Field Guide to Probiotics: The What, When, Why & How

You want a wellness routine with guts, because you know that your gut health has a significant impact on your overall health. In addition to eating nutritious foods, exercising, and reducing stress, probiotic supplements are a key part of a strong regimen. Read on to learn more about the microbiome and the what, when, why, and how of probiotics.

Microbiome 101

Did you know: The average human body contains more than three pounds of around 500 species of bacteria, comprising approximately 100 trillion cells? This community of microorganisms is called the microbiome, and it’s found primarily in the gut. 

It’s also present in other parts of the body, including the mouth, lungs, vagina, and skin. In fact, microbial communities contribute to a wide range of functions, from digestion to nutrition, energy generation, maintenance of skin and mucosa barrier function, and much more.¹ 

When the gut microbiome is healthy and thriving, the microbiota have a symbiotic interaction with your body. In other words, the “good” bacteria—aka probiotics—are resilient and the “bad” bacteria are prevented from having negative impacts. A diverse set of microbes is essential for a healthy gut and overall well-being. 

The microbiome is affected by a range of factors such as exercise, diet, medications, and supplements. You can support your microbiome by exercising and eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and kombucha. But when food is not enough or you just want extra support, you can add in probiotic supplements that are specially formulated to support your gut health and beyond.* 

Keep reading to learn about new research that’s impacting our understanding of the microbiome and to discover powerful probiotic supplements that are available right now.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are living microbial organisms naturally found in the human body, in the microbiome. As alluded to, they have a beneficial effect on our health, and the largest concentration of these good bacteria is found in the gut.

There are two ways to get more probiotics: 1) Consume fermented foods like those mentioned above; fermentation promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria and 2) Take a high-quality probiotic supplement. 

Probiotic formulas contain select, beneficial microbes to add to the populations already living in your body. When probiotics are taken regularly as supplements, they can help ensure a healthy balance of good bacteria. Not all probiotics are alike, though. Different types of microbes function differently within your body; we share more about the various strains and specific supplements that can support your gut health and overall health below.

What About Prebiotics and Postbiotics?

Prebiotics and probiotics are different yet closely related to probiotics. 

Prebiotics are specialized plant fibers that act as a source of food for probiotics so the probiotics can flourish. These fibers are also involved in the formation of butyric acid, which helps strengthen your intestinal lining.‡ A strong lining allows beneficial vitamins and minerals to leave the gut and enter the bloodstream while keeping potentially harmful compounds out.*

Foods that contain prebiotics include chicory root, dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichokes, and burdock root. You likely don’t have these foods in your everyday diet. Luckily, supplements are here to help. If you’re curious about prebiotics and want a tasty way to give them a try, check out our collection of prebiotic recipes featuring our prebiotic powder.

Postbiotics are the waste left behind after your body digests both prebiotics and probiotics. Postbiotics like vitamins B12 and K, as well as amino acids and peptides, help to slow down the growth of harmful bacteria. Short-chain fatty acids are other postbiotics that help healthy bacteria thrive. Fermented foods are also good sources of postbiotics.²

Probiotics Are Great For Your Gut, But That’s Not All

The microbiome has a major impact on gut health and a huge influence on digestion. But it also plays a role in immunity, mood, colon health, and more.*

Immunity
Scientists report at least 70% of the immune system is located in the gut.³ And new research suggests a healthy gut microbiome can help train your immune system to better recognize and eliminate harmful microbes.⁴ That means gut health is more important for overall health than we may have realized, and using a probiotic to fine tune the right balance of microbes can have a significant impact on your immune system.* 

Mood
Have you heard of the gut-brain axis? Research suggests that the gut and brain are linked through biochemical signaling between the nervous system in the digestive tract, called the enteric nervous system, and the central nervous system, which includes the brain. Both our gut and brain contain an abundance of neurons, and these neurons in our stomach and skull are connected by and communicate via those peripheral nerves. This connection has prompted research that found that probiotics may help support mood and cognitive function and help with occasional stress.*⁵

Weight
Ever since the link between metabolic health and gut microbiota was discovered, there has been increasing interest in exploring the potential use of probiotics to help manage weight. Probiotics may help by regulating healthy gut bacteria, which can play a role in weight gain and loss. Probiotics may also possibly help prevent triggers for excessive food intake.*⁶ 

Vaginal Health
Of the many microbial communities in the human body, the vagina’s microbiome is unique. There are 28 bacterial species common to the vagina, and scientists recently identified 135 unique combinations of strains of those species, each of which has different functions and cohabits with other strains. Probiotics can support vaginal health by helping dial in the optimal balance between the various strains.*⁷

Colon Health
The colon deserves a special shout out when we’re talking about gut health. It’s a vital part of our digestive system that’s been getting a lot of attention lately. One reason why: It’s integral to the microbiome and can benefit from probiotics in food and supplements. The most important job of the colon (also known as the large intestine) is to store, process, and dispose of waste. It also absorbs nutrients and water as part of this process. Interestingly, there are hundreds and maybe thousands of bacteria in the colon that make up the gut flora and microbiome.*⁸

Specific Probiotic Strains to Boost Your Microbiome

So you want to take probiotics. What should you look for? There are many strains of probiotics out there. These are just a few of the most popular that are particularly effective when taken in a daily supplement:

• L. acidophilus: Lactobacillus acidophilus offers digestive support, immune support, and more.* Look for a probiotic supplement that includes acidophilus in the ingredients list and has at least 10-15 billion colony-forming units (CFUs).

• L. plantarum: The probiotic benefits of L. plantarum include digestive, cognitive, and mood support, plus support for occasional stress.* Recent research suggests that L. plantarum can help regulate the intestinal microbiota composition in a positive way, and new approaches such as metabolomics, secretomics, and genomics are trying to understand the mechanisms of L. plantarum.¹⁰

• B. bifidum: Digestion is one of the well-established benefits of B. bifidum.* Although more research is needed on other possible perks, B. bifidum has increased in popularity because it’s believed that gut flora can be improved with consistent use.¹¹

• L. rhamnosus: This strain commonly found in the vaginal microbiome supports a healthy pH.* Some studies indicate that probiotic bacteria, including certain strains of L. rhamnosus, may encourage the restoration of healthy vaginal flora.*¹²

Solaray Probiotic Supplements to Help You Live Brighter 

Supporting your microbiome is easy with the help of trusted supplements. At Solaray, we offer a complete collection of pre- and probiotic formulas called Mycrobiome.Ⓡ Each formula features an efficacious blend of unique strains, including a mix of those shared above, at clinically researched potencies to deliver support you can count on.*

The line is expertly crafted to help you meet your individual health goals with six targeted probiotic supplements:

• Women’s Formula: Supports digestive function, a healthy immune system, and optimal balance*
• Men’s Formula: Supports healthy digestion, mood and occasional stress, plus a strong immune system* 
• Colon Formula: Supports colon health, a healthy immune system, and digestive function*
• Urgent Care: Supports gut response, digestive function, and the immune system*
• Adult 50+ Formula: Supports colon health, the immune system, and healthy digestion*
• Weight Formula: Provides healthy weight support, along with support for digestive function plus mood and occasional stress* 

These probiotic supplements also include a powerful blend of prebiotics from resistant potato starch—no inulin. For additional prebiotic support, try our Mycrobiome Prebiotic Powder.

The Mycrobiome Difference

Stomach acid is harsh on probiotic cells. That’s why Solaray probiotics are delivered in our special Enteric ShieldⓇ VegCaps, expertly designed to protect fragile probiotics during the digestive process and ensure they arrive safely and alive.* In fact, our rigorous testing shows how they stack up: Capsules with Enteric Shield remain intact in stomach acid for at least 60 minutes and then disintegrate quickly in the small intestine, delivering the beneficial cultures where you need them.*†

Our products are kept in a temperature-controlled environment then delivered in a food-grade plastic bottle with an internal seal to protect the organisms during shipping. Simply refrigerate your probiotics upon arrival, especially after opening the bottle. 

We’ve got you covered with additional probiotics as well, including our Multidophilus formulas and Acidophilus formulas. We also add probiotics to our ImmuFightⓇ supplements for extra support when you need it most. 

The Future of Probiotics

The sheer volume of research on the microbiome is astounding. Solaray’s research librarian Nick Zemp estimates that 10,000 papers are published about the microbiome every month. 

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health sponsors a variety of research projects related to probiotics or the microbiome. In addition to gut health, the government organization is funding research on a range of topics including: the mechanisms by which probiotics may help to reduce postmenopausal bone loss, ways to engineer probiotics to synthesize natural substances for microbiome-brain research, and much more.¹³

Here at Solaray, we're so excited to see what's to come. We assure you, we'll keep up with the latest research so we can keep providing you with a rainbow of efficacious supplements to support your microbiome and so much more. 

The science of probiotics and the microbiome is still emerging, but there’s no need to wait. You can support your gut today with our family of Mycrobiome pre- and probiotics and other powerful formulas.* 

‡ As part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

† USP (United States Pharmacopeia) 2040

Resources

1. Kilian et al. “The Oral Microbiome–An Update for Oral Healthcare Professionals.” British Dental Journal.  221, 657–666 (2016).

2. “What are postbiotics?” Harvard Health Publishing. www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/what-are-postbiotics.

3. Selma Wiertsema et al. “The Interplay Between the Gut Microbiome and the Immune System,” Nutrients 13, no. 3 (2021), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33803407.
4.  ”Probiotics” Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/14598-probiotics.
5.  “Probiotics May Help Boost Mood and Cognitive Function” Harvard Health Publishing. www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/probiotics-may-help-boost-mood-and-cognitive-function.
6. Danielsson, Putri, Marcus et al. “Evaluating Probiotic Efficacy on Weight Loss in Adults with Overweight Through a Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled Randomized Trial. Sci Rep 13, 18200 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-45395-7.
7.  Lori Youmshajekian “The Vaginal Microbiome May Affect Health More than We Thought” Scientific American. Dec 2023. scientificamerican.com/article/the-vaginal-microbiome-may-affect-health-more-than-we-thought.

8.  “How the Bowel Works.” Bladder and Bowel Community. www.bladderandbowel.org/bowel/bowel-resources/how-the-bowel-works.

9.  “Acidophilus” Cleveland Clinic.  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/22650-acidophilus.

10. Noemí Echegaray et al. “A Novel Approach to Lactiplantibacillus plantarum: From Probiotic Properties to the Omics Insights.” Microbiological Research, 2023. www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/lactobacillus-plantarum.

11.  Tomotari Mitsuoka. "Bifidobacteria and Their Role in Human Health." Journal of Industrial Microbiology. (December 1990): 263–267.

12.  “What Is Lactobacillus rhamnosus?” Healthline. www.healthline.com/nutrition/lactobacillus-rhamnosus#what-it-is.

13. "Probiotics: What You Need to Know.” The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. www.nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics-what-you-need-to-know.