How and when is the best time to take probiotics?

What’s the best way to decide which probiotic is right for your overall gut health?

In a perfect world, we would all be able to pop a pill whenever we needed it and never suffer any consequences. However, we don’t live in a perfect world, and given the fact that there are so many different types of probiotics on the market today, it’s easy to see how this can cause confusion. They all specialize in different issues.

The truth is, knowing when the best time to take probiotics is just as important as knowing which type to take.

Some probiotic manufacturers recommend taking the supplement on an empty stomach. Others say taking probiotics in the morning is the best choice because you are better able to absorb the beneficial bacteria when you are fasting. Still, yet others advise taking it with food. Some even suggest the time of day may even play a part in when is the best time to take probiotics. Others even suggest before bed time is the best because this will give your body a chance to cleanse your system of toxins as you sleep.

Unfortunately, this is a question that does not have an exact answer, because every manufacturer’s probiotic is different.

Some manufacturers find that taking probiotics in the morning keeps their stomachs settled throughout the day, while others find that taking probiotics late at night is their best bet.

In general, it is a good idea to take probiotics at least 1 hour before a meal. This way, the probiotic will have enough time to reach your lower digestive tract and start working before your stomach is full of food and acid levels are low. Once you have found a time that works for you, try to stick with it long term. This will ensure that probiotics are helping you at all times of the day.

Why should I even take a probiotic?

There are many reasons to consider taking probiotics.

• First, they can help protect your body against the harmful bacteria in your digestive tract.
• Second, they can help you digest foods providing you with essential nutrition and vitamins.
• Third, they can help you prevent or treat diarrhea caused by antibiotics. Taking probiotics can help you feel better.
• Fourth, they can increase the number of good bacteria in your body (microbiome).

Not all probiotics are the same.

After our own in house testing here at Gold Medal Labs we believe that you get more benefit when taking our Active Probiotics in as low of an acidic environment as possible. We like to take them right after we wake up and right before we go to bed. A helpful place to keep your Active Probiotics is next to your toothbrush, so you can take one capsule when you brush your teeth in the morning and evening. At this time of the day we usually haven’t had anything to eat or drink in the preceding hours to cause any higher stomach acid levels which could cause bacteria viability issues. This will reduce the amount of time the probiotic capsule is exposed to your harsh stomach acid and bile. Even the probiotics that do come in contact with your stomach acids can benefit from moving through the stomach as quickly as possible by giving the capsule time to make it to the stomach before it releases the probiotics.

It is also important not to take a probiotic with any other supplements at the same time or you risk having a negative interaction.

Probiotics are an important part of a healthy digestive tract, so you should take them daily.

When you do take the probiotics our official recommendation is take the capsules 30 minutes before your meals with at least 10 fl oz (0.3 liters) of water. Optimally you should not eat or drink anything for at least an hour before taking your probiotics. This ensures your stomach acid levels are at there lowest and can help ensure that more bacteria survive and colonize your large and small intestine tract, where they can support your overall gut health and immunological system.*

What if I take probiotic with a meal?

Our Active Probiotics are protected by the Maktrek® Bi-pass system. They are coated by an extract of Brown Seaweed called Marine Polysaccharide and Fructooligosaccharide which provide food for the probiotics and provide a protective barrier against your stomach acids and bile fluids greatly increasing the survival rates of our probiotics. This protective layer allows more beneficial microorganism to survive the digestive process. Some other brands of probiotic supplements may not have this protective covering protecting the probiotic microorganisms from the harsh environment of your stomach. If you are not taking our Active Probiotics you’ll need to do your own research on what protection the brand of probiotics your taking has if any.

Is there a different time suggested for different strains of bacteria?

Yes, different strains have different optimal times to take the probiotics, but consistency is more important than when you take the probiotics.

How many probiotics will make it to my intestines?

Most research studies show that you need at least 100 million to 1 billion probiotic microorganisms to reach your intestine for you to experience any real benefits.

There is a life expectancy for probiotics, and they are guaranteed until the end of there shelf life, after that point there is no guarantee how many will still be alive.

When choosing a probiotic, make sure you purchase a quality product that guarantees at least 1 billion live cultures (CFUs) on its label and at least 90 day shelf life from the date of purchase if they come in capsule form. This 90 days is to give you enough time that you’ll be able to use your probiotic before the expiration date.

Always store your probiotics supplements according to the label instructions. Some probiotic strains can be kept at room temperature while others must be refrigerated. Active Probiotics can be stored at room temperature safely.

Why Take A Probiotic?

Most probiotic supplements are a dietary supplements that consist of beneficial bacteria that naturally occur in your large intestine and small intestine. There are some which are used for skin, mouth, and various other parts of the body.

Environmental factors such as stress, processed food, chemicals, pollution, and medications can all have a detrimental effect on your gut bacteria and number of good bacteria that live in your gut.

This is why you may need to supplement probiotic bacteria to maintain a healthy gut. If you’re diet is not full of fermented foods and drinks you probably would benefit from taking a probiotic.

Supplement your diet with a daily probiotic supplement to give your body the good bacteria it needs to stay healthy and fight off bad bacteria.

When it comes down to it, the best time to take probiotics is when you will remember to take them regularly.