Don't Waste Your Money on Mediocre Probiotics

Don't Waste Your Money on Mediocre Probiotics

These Are the Best Ones I've Ever Found

Women's Health Letter - October 2004 - Nan Kathryn Fuchs, PhD - Editor

Nan Fuchs writes: "Last month, you saw how taking the wrong probiotics can cause major health problems. Now, I'd like to show you how taking the right probiotics can save your life!

The doctor told Joan that her 95-year-old mother, Bernice, was unlikely to survive the night. The massive doses of antibiotics she had been given for her severe bacterial infections were not working. Her doctor advised against giving her any probiotics because he didn't know what they were."

Nan Fuchs continues: "But Joan felt there was nothing to lose. She knew that probiotics were beneficial bacteria that fight harmful ones, so she gave Bernice the strongest probiotic formula I'd ever found. The next morning, her mother was sitting up in bed and eating!"

"I saw a tunnel," she told Joan. "At the end of it was a white light and lots and lots of white clouds." She had also seen her parents and long-dead husband. Bernice had certainly been close to death. Now she was back for a while, thanks to a probiotic so strong it's been shown in university-based studies to kill antibiotic-resistant super-bugs.

Don't expect results like this from just any probiotic. Many have very little activity. They may help your digestion or reduce your candida symptoms, but they won't turn your health around like the best formulas can. Unfortunately, you can't judge probiotics by the company that sells them. Some good supplement companies sell friendly bacteria that don't do much. Let me tell you how to identify the best.

The right strain

Nan Fuchs says: "Most probiotics list the species of bacteria used, but not the strain. Saying a product contains Lactobacillus acidophilus is not enough. The strain appears after the type of probiotic (Lactobacillus) and species (acidophilus), like Lactobacillus acidophilus R0052 or L. acidophilus NAS."

"There are more than 400 species of protective and harmful bacteria in your digestive tract and hundreds of strains within each species. Some strains are harmful and some are ineffective. Others may be safe with little activity, or both safe and potent. There's no way to know unless the strains are identified. Every strain of probiotics you take should be listed and tested for safety and effectiveness. Testimonials alone just won't do. If the label doesn't list the strain, ask the manufacturer," she says.

Survival and the fittest

Bacteria need to stay alive after passing through your stomach. But live bacteria often don't survive the trip to your intestines because stomach acid (HCl) kills both good and bad bugs.

For better survival, you can take probiotics after meals when your stomach contains less acid. Or on an empty stomach the first thing in the morning and before going to bed at night. But there's a better, simpler way. Take only probiotics that have been coated to survive stomach acids, not those in ordinary capsules.

"Probiotics don't necessarily contain the amount of bacteria listed on their labels. They may have when they were manufactured, but many have died off in the bottle. Look for a guarantee of potency after the bottle has been opened. Here are the best probiotics I've ever found," says Nan Fuchs. 

#1 - Dr. Ohhira Probiotics OMX 12 Plus

The strongest, most effective probiotic product I've ever found is Dr. Ohhira's Probiotic OMX 12 Plus, which is distributed in the U.S. by Essential Formulas. It's an enteric-coated product that contains 12 strains of lactic acid bacteria as well as micro-nutrient by-products such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, FOS (probiotic food), and bacteriocins (nature's own antibiotic).

Ninety-two plant products are fermented together for five years to produce OMX Probiotic 12 plus, which also contains organic acids. These acids help the probiotics stick to the intestinal walls and colonize. No other company I know of has done research on the adhesion ability of its particular formula like Dr. Ohhira.

Dr Ohhira also developed a special strain of bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis TH 10, from a fermented soy food (tempeh). This strain is more than six times stronger than any other naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria. It's the formula I gave Joan for her mother. I also used it with patients whose intestinal problems did not respond to other strong probiotics. In every case it worked, and it worked quickly.

Studies show Dr. Ohhira probiotic OMX 12 plus is effective against H. pylori (a source of ulcers and migraines), E. coli (food poisoning), and even the super-bug that causes staph infections (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Probiotic OMX 12 plus helps regulate the bowels like no other formula I've heard of. And an added bonus is OMX probiotic's ability to help increase bone density in women over 40.

Dr. Ohhira's helpful OMX 12 plus bacteria formula does not need to be refrigerated and has a three year shelf life. If you have a serious problem, or a condition that isn't responding to other probiotics, try OMX probiotic twelve plus for at least one or two months. Then take one capsule a day or switch to a good, less potent formula.