Did you ever wonder, “Do I need a probiotic”?

Probiotics have long been touted as a natural way to maintain digestive health (also known as healthy gut), regulate digestion & absorption, produce a healthy colon, and create an overall state of bodily well-being.

First, let’s briefly discuss what probiotics are.

Probiotics are microorganisms — good bacteria or yeast — that help aid in the digestive process. It helps maintain the balance in our GI tract and it reduces the growth of harmful bacteria.

According to the American Gastroenterological Association, probiotics are generally safe, but since they are a supplement, probiotics are not FDA regulated.

In addition to the benefits listed earlier, one of the strongest reasons that support the use of probiotics is its aid in relieving infectious diarrhea or diarrhea associated with the use of anti-biotics.

Recent studies by the Journal of the American Medical Association, illustrate that probiotics have in fact reduced the risk of diarrhea associated with anti-biotic use by nearly 45%.

According to The Harvard Medical School, probiotic therapy may also help people with Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Probiotics also help keep your internal plumbing ‘clean’, and clean plumbing means better efficiency. When you’re bowels and gut are clean, you’re entire body works better including your immune system and your ability to fight off infections.

Another benefit to probiotics include overall dietary health such as less bloating or gas, better breakdown of foods, especially carbs and fat, better absorption of healthy nutrients, and relief of constipation.

So what do you look for if you want to start taking probiotics?

When choosing a probiotic, there’s a few helpful hints to follow:

· Read the label. Find out which strains are being used and look for expiration dates. Common good bacteria include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei, and Saccharomyces boulardii (yeast). Also,

· Ask if you have questions. If you are taking probiotics for a specific concern, call the manufacturer, your doctor or pharmacist to make sure the good bacteria in the product will be helpful for your condition.

· Look at the storage information. Probiotics are living microorganisms, and some may need to be stored in the refrigerator. So follow storage directions carefully to get the best shelf live on your probiotics.

· Do your homework. There are several brands of probiotics on the market today. Probiotics can be purchased online, in supermarkets, pharmacies, and health food stores. If additional herbs are in the probiotic, research them to see if there may be some mild side effects.

Some of the best probiotics available today have been evaluated and assessed by top consumer product review website, www.BuyerReview.com. So if you’re wondering about taking a probiotic this is a great resource tool to compare products.

To see the #1 probiotic, as rated by BuyerReview.com, as well as the winner of the ‘Editor’s Choice’ and ‘Best In Class’ awards, click here now!

To review the entire ‘Top Ten’ list of probiotics, click here now!

Keep in mind, the health benefits of probiotics are strain-specific, so you may want to consult a practitioner familiar with probiotics to discuss your options or your primary health care provider.

This is a guest post.