Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Why did I make this guide?! Because not all probiotics are not all created equal and many people just blindly take probiotics that could be doing more harm than good especially if you’re taking a low quality supplement and feeding bacteria that don’t need to be fed.
Quality matters! Strain matters!
What many people don’t understand is that probiotics do different things, so we want to be STRAIN SPECIFIC!
One of the most common questions I get is about probiotics, so I wanted to create this for you so you can be well informed and make the right choice for what you need!
I don’t recommend staying on probiotics for months on end, it is a good idea to rotate or cycle on and off, but as always recommend you work with a practitioner and address according to your bioindividual needs.
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https://us.fullscript.com/plans/fitmom-probiotic-guide
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Follow the dosing recommended on the bottle unless otherwise directed by a practitioner.
| Condition | Key Strain(s) | Recommended Product(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Health - Urinary/Vaginal Health, Mood, Immune and Gut | Lactobacillus acidophilus (DDS-1), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (Lpla33), | ||
| Lactobacillus reuteri (RC-14), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (GR-1), Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (BB-12) | Metagenics UltraFlora Women's Complete | Formulated for women as a complete 5 in 1 product to support gut, immune sytem, healthy vaginal microbiome and mood! | |
| Diarrhea / Upset Stomach | Saccharomyces boulardii | Florastor Kids, Seeking Health Sacc B (250 mg) | Helps with antibiotic-associated and traveler’s diarrhea. Safe for kids. |
| Headaches/Immune/Lipids | Bacillus subtilis HU58 | Microbiome Labs HU58 | Research shows it can support healthy blood ammonia levels, reduce stools from 7-8 times per day to 1-2 times per day, can also support lowering blood lipids, and 2 billion CFUs of Bacillus subtilis HU58 was shown to support immune. |
| IBS/Gut Inflammation/Pain/Abdominal Hypersensitivity | Lactobacillus plantarum 299v | Metagenics UltraFlora Intensive Care | Ideal for gut inflammation and autoimmune-related issues. |
| Upper Respiratory Health | Lactobacillus paracasei 8700:2 | Metagenics UltraFlora Immune Booster | Supports immunity against colds and coughs. |
| Immune Support (Adults) | Blend of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains | UltraFlora Synergy Powder | Excellent for general immune support during winter months. |
| Immune Support (Kids) | Blend of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains | MetaKids Probiotic | Immune support for children. Mix into drinks. |
| Mood / Gut-Brain Support | Lactobacillus reuteri and Bifidobacterium longum | Gut-Brain Symbiotic | Supports mood and gut-brain axis health. |
| Vaginal Health / UTIs / Yeast Infections | Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1, L. reuteri RC-14 | Metagenics UltraFlora Women’s | Reduces UTI recurrence and supports vaginal microbiome. Take with cranberry/d-mannose/uva ursi. |
| Skin Health | Lactobacillus reuteri | Codeage Skin Probiotc | Promotes healthy, clear skin. |
| Histamine Sensitivity | Histamine-degrading strains | Seeking Health ProBiota HistaminX | Helps manage histamine intolerance symptoms. |
| Constipation / Motility | Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 | Xymogen ProBioMax Daily DF, Protocol for Life Bifido Digest | Improves motility and reduces constipation. |
| Antibiotics (During Use) | S. boulardii + additional strains | Metagenics UltraFlora Restore, Seeking Health Saccharomyces boulardii, RestorFloraPD | Reduces antibiotic-related side effects. |
| Post-Antibiotics | Spore forming or soil based probiotics | Microbiome Labs MegaSporeBiotic, Biocidin ProFlora4R | Antibiotics can wipe out the good bacteria in your gut, leaving it vulnerable to other infections, like staph or C. diff, which can be even worse than what you started with. |
Spore-based probiotics help restore diversity in the gut and support recovery. They release natural compounds to fight off bad bacteria and help rebuild your gut’s defenses. Using them after antibiotics can make a big difference in keeping your gut healthy. | | Leaky Gut / Eczema | Lactobacillus Rhamnosus LGG | Ther-Biotic Leaky Gut (Factor 6), Ther-Biotic Factor 1 (Lactobacillus rhamnosus) | LGG has been shown to alleviate rotavirus diarrhea in children, prevent atopic dermatitis, protect against urinary tract infections, and improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. | | SIBO / Histamine-Safe | Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, L. salivarius | Biocidin ProFlora4R Restorative Probiotic Combination | Safe for SIBO and histamine sensitivity. | | Cramping / Bloating / Urgency | Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 | Metagenics Ultra Flora IB (not immune booster) | Lactobacillus acidophilus strain has been shown to aid in inhibition of growth and colonization of undesirable bacteria in the intestine. | | Microscopic Colitis | Lactobacillus acidophilus La5 and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 | TruBiotics, UltraFlora Women’s Complete | In a study looking at using probiotic strains Lactobacillus acidophilus La5 and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12- compared to baseline- there was a reduction in weekly bowel frequency and a reduction in number of days with liquid stools per week- from 6 to only 1. [16] |
Both prebiotics and probiotics are important for maintaining healthy gut bacteria, collectively referred to as the gut flora or gut microbiota. However, they have different roles.
Probiotics are live bacteria in certain foods or supplements that can provide numerous health benefits to the gut when consumed.
Meanwhile, prebiotics are high fiber foods that serve as “food” for probiotics, allowing them to function properly and effectively.