Many people are familiar with probiotics and try their best to supplement them in their daily diet. However, many people fall into the误区 of supplementing probiotics.
1. Not checking for activity.
Probiotics must be "alive" to have a health effect, which is the basis of their efficacy. Probiotics are living microorganisms. From production (including strain selection, production environment, packaging, etc.), to being on the shelf, and then passing through extreme environments like stomach acid and bile after consumption to reach the intestine—each of these tests consumes the activity of the probiotics. Only those that pass these hurdles and ultimately colonize and survive in the intestine can truly be effective. Therefore, some probiotic products may have a high bacterial count, but due to a lack of protection, the number of live bacteria that successfully reach the intestine to reproduce is actually very small.
2. Not asking about quantity.
The required amount of probiotics is related to the degree of deficiency in the normal intestinal flora and the number of harmful bacteria present. 19-20 billion probiotics per day are considered the minimum amount to maintain a normal intestinal flora. China's current standards for lactic acid bacteria also stipulate that the number of live bacteria in yogurt must reach 1 million per milliliter; otherwise, it cannot guarantee the final amount of live bacteria reaching the large intestine.
3. Not caring about the strain.
The efficacy of probiotics is determined by the "strain," not all probiotic strains have the same effects. Currently, products on the market that are widely recognized as highly functional are mainly composite active probiotics based on lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria.
4. Drinking yogurt and lactic acid drinks.
Many people drink yogurt and lactic acid drinks every day, but still have foul-smelling flatulence and a lack of probiotics in their intestines. Why is this? Because the survival conditions for probiotics are very harsh. The number and activity of live bacteria will decrease significantly after 2-4 hours outside the culture environment. From the time yogurt is made until it reaches the consumer, it goes through a long process of production, logistics, and sales. The temperature changes during this period will also greatly damage the activity of the probiotics. Therefore, the number of live bacteria in yogurt is small, and their activity is poor. On the other hand, the probiotics in yogurt do not have the ability to resist stomach acid, bile, and digestive enzymes, making it very difficult for them to reach their destination—the large intestine—alive. Finally, yogurt and lactic acid drinks on the market contain large amounts of sugar and sweeteners, and even thickeners, colors, and flavors, which are also not good for your health.