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Remember when an apple a day was all it took to keep the doctor away? While in the past we may have been able to ward off colds and flus by eating our fair share of fruits and vegetables, today that’s not enough. We know it’s important to keep our bodies strong and our immune system in top shape, however much of the nutrition is removed from our food by the time we eat it. This means we need something to supplement our diet and keep us healthy. More and more research is pointing to probiotics (friendly bacteria) as the answer.

So what are probiotics, why are they good for us and how do we choose the right kind? Probiotics are friendly bacteria and they’re so tiny that we need billions in a single dose to be effective. They keep our immune system strong and adding them to our daily routine is easy. Most of us don’t have enough good bacteria in our body, making us more susceptible to flus, colds and viruses. To add insult to injury, a run of antibiotics lessens the good bacteria even further. We’re reading more and more articles about the benefit of including probiotics in our diet. There’s definitely a trend to probiotic supplements as well as adding probiotics to all sorts of foods, not just yogurt.

But, not all probiotics are created equal, and it can seem very confusing. Their effectiveness can vary depending on the bacterial strains they contain, the way they are made and quality control in production. That’s why Bio-K+ probiotics are becoming the brand to rely on.

A Series of Questions and Answers from Isabèle Chevalier on Probiotics:

So what are Probiotics?

They are the good bacteria that crowd out the bad bacteria when our intestinal system is weakened by antibiotics, stress, poor nutrition or any other negative factor. They help improve our digestion and elimination and keep our system balanced making us less susceptible to viruses. Our body has 100,000 billion bacteria just in our gut, and we need more good bacteria than bad to be healthy, that’s why the CFU’s (colony forming units) for an effective probiotic are in the billions such as is the case with Bio-K+; we have them from 12.5 billion up to 50 billion in our probiotics.

What is the daily suggested amount of probiotics that I need as an adult?

The daily suggested consumption depends on your objectives. If you wish to maintain a healthy digestive system 1 regular capsule or ¼ to ½ bottle of fresh Bio-K+ is recommended. If you wish to strengthen your immune system, we recommend 1 strong capsule of 25 billion or ½ to 1 bottle of fresh Bio-K+ (50 billion). If, however, you wish to protect yourself against viruses, we recommend 1 to 2 capsules of extra strength capsules of 50 billion or 1 to 2 bottles fresh Bio-K+.

How do I select an effective probiotic?

As you know, probiotics are living microorganisms and must remain so to be effective, so quality control is critical. Also, you need to choose probiotics with recognizable strains, and you need to verify if the brand has clinical trials to prove its effectiveness. You also need to make sure that the clinical trials have been conducted on the finished product as it is sold in stores and not just on the individual strains in the particular probiotic formulation. Finally, make sure that the bacteria count is guaranteed at the expiry date of the product and not just at the production date.

Why is the enteric coating so important on the capsules?

Bacteria are proven to survive gastric acid and the bile salts of the stomach when the capsules have an enteric coating. If not enteric coated, the capsule and bacteria are destroyed in the stomach by the gastric acid and bile salts and they cannot be effective in the intestine.

Why is it important to verify the strains used in a probiotic?

The effect and efficacy of probiotics can vary depending on the bacterial strains they contain. Experts agree that the proprieties and performances of a probiotic product are specific to the strain of bacteria. Not all probiotic strains are alike. For example, in Bio-K+, the strains are L. acidophilus CL1285 and L. Casei LBC80R and this combination has been proven to be effective in published clinical trials available on the Bio-K+ website and Pubmed.

Are Bio-K+ probiotics for people with lactose allergies?

It is safe to use the soy and rice based Bio-K+ products for those who are allergic to lactose since they don’t contain any lactose product. Casein is a protein found in milk that a small segment of the population is allergic to. It should not be confused with L. casei, the special bacterial strain found in Bio-K+®. L. casei is one of the two active beneficial bacteria found in Bio-K+.

Do I get enough probiotics in my yogurt?

Since you have 100 000 billion bacteria in your intestine and you need more good than bad bacteria to be healthy, it becomes obvious that the concentration of friendly bacteria (billions per dose) is crucial to deliver a positive impact. Bio-K+ products do not contain any yogurt cultures. It only contains a 100% patented probiotic formula containing Lactobacillus acidophilus CL1285 and Lactobacillus casei LCB80R. The World Health Organization has compiled a strict list of bacteria that are considered to be probiotics and the bacteria contained in yogurt are not on this list.



Our Thoughts: Marsha and I had the opportunity to try out the Organic Rice
Fermented Probiotic, Soy Fermented Probiotic , and Extra Strength Probiotic Capsules .

We opted for these particular products since we're both lactose intolerant. I had read somewhere that taking probiotics will help lessen the severity of lactose problems. I'll admit that the idea of drinking "live microorganisms" made me feel a bit squeamish, but that passed after I first tried out the Soy Fermented Probiotic. I had never felt or looked healthier. I noticed a major difference in my skin, because it had a healthy glow. Also, the Soy Fermented Probiotic had a delightful taste. The Organic Rice Fermented Probiotic did not, and it did not agree with my stomach like the Soy Fermented Probiotic did. Marsha had never tried probiotics before and she really liked both products. We really didn't have much of an opinion of the capsules, though. I did get sick with a cold during my testing period, but my sickness didn't last long like it usually does. Perhaps, this could have easily been prevented if I had been taking probiotics much longer.

Bio-K+ is certified gluten-free and is offered in a range of fermented substrates such as dairy, soy and organic rice. It also has convenient supplements for individuals with Celiac Disease as well as those who follow a dairy-free, soy-free or sugar-free diet.

The product(s) in this review was provided to the reviewer for keeps and the purpose of writing a review. This in no way effects the quality of the review provided. No monetary exchange occurred in exchange for the writing of the review. The views expressed in this review are strictly that of the reviewer. All reviews provided here are the work of the reviewer and remain completely unbiased.

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