A recent study has shown a direct relationship between bad bacterial growth in the gut and the ability to fall and remain asleep. This can lead to sleep problems that zap our energy during the day and create erratic sleep patterns. In short, the more good bacteria in our gut, the better our sleep!

When the bad bacteria in our gut start outnumbering the good, not only does it make it more difficult to digest food, but it can sometimes lead to embarrassing gut issues such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. A high-quality probiotic can help correct this imbalance, leading to a marked improvement of these symptoms.

If you ever wondered how people slide past the age of 100 so effortlessly, chances are it’s because of their healthy, youthful gut. In fact, recent studies show that participants over the age of 100 who are less physically frail and enjoy greater mental acuity had one thing in common: an abundance of healthy bacterial strains in their gut. So, the fountain of youth may just be located in our gut after all!

With over 70% of our immunity residing in our gut, it becomes important to support it in any way we can. Probiotic supplements replenish the gut with helpful bacteria to boost our immune system so it can respond to unanticipated attacks.

Many are surprised to learn that our gut has over 500 million neurons that send signals to the brain via the spinal cord. When our bad bacteria is out-of-control, the gut sends confusing signals, which can lead to occasional brain fog, stress, and even memory slips. The gut and brain are intricately linked, so it’s vitally important that the gut is as healthy as possible.

When our good bacteria is plentiful, they line up along the inside the walls of our gut to defend against invading bad bacteria, much as soldiers would when defending a fort. But when we have too few of these good ‘wall defenders,’ the bad bacteria jam their way through these thin walls where they can travel and throw off internal balance — definitely not a situation we'd want.

There are many different strains of probiotics and each one provides a different benefit. So it’s important to choose a supplement with a variety of “gut buddies.”

While most probiotics feature only one or two strains — we recommend looking for a formula with at least 9 unique strains to boost your overall health and wellbeing.

Colony Forming Units — or CFUs — is another important piece of the “probiotic puzzle.” It highlights the exact number of beneficial bacteria you’re getting in each dose. The bigger the number, the bigger the health benefits. Our research suggests the optimal number of CFUs is 45 billion and above.

Probiotics requiring refrigeration can be damaged or killed off during shipping. They may also be unable to survive the hot, acidic environment of our gut. Therefore, we suggest choosing a probiotic that is shelf-stable and does need to be stored in the refrigerator.