Today we’re going to go off the typical cusp of reviewing foods and food products and review a probiotic instead. Probiotics are live organisms that stimulate the growth of the microorganisms in your gut microbiome. We know that the gut microbiome is compromised of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and yeasts that turn on and off certain processes in the body. Our gut microbiome is linked to our well being or potentially GI imbalances, brain and mood imbalances, and our overall health and immunity as 70% of our immune system is located in our gut microbiome. Over the last few years, probiotics have increased in popularity as they are linked to more and more benefits in the body. However, like most things that quickly enter the media mainstream, some products get released that are really great and others get released that are less than ideal and are not as much of a benefit as they are touted.
Before we get into Renew Life’s Probiotics, keep in mind that promoting a healthy gut microbiome starts with the foods that we eat. Eating a high fiber diet from a variety of foods is the number one thing we can do to support our gut microbiome. Beyond that, eating live active organisms from fermented food is the next protective step. So foods like fresh kimchi, fresh sauerkraut, fresh pickles, yogurt, kefir, etc can be very helpful. Again, variety is the spice of life because like eating a variety of high fiber foods that contain varying degrees of fiber, when you consume foods with probiotics, there are different strains in different foods. Therefore, you’re better off to eat a plant-based fermented yogurt at breakfast, fresh sauerkraut on your sandwich at lunch, and a bite or two of kimchii with your dinner than you would be eating a bite or two of kimchii at every meal. This is because each unique food ferments different organism groups and the wider variety of organisms you have in your gut, generally the healthier you and your gut are.
So what about if you don’t eat a high fiber diet or you don’t consume many fermented foods? Then you may want to consider a probiotic. You may also want to consider a probiotic if you’ve tried dietary intervention, stress management, and regular exercise but still suffer from a GI related condition. Then supporting your gut with live active cultures may be a particularly good idea.
As I mentioned earlier, not all probiotics are great and created equal. Renew Life has 36 different probiotic products available alone! That’s a lot to sift through! Today we’re going to be reviewing Renew Life’s Ultimate Flora Probiotic 30 Billion Live Cultures with 12 Probiotic Strains.
In each capsule of Renew Life’s Ultimate Flora Probiotic 30 Billion Live Cultures, there are Bifido and Lacto Probiotic Strains. The various strains are below but you can see that there are slightly more bifido (18 million vs 12 million lacto). Many of the strains in this blend have research to support their role in supporting the gut microbiome.
For example…
Bifidobacterium longum has an enormous amount of research that supports its role in digesting lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy. It also has a powerful effect on the immune system and interestingly is the organism found in highest quantities in new babies as it’s though to be passed during birth and breastfeeding, playing a crucial role in newborn’s immunity.
Bifidobacterium bifidum can help with constipation, IBS symptoms, ulcerative colitis, and has been shown to be effective in restoring the gut bacteria after chemotherapy. This organism may be particularly helpful for those individuals suffering from GI upset.
Lactobacillus acidophilus is another well studied organism that has shown promise in promoting weight maintenance/weight loss, reducing symptoms of IBS, cholesterol, and yeast infections. This organism is one that you find in many dairy yogurts and also in non-dairy fermented yogurts and products.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus may help with dirrhea, constipation, and even in the treatment of UTIs. It is an organism that you see frequently in probiotics aimed at Women’s Health. This widely used and studied organism has also been shown to help support the immune system.
Above you can see the varying strains of probiotics in RenewLife Ultimate Flora Probiotic. It’s important to look for a delayed release capsule as this one is as well as a capsule that guarantees live active organisms by the time of consumption as many with die off in the process of manufacturing and storing until it gets to you.
Overall, this is a well produced probiotic with a variety of strains to help support your gut health and immunity. It’s unlikely you would experience any adverse reactions to this probiotiic as 30 billion CFUs is a conservative amount compared to some products. It’s important to note that you’d want at least 5 billion CFUs and beyond about 30-50 billion CFUs may not be beneficial if you don’t have prebiotics (fiber in the diet) in the gut that the organisms can feed of off and multiply by the time they get to your gut. If you do experience adverse reactions to fermented foods or probiotics, you may have a condition that would be best suited to be reviewed by a Gastroenterologist or a functional medicine doctor.
Renew Life Probiotics are easy to take with you on trips or to stash in your pantry. It’s important to store them in a cool, dark place if do able to help preserve the number of live active organisms. I recommend this probiotic if you have stomach upset and you need to restore balance, if you are traveling as a prophelactic measure against potentially harmful bacteria, or if you want to strengthen your immune system. Find RenewLife Probiotics HERE and let us know how they work for you below! This is a probiotic I recommend to many patients depending on their individual needs and dietary intake and as a vegan Registered Dietitian, I think it may benefit you as well. Comment below with any questions you may have!