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1. BY PROBIOTICS EXPERT: DR. RAGA
How much probiotic should I
take?

2. What are probiotics?
 Probiotics are live microorganisms,
such as yeasts and bacteria, which are
known to confer beneficial health
effects to the one who consumes it in
adequate amounts.
 Probiotics came from the words “pro”
and “biota” which means “for life”.
 Probiotics beneficially affects the
person who consumes it by
replenishing the intestinal microbial
population beyond the number of the
existing ones. Thus, this results to
increased inhibition of pathogen
growth and multiplication.

3. Benefits of probiotics
1. Digestive Health
 According to researchers, probiotics can replenish the
intestines’ number of good bacteria. This promotes a
healthy balance between the good and bad bacteria in the
intestinal flora. Thus, it maintains a healthy digestive
tract.
 The use of probiotics has been linked to treatment of
digestive issues such as constipation, gas, and abdominal
cramps.
 It has been also used as one of the alternative treatments
for irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel
disease.
 Another form of treatment for antibiotic-associated
diarrhea and traveller’s diarrhea.

4. Benefits of probiotics
2. Immune system
 Almost 70 to 85 percent of the immune system is
located at the digestive tract
 Keeping a healthy intestinal flora is essential in order
to maintain the integrity of the immune system
 When the immune system is improved, there is less
chances of having infections such as urinary tract
infections and yeast infections.
 Probiotics have also been associated in the
prevention of allergies such as atopic eczema.

5. Benefits of probiotics
3. Other uses
 According to some studies, probiotics are effective in
lowering the level of cholesterol in the blood. Thus, it
can also help in preventing hypertension and other
cardiovascular diseases.
 Probiotics are also linked to improving an infant’s
health. Based on some research, probiotics can be
utilized in the beginning of the establishment of good
bacteria’s colony in the digestive system. This results
to the infant’s better defence against pathogens.

6. Benefits of probiotics
 Probiotics are also believed to have a beneficial effect
in cancer prevention. According to the researchers,
probiotics have a certain substance which has been
found to be an anti-tumor agent.
 According to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, there
is a connection between digestive health and normal
brain function. She states that having a healthy
digestive system is a great help in preventing
impaired brain functioning such as in the case of
autism.

7. Forms of probiotic products
 Probiotics are commonly found available in
the form of supplements and fermented
foods. These can be easily added in the diet
of the person who wants to have a supply of
beneficial bacteria.
 The supplement form of probiotics are
available in capsules, liquids, and powders.
Usually, these supplement products contain
1 billion live bacteria per gram.
 On the other hand, probiotics can be
consumed through fermented foods such as
yogurt, kefir, cheese, milk, cereals, bars, and
fermented cabbage.

8. When is a probiotic recommended?
 Actually, probiotics can be pretty much taken by
everyone. This is due to the reason that it is a
supplemental or dietary product.
 However, there are cases in which replenishment of good
bacteria is more necessary than others. These are the
people who have been experiencing digestive tract
problems. Also, it is advised for people who are
undergoing a long-term antibiotic therapy.
 Although probiotics are fairly safe to almost everyone,
caution should be observed in its use especially for those
who have compromised immune system.

9. How much probiotics should I take?
 In the case of probiotic supplements, the therapeutic
dosage varies. So, it depends to the product’s instructions
on how it should be taken. Generally for maintenance or
preventive purposes, a dose of between 1 - 4 billion CFUs
daily is advised. For therapeutic use, such as for those
who have intestinal infection or undergoing antibiotic
treatment, a dose of 10 or more billion CFUs is
recommended.
 As for the probiotics intake through fermented foods,
there is no overdose since the quantity of live bacteria
here is minimal and considered to be non-toxic.

10. My Favorite Probiotic
 Probacto is the best probiotic that I have
ever run into. They use multiple strains and
they are spore forming so they can last while
not refrigerated. They do not use cheap
bacteria, but expensive ones such as B.
Subtilis.
 Probacto also contains prebiotics to help
stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria in
your gut.
 Probacto contains digestive enzymes to
assist in your digestion.
 Probacto is enteric coated and made to be
slow release so it will release in your gut
gradually.

11. Conclusion
 Probiotics use is becoming widely known nowadays.
It is also utilized as a form of adjunctive or
alternative treatment. Also, since these products are
supplements, their production is not strictly
recommended. With this, it is a must to seek advise
from a healthcare professional to ensure best results.
Moreover, it is almost impossible to have an
overdose of probiotics but in order to be sure, there
are some studies which provided some guidelines as
to how many should be taken. This is essential to
ensure safe and quality results.