or bad bacteria, and you can see there are many opportunities to create more antibiotics.
So what does this mean? In most instances, an initially supply of probiotics may help in the short term and resolve some digestive issues. But over the long term, they are living things, and living things are adaptable. This adaptability leads to the question of which specific strains of bacteria are most important or the realization that maybe these strains are not as important as once thought?
This is no more apparent than in the widespread use of antibiotics in humans and in our food sources. With the increased usage and availability of antibiotics, it is part of nature that causes that bacteria to learn how to adapt and becomes resistant to certain things. There is the old adage that nothing can stay the same forever and is generally thought of as the reason why there is not one antibiotic that can work for everything. Add to the fact that every body part, like armpits, stomach, intestines, toenails, ears all have vastly different niches for different strains of good or bad bacteria, and you can see there are many opportunities to create more antibiotics.
So what does this mean? In most instances, an initially supply of probiotics may help in the short term and resolve some digestive issues. But over the long term, they are living things, and living things are adaptable. This adaptability leads to the question of which specific strains of bacteria are most important or the realization that maybe these strains are not as important as once thought?
Reason #6: If you only take probiotic bill, you are missing the bigger picture.
There is more to getting into optimal digestive health than by eating a cup of Activa and hoping that you make regular trips to the bathroom. Look at most strains in most probiotic supplements. They have what, a dozen species? What about the other 99% of species? Even if you decided to take every probiotic supplement known to mankind, you'd probably only get about 50-60 different species. That is certainly great, but what about the other 95%?
In addition, most probiotic supplements are dairy-based or are derived from dairy. Again, that is great for digesting milk, but what about beyond that? Their benefits can be limiting.
In addition, most probiotic supplements are dairy-based or are derived from dairy. Again, that is great for digesting milk, but what about beyond that? Their benefits can be limiting.
Reason #7: Taking more pills is an inconvenience.
If you were to take several different probiotic supplements from several different vendors, you would find that each has their own probiotic dosages and quantities and ratios in their proprietary formula. Each bottle may have different suggestions as to when to take and how to take them, and how many to take as well. In general, most are recommended to be taken daily up to 30 minutes before you eat, several times a day. It is also recommended you take them for 30 days to determine if those supplement provide you with any noticeable changes. To me, this seems very cumbersome and time-consuming, having to create a separate schedule for taking probiotic pills separate from any other medicine you may be taking. If you have the time, then certainly this may work out for you. But if you are like most people I've worked with, simply including probiotic foods with meals you are already eating makes the most sense.
Reason #8: You can find more beneficial bacteria by simply opening up the refrigerator.
According to some sources, probiotic foods contain upwards of 100 times more good bacteria than an entire bottle of high potency probiotic supplement. Probiotic foods and drinks are not anything new. They have been around for hundreds of centuries. Fermented foods have been a part of nearly every traditional culture throughout the history of mankind, mostly in the form of cultured vegetables. It has only been in the last century and the widespread use of refrigeration have we, as a society, stopped using the traditional use of fermented foods.
This is ultimately the real reason why I don't take probiotic supplements. I have replaced probiotic supplements with fermented foods and probiotic drinks and a regimen of eating more soluble fiber. Because it worked so well with me and people who try this approach, this is a far healthier approach, that costs less, and is a much tastier way to maintain your gut health. So what can you do? Here are 3 things that you can begin doing today in order to improve your gut health:
This is ultimately the real reason why I don't take probiotic supplements. I have replaced probiotic supplements with fermented foods and probiotic drinks and a regimen of eating more soluble fiber. Because it worked so well with me and people who try this approach, this is a far healthier approach, that costs less, and is a much tastier way to maintain your gut health. So what can you do? Here are 3 things that you can begin doing today in order to improve your gut health:
- Scrutinize that probiotic supplement you are currently taking. How many strains of bacteria does it have? What is the count? Begin to compare to other supplements in the marketplace and determine if that is the best option for you.
- If you have been taking the same supplement for several months (possibly as prevention or from a cost perspective), and my reasons don't get you to consider making some changes, at least consider switching to another brand for variety.
- Eat more probiotic foods. Try to have at least 1 meal a day that does include a fermented food.
Whatever method you choose to improve your gut health, whether it's through fermented foods or taking probiotic supplements, it's important to know what works, what can work, and what doesn't work. It's important to remember that probiotics are living bacteria. And if you want to promote healthy living and be a healthy being, often times the best option is to consume natural probiotics via fermented foods rather than supplementing them with probiotic supplements.
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If you've enjoyed reading this, and you've made it this far, I'd love to have you share this with your circle of friends. Click any of the share buttons below to join the community of Gut Warriors and subscribe to my jam-packed newsletters.
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