The Best Time of Day to Take Probiotics [Definitive Guide]
If you suffer from digestive troubles, taking a daily probiotic is a great way to support your gut health. But when is the best time of day to take your daily probiotic?
Well, it depends, and there is some debate on this topic. Some experts recommend taking it first thing in the morning, while others say that your stomach acids will kill the probiotics before they reach your gut. Furthermore, the type of probiotic you take makes a difference as can other lifestyle factors. The most important thing is consistency, so we recommend finding a time that works for you and sticking with it.
Ultimately, the key to taking probiotics successfully is finding the right balance that works for you and your body. Let’s dive in!
The Right Time of Day to Take Your Daily Probiotic
There is no definitive answer to this question, as everyone’s digestive system is different.
Many professionals recommend taking probiotics first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This allows the probiotics to reach your intestines where they can start working immediately to promote gut health.
However, others claim that taking a probiotic first thing will make it ineffective, with the stomach acids destroying the bacteria before it gets the chance to hit your gut. If the bacteria aren’t living by the time they reach your digestive system, you’ll miss out on the amazing benefits they offer.
But other professionals say that your stomach acid is at its lowest in the morning and will not cause any problems. We say that if you want to take your probiotic in the morning, ensure you purchase a probiotic with a protective casing around the live bacteria.
We recommend you select a time every day when you know you can reliably take your probiotic. Choose a time when you know you’ll be eating food or finishing a meal. Stick to that time every day to establish a reliable rhythm and reduce the likelihood that you will forget in the future.
Ultimately, taking your probiotic consistently is what will make the difference for you and your gut health.
Why Take Daily Probiotics?
First, let’s take a quick look at why you should take daily probiotics. There are many compelling reasons that can boost your health.
Healthy digestion
First, probiotics help to support healthy digestion, promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and clearing out harmful microorganisms. Taking a daily probiotic may help treat gastrointestinal disorders. Not to mention, it also treats and prevents vaginal and urinary tract infections, and delays allergy development in children. [1]
Improved immune system
Second, these helpful bacteria can also boost your immune system and improve your overall health, helping to ward off illness and protect against chronic disease. In fact, 70% of your immune system comes from your gut. This is because gut-associated lymphoid tissue represents almost 70% of the entire immune system, and 80% of plasma cells reside in gut-associated lymphoid tissue. [2]
Mental wellbeing
Finally, taking probiotics regularly can help to promote mental wellbeing, boosting mood and reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. According to this study, “Pro and prebiotics can improve mental health and psychological function and can be offered as new medicines for common mental disorders.” [3] So if you want to stay healthy and happy, consider adding a daily dose of probiotics to your routine.
What to Consider When Buying Probiotics
Shelf Stability
In order to propagate, live in your gut, and support your health, the probiotics need to be alive, but our stomach acids naturally attack the incoming bacteria. Therefore, choosing a product that can bypass stomach acids so the bacteria can survive is essential.
When choosing your probiotic for your gut health, look for a shelf-stable product with capsules that are stomach-stable.
The Number of Colony Forming Units (CFU)
Colony Forming Units are the number of bacteria and yeast contained in your probiotic that can divide and form colonies. Many experts recommend between 6 and 10 billion CFU daily (remember that some of these will come from your diet, not solely your probiotic). More isn’t always better; choosing the right probiotic for you with good shelf stability can be more important than a higher CFU.
It’s best to start with a smaller dose until you see how your gut handles it. This is because some people experience diarrhea or constipation when they start probiotics. So if your probiotic bottle recommends two a day, start with one for a few days before increasing your dose.
Third-party Testing Verification
Variations in storage conditions, transit methods, and the place of origin can affect the potency of your probiotic or even lead to bacterial contamination. A good probiotic will be third-party tested for potency and safety.
Prebiotic Content
Prebiotics are the food that your healthy gut bacteria feast on. Incorporating prebiotic supplements and foods into your diet means you take care of the helpful bacteria that are already in your gut, plus feeding the new ones you introduce with probiotics.
Added Ingredients
Many supplements contain additives like sugar, guar gum, and preservatives. It is best to choose one with minimal ingredients to reduce the chance of getting indigestion from these additives.
Refrigeration
Many probiotics need to be refrigerated. This is not necessarily a problem, but if you want a probiotic that you can take on the road with you, you may want to find one that does not require refrigeration. However, if you have a probiotic gummy, be aware that all gummies can melt, so it’s still best to keep them in a cool place whenever possible.
Money-back guarantee
Because not every probiotic is right for everyone, it helps to choose a probiotic with a money-back guarantee.
Improve Your Immune System and Gut Flora Naturally
Don’t forget to include other probiotic and prebiotic foods into your diet, too. Tempeh, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, miso, pickles, chicory root, garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, bananas, dandelion greens, barley, oats, apples, and kombucha are excellent probiotic and prebiotic foods to consume regularly.
High-Quality Daily Probiotic Options
Probiotics are also available in many different forms, so you can find one that best suits your needs. You can find them in capsules, liquids, powders, and even gummies.
Here are a few options that we love:
1. Physician’s Choice 60 Billion Probiotic with Prebiotic Fiber Blend
With 4.5 stars and 93,265 reviews, the Physician’s Choice 60 Billion Probiotic with Prebiotic Fiber Blend is a winner. It contains both prebiotics and probiotics and a very high concentration of CFU. Plus, it’s shelf-stable, so it doesn’t require a fridge! That makes it perfect for traveling.
Pros:
- Contains 60 billion CFU, a very high concentration
- Contains 10 different live strains of helpful bacteria
- Contains probiotics and prebiotics
- Free from GMOs, soy, wheat, gluten, milk, eggs, peanuts, shellfish, and preservatives
- Shelf-stable formula with no refrigeration required
- Stomach-stable formula with delayed-release acid-resistant capsules
- Vegan and vegetarian formula
- Third-party tested
- 4.5 average star reviews on Amazon out of 93,265 reviews
- Relatively good price point per capsule
Cons:
- None!
2. MegaFood MegaFlora Probiotic Supplement
MegaFood is a trusted brand that has been around since 1973, and its probiotics do not disappoint. The MegaFlora probiotic is an affordable choice with excellent reviews and reported results.
Pros:
- Contains 20 billion CFU, a very high concentration
- Contains 14 different strains of helpful bacteria
- Good price point per capsule
- GMO-free; contains no gluten, dairy, or soy
- Vegan and vegetarian formula
- Certified B Corporation, meaning it meets rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability
- Tested for 125+ herbicides and pesticides; certified glyphosate residue-free, the world’s most common herbicide
- Small, easy to swallow capsules
- 4.6 average star reviews on Amazon out of 433 ratings
Cons:
- Not shelf-stable: requires refrigeration or freezing, so it is unsuitable for travel
3. 200 Billion CFU Probiotic Supplement by Toniiq
The Toniiq probiotic is special due to its Multi-Layer Micro-Encapsulation Preparation. As discussed in further detail below, digestibility is critical because, without it, you won’t get the full benefit from your probiotic. This probiotic powder is truly digestion-viable as it’s freeze-dried and coated with a core layer of biofilm. This promotes steady-state and targeted controlled release of probiotic cells, as well as an outer wall (with natural polymer acids) for protection against acids, salts, and temperature damage.
Pros:
- Contains a very high CFU of 200 billion, the highest on the market
- 30 Verified Third-Party Tested Strains
- Contains both probiotics and prebiotics
- Fully shelf-stable, requiring no refrigeration and lasting at least two years
- Dairy and gluten-free formula with extended-release capsules that can bypass destructive stomach acids
- Minimal ingredients
Cons:
- No money-back guarantee
4. Ora Organic Prebiotic and Probiotic Powder Supplement
Ora is a reputable brand known for its highest-quality sourced ingredients. The Organic Prebiotic and Probiotic Powder Supplement is a reliable, shelf-stable probiotic powder excellent for travel and healing IBS symptoms. With its high concentration of bacteria, you will notice its effects quickly.
Pros:
- Contains 20 billion CFU, a very high concentration
- It has prebiotics as well which support the existing beneficial bacteria in your gut
- Contains L. reuteri, a probiotic strain particularly beneficial for women
- Suitable for all ages and genders
- Shelf-stable and suitable for travel- no refrigeration is required!
- Great for sensitive stomachs and those suffering from lactose intolerance and IBS
- Certified organic
- Comes in a tasty apple raspberry and lavender lemonade flavor
- Certified Climate Pledge Friendly, made with sustainable practices; compact design means fewer resources are needed to ship this product
- Vegan and vegetarian formula that contains no genetically modified ingredients, lactose, gluten, sugar, artificial preservatives, artificial flavors, or artificial colors
- 4.4 average star reviews on Amazon out of 507 ratings
Cons:
- Higher price point than competitors
- The high concentration of CFUs may be too much for some people; those concerned can start with a half dose to see how their body adjusts before increasing the dosage
5. Mary Ruth’s Liquid Probiotic For Women, Men, & Kids
Mary Ruth’s liquid probiotic is suitable for all ages and is a great option for digestive and immune support.
Pros:
- Contains 10 billion CFU
- Climate Pledge friendly product made with sustainable practices
- Certified USDA organic
- Contains 12 different live strains of helpful bacteria
- Convenient liquid can be consumed alone or added to water, beverages, and smoothies
- Vegan and vegetarian formula
- Free from GMOs, sugar, wheat, gluten, milk, eggs, and shellfish
- Raw formula
- Shelf-stable formula with no refrigeration required
- 4.8 average star reviews on Amazon out of 8,108 reviews
Cons:
- Very high price point per CFU
- CFU is not advertised; research was required to determine CFU
6. Pure Encapsulations Probiotic G.I.
The Pure Encapsulations Probiotic G.I.is an excellent probiotic to treat a wide variety of gut issues. Pure Encapsulations is a trusted brand with a 30-year history of high-quality products and supplements, and with great reviews, you can’t go wrong with this probiotic!
Pros:
- Contains 10 billion CFU
- Contains no lactose, artificial preservatives, artificial flavors, artificial colors, dairy, soy, nuts, gluten, yeast, coatings, shellacs, eggs, or fish products
- Shelf-stable and suitable for travel- no refrigeration is required!
- Can provide immune support through its beneficial microflora; supports proper gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) function and development which maintains normal immune system function
- Certified Climate Pledge Friendly, made with sustainable practices; compact design means fewer resources are needed to ship this product
- 4.7 average star reviews on Amazon out of 960 ratings
Cons:
- Higher price point than competitors
Conclusion
So, when is the best time of day to take your probiotic supplement? The answer is – it depends.
You want to find a time every day when you can reliably take your probiotic and make sure to stick with that schedule. Taking your probiotic consistently is what will make the difference in terms of seeing results.
And as with everything related to your digestive health, you should speak to a doctor or nutritionist to find out what probiotic regimen would work best for you
If you’re not sure what time works best for you, experiment until you find something that works well and be sure to let us know how it goes!
Written by Stephanie Moore
Stephanie is a professional freelance writer who is a ‘SIBO survivor’ herself with broad experience writing in the health field. She is a regular writer for SIBO Survivor and calls Berlin, Germany home.
Resources:
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/vitamins-and-supplements/health-benefits-of-taking-probiotics
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2515351/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31914909/
