HOW TO CHOOSE THE MOST EFFECTIVE PROBIOTICS FOR TREATING IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common causes of trips to the gastroncologist, yet it’s one of the most difficult conditions to treat. Not only is there not one singular cause, but no single remedy works for everybody either. This can make treating your IBS seem like a case of trial and error.  But although there isn’t a magic pill to cure the abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation associated with IBS, research suggests that probiotics could be a huge help in helping manage the condition.

Here we help you sort the wheat from the chaff to find the most effective probiotic for treating your IBS.

What are probiotics?

Your gut contains a wide variety of bacteria, many of which are considered to be beneficial or "friendly” and perform important functions such as supporting your immune system and synthesizing certain vitamins.

With friendly bacteria playing such an important role in our health, many people choose to take probiotics to boost the number of good bacteria in the gut. While probiotics can be found in some foods, like sauerkraut, kefir and yoghurt, one of the most efficient ways to introduce them into your body is by taking a natural supplement.

What are probiotics designed for?

Most probiotics are either formulated for general wellbeing, or targeted at one or two specific health concerns. Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 have both been shown to help some of the primary symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. So if you’re looking for a specific benefit, such as the alleviation of IBS symptoms, be sure to check that the formulation includes bacteria that have been shown to help with the specific digestive problem you’re hoping to treat.

Consider the delivery system

Microbes that are allowed to die as soon as they get exposed to the acid in your stomach aren’t going to do you any good. The probiotic you choose should be able to survive long enough to reach the gut and work its magic, and a huge part of that equation is how the capsule delivery systems themselves are constructed. Look for probiotics that shout about their delivery system. Whether it be “beadlet”, “controlled release” or “micro-encapsulation”, probiotics that make a fussabout how well protected they are from the harsh environment inside our stomachs are far more likely to work.

Think about storage

Probiotics contain living organisms, so they need to be alive at the point that you take them in order for them to work. Some probiotics need to be stored in the fridge to remain potent, while others can survive fine at normal room temperatures.

While refrigeration may not be the biggest issue in the world, choosing a probiotic that doesn’t have to be kept cool does provide extra flexibility, especially when you’re want to avoid an IBS flare-up while travelling. In this type of scenario, you’ll be glad that you chose a freeze-dried formula (which can be kept at room temperature) over a heat-dried one (which must be kept cool).

The Multi-Flora ProBio probioticsfrom ncapsulate® don’t need to be refrigerated as they’re specially coated during the manufacturing process to ensure they remain stable at room temperature. Not only does this make them more convenient, but it means the fragile bacteria are not constantly damaged by the continual opening and closing of the fridge door. You can throw in your suitcase and be rest assured that you’ll have gut protection wherever you go!

Quality

In the world of probiotics, you can expect to get what you pay for, with bargain prices usually indicating an inferior supplement. Cheap probiotics may, for example, only guarantee that the microbes they contain are living at the time of manufacture, which means that they may be substantially less effective, or even completely useless by the time you come to take them.

Reputable manufacturers, while charging more for their products, will include guarantees that their probiotics will remain effective until a “best by date” printed onto the label.

The great news is that ncapsulate’s Multi-Flora probiotiocs deliver on all of these things. Not only do our multi-strain probiotics contain billions of friendly bacteria per capsule, but they also provide multiple complementary strains of lactic bacteria essential for treating IBS. Multi-Flora 4 Biland Multi-Flora 20 Bilare micro-encapsulated for resistance to acid and heat. Plus, there’s no need for refrigeration and the capsules will remain potent for up to 12 months. In other words, you won’t find a more effective probiotic supplement for treating IBS quickly and naturally.