Key Takeaways
- Probiotics are living bacterial strains that promote health in the digestive tract, and research suggests they may help manage IBS symptoms in the short term.
- Probiotics are found naturally in some foods but are not as potent as probiotic supplements.
- When choosing a probiotic supplement, choose a probiotic that best meets your needs by considering its form, dosage, and cost.
Probiotics are living bacterial strains that promote health in the digestive tract. A probiotic supplement can help decrease painful symptoms commonly linked with irritable bowel syndrome.
There are millions of different bacteria strains, and they all play a specific role in your digestive health. Taking the wrong probiotic strain won’t harm your health, but it probably won’t help achieve symptom relief.
This article will teach you what a probiotic is, which strains of probiotics are recommended for IBS, and what you can do in your diet to maintain a happy gut!
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What is IBS?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a health condition that refers to altered digestive health.
Most people experience a change in bathroom habits, which causes constipation or diarrhea and urgency after eating. It also paired with bouts of gas, bloating, and cramping.
Researchers are still trying to understand better how IBS impacts health.
In the last decade, they discovered a link between IBS and the gut-brain axis (a communication channel between your digestive tract and brain). They confirmed the brain would process gut signals differently than someone who doesn’t have IBS.
Difficulty interpreting signals can lead to mood disorders, and people with IBS and chronic constipation are more likely to suffer symptoms of depression and decreased quality of life.
Fortunately, there are changes that you can make that can improve your symptoms. These include stress management, following an IBS-friendly diet, and using probiotics as needed.
How Do I Know If I Have IBS?
There is no medical test to confirm IBS. You should still get examined to rule out other more serious conditions with similar symptoms.
This can include ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, and microscopic colitis.
If all these conditions get ruled out, but symptoms persist, it can indicate a positive IBS diagnosis. You can also take an IBS quiz to help you determine if you have IBS.
Best Probiotics for IBS
Here are eight brand-name probiotics proven to help IBS.
Best overall: AlignⓇ Extra Strength chewable tablets
Features:
- 5 billion bacteria per capsule.
- 1 strain of bacteria.
- 50 million bacteria until the best by date.
Suggested serving:
1 capsule per day.
Pros:
- No refrigeration required.
- Only need one capsule per day.
- Vegetarian.
- Gluten-free.
- Soy-free.
- Clinically proven.
Cons
Contains milk.
Price: $32.99 from Amazon ($0.79 per capsule)
Best probiotics for diarrhea: Bio KⓇ IBS Pro capsules
Features:
- 50 billion live bacteria per capsule.
- 3 strains of bacteria.
Suggested serving:
2 capsules per day.
Pros:
- No refrigeration needed.
- Enteric Coated.
- Suitable for vegans.
- Specifically targeted those suffering diarrhea-prominent IBS.
Cons:
- Only available in Canada.
- Expensive ($1.70CAD per capsule).
- Cannot be taken with antibiotics.
Price: $50.98CAD from Well.ca
Best probiotic for bloating: Ideal BowelSupportⓇ capsules
Features:
- 10 billion live bacteria per capsule.
- 1 strain of bacteria.
Suggested serving: 1 to 2 capsules per day.
Pros:
- No refrigeration required.
- Vegan.
- Dairy-free.
- Gluten-free.
- Nut-free.
- Clinically proven.
Cons: None documented.
Price: $21.37 ($0.71 per capsule) from Walmart
Best with prebiotics: Good BellyⓇ Fast Melts
Features
- 10 billion live cells per pack.
- 1 strain of bacteria.
- Uses freeze-dried probiotics.
Suggested serving: 1 pack per day
Pros:
- Shelf-stable.
- Contains inulin, a prebiotic.
- Mix with water or consume as a powder.
- Convenient package.
Cons:
Contains wheat.
Price: $19.98 ($0.67 per pack) from Amazon
Best probiotics for constipation: FloradaptⓇ Gut Comfort capsules
Features:
- 3 billion live bacteria.
- 3 strains.
Suggested serving:
1 capsule per day.
Pros:
- Shelf-stable.
- Vegan.
- Free of food allergens.
- Gluten-free.
Cons:
For occasional gut-related discomfort only.
Price: $19.99 ($0.66 per capsule) from Floradapt
What Is a Probiotic?
Probiotics refer to live bacteria strains scientifically proven to improve health outcomes. They have been linked to helping improve symptoms of IBS, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, mastitis in breastfeeding women and may help with migraine prevention.
These powerful health agents have naturally been found in fermented foods across history, and now they are conveniently packaged and sold as oral or drinkable supplements.
To benefit from probiotics, you must consume massive amounts of healthy bacteria to ensure some survive stomach acid. Probiotic supplements can have 1 to 50 billion colony-forming units (CFUs). CFUs are the number of live bacteria or colonies in the product. Naturally fermented foods have some available probiotics, but not nearly as many as a concentrated supplement.
For example,
- Activia drinkable yogurt has 1 billion live probiotics that can improve IBS symptoms.
- Bio K IBS Probiotic supplement has 50 billion.
Do Probiotics Help Relieve IBS Symptoms?
Probiotics contain unique strains of live bacteria that serve different roles in your gut.
The thought is that probiotics may alter the proportion of good and bad bacteria in the gut flora. A 2022 review cited that probiotics may improve IBS symptoms by influencing the number of bowel movements, stool consistency, and transit time.
The same review noted that single-strain and high dosages of probiotics may be safe and effective for short-term use of less than eight weeks.
However, the evidence of whether probiotics could improve IBS symptoms remains controversial, as their effectiveness may vary between individuals, bacterial strain, and dosage.
Before taking probiotics to help alleviate your symptoms, consult your doctor or registered dietitian to find out which probiotic supplement would be most suited for you.
Have IBS symptoms? Take the IBS quiz understand whether or not you have IBS.
How Long Do I Take A Probiotic?
Discussing with your doctor or registered dietitian about the dosage and the duration is recommended.
You should not rely on a probiotic to manage your IBS indefinitely. Most products should be consumed for a minimum of 10 days and can be used for up to 30 days, or as instructed by your doctor or registered dietitian.
After this point, you should start to feel better and prioritize other lifestyle strategies to maintain a healthy gut.
If you see no improvements after starting your probiotic cycle for a period of time, that strain may not be your best option. You can discuss this further with your doctor or registered dietitian. They may recommend a different product.
You may see your symptoms improve when you are also managing other areas of your health.
To improve IBS symptoms, explore managing stress levels, gradually adding fiber to your diet, getting high-quality sleep, and staying active.
Are There Any Risks Of Probiotics?
Probiotics are not recommended for anybody who is immunocompromised. If you have any doubts, ask your doctor if probiotics are safe.5
How to Choose a Probiotic
When choosing a probiotic, consider the following:
Refrigerated versus Shelf-Stable Probiotics
Since probiotics are live bacteria, keeping them refrigerated slows down their growth and shelf life until their expiration date.
Some probiotic supplements are indeed suitable for room temperature based on how they were manufactured.
The Bacterial Count
The product packaging states its colony forming unit, or CFU. This is a measurement of the number of live and viable bacteria per dose.
Research suggests a probiotic dosage of 1 million CFU per gram may offer potential health benefits.
Probiotic supplements can have CFUs ranging from 1 to 10 billion CFU per dose. Some products may have more, but higher dosage doesn’t necessarily mean they could improve the health outcomes.
The bacterial count listed on the packaging is the quantity of bacteria at the time of production. With time, the bacterial count decreases.
In other words, while a product states each dosage contains 10 billion live bacteria, this may not be the case when the product is near its end of life.
Some companies may take one step further and list the estimated amount of live bacteria remaining by the best-by date.
The Bacteria is Enteric Coated
The coating ensures that the bacteria will survive through the digestive tract's acidic juices and reach the colon.
The Product was Tested with Human Clinical Trials
A product's statement that it has been tested in human clinical trials would offer consumers’ confidence that this product may be effective.
Are Food Sources of Probiotics Good?
Fermented foods contain trace amounts of several different bacteria strains.
They can help you maintain a healthy gut, but they are not potent enough to improve IBS symptoms or pull you out of a flare-up.
Still, You can enjoy these foods and include them as part of a balanced meal pattern. A probiotic supplement can be a better option when your symptoms are very bad. Popular options of fermented foods include:
- Kombucha: fermented tea beverages that come in various flavors. They are slightly fizzy. (Read more on beverages that can help with IBS!)
- Sauerkraut: fermented cabbage which can be high in salt. If you are watching your salt intake, consider rinsing thoroughly in water to remove any excess.
- Kimchi: a Korean blend of fermented cabbage and other vegetables. Again, it can be high in salt, which may or may not align with your other nutrition goals.
- Yogurts: choose an animal-based or plant-based product that says “contains live probiotic cultures” on the label.
- Kefir: a drinkable yogurt that is a by-product from animal-based dairy.
- Tempeh: a fermented soybean product popular in plant-based eating.
Some of these foods, especially the cabbage options, are very high in fiber.
They can cause bloating and gas in people who are sensitive to these symptoms.
With repeated exposure, these symptoms should be less frequent and severe.
Work With A Registered Dietitian
Gut issues can be uncomfortable and persistent. Some days you can feel in control and on top of your IBS, but that can flip overnight.
Working with an IBS registered dietitian specializing in gut health can help you regain control over your health.
Find a dietitian who accepts insurance through Nourish.
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