spore based probiotics vs. regular probiotics
Oh yes I am digging deeper into the world of probiotics!
What makes spore-biotics different from conventional probiotics, and which is more effective? What are the relative benefits and challenges of each form of supplemental probiotics?
You may have noticed that there is a lot of buzz about probiotics these days. Health food stores have entire shelves and refrigerated sections dedicated to these happy little bugs, and more food products boast of their probiotic content. Kombucha has all but exploded in the past decade, and yogurt made of cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, and the various alternative “milks” (coconut, almond, hemp, etc.) is ubiquitous. People post videos about making their own sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, and kimchi, all in pursuit of these beneficial bacteria.
Why do probiotics matter
My article from April 30th goes into much greater depth about the benefits of probiotics – research has linked gut flora to many different body systems: genitourinary, skin (integumentary), cardiovascular, neurological, and of course, gastrointestinal. Changes in gut bacteria have been studied to affect conditions like diabetes, cancer, anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. This explosion in research has led to the probiotic craze we see in health-food stores. My previous article dives into the supplement and food forms of these good bugs, but what about the many different forms of supplements?
Are spore probiotics better?
Is there a difference between types of probiotics
You may have noticed that a lot of the available probiotics require refrigeration. This is because bacteria are living organisms that may be destroyed by heat. Remember that there are hundreds of strains of probiotics – some can be freeze-dried and made to be shelf-stable, some do not survive this process, others are dormant in a “spore form,” and still others cannot be commercially grown and encapsulated at all. This is where variety is helpful, and also, getting good bugs from fermented and organically grown foods is a good idea. The main criticism of refrigerated probiotics is that the stomach is at or above body temperature. Between 99 and 100 degrees F. When we are eating, and stomach acid is produced, the stomach becomes hundreds of times more acidic, which is why many probiotics are labeled to be taken away from food. Given the above information, you may be asking yourself: do refrigerated probiotics have any benefit? Generally speaking, yes, with some caveats. Make sure you are storing the probiotic properly – if it says to keep refrigerated, then do so right away and try not to leave the supplement sitting out for any period of time. Make sure to pay attention to the “use by” date because the organisms may have significant die-off after that point. Finally, look at the number of bugs in your supplements. Probiotics may range from 1 billion CFU (colony-forming units) up to about 50 billion CFUs. The more good bugs you start with, the more are likely to survive to reach the colon. Some are expected to die in the stomach but taking these supplements away from food will generally mitigate this. Finally, some promising research shows that even if 100% of the beneficial bacteria were to die in transit (which is unlikely), the by-products reaching the large intestine could still positively affect health.
What is the deal with spore-biotics
Spore-form probiotics are typically Bacillus species bacteria that have a dormancy period where they are spores. The analogy I use with patients is that spore-biotics are like eating a seed instead of eating the plant. Spores survive the heat and acidity of the stomach and “sprout” or start producing active bacterial colonies once they reach the hospitable environment in the large intestine. Our colon is where probiotics are meant to live anyway. Scientific research has generally shown that the greatest benefit to spore-form probiotics is their superior ability to survive gut transit and effectively colonize the large intestine. For this reason, many spore-biotics only contain 1-5 billion CFUs as opposed to 25-50 billion CFUs in refrigerated probiotics.
A refrigerated probiotic still needs to be evaluated based on number and variety of organisms, additives and the reputation of the company. It can also be harder to remember to take these probiotics as they are out of sight. For those of you like me who pre-package your vitamins for the week, you have to remember to take these separately and they are much harder to travel with. As with any supplement, make sure the company is following strict manufacturing guidelines to check for quality, potency and contamination. A bonus to look for is companies who support independent research investigating the effectiveness and survival rates of consumed probiotics.
Both refrigerated and spore-form probiotics can be beneficial for health. Only certain bacterial species can be made into a spore-biotic, so it is a good conversation to have with your natural healthcare provider about the specific health goals you are trying to address with probiotics. And one of my favorite reminders to my patients is that supplements are supplemental to other positive choices and lifestyle changes. You cannot supplement your way out of a bad lifestyle, but supplements can be part of the solution to achieving great health. Don’t forget about getting good bugs from fresh fruits and vegetables, fermented foods, and eating a high-fiber diet to support diversity in gut flora.
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