Our microbiome consists of mostly bacteria and resides in our small intestine and colon. Its purpose is to fight off pathogenic microbes, help maintain the integrity of our gut lining, metabolize drugs and other foreign substances and aid in immune defense (Sanders, 2004). An unbalanced gut microbiome, also known as dysbiosis, has been linked to chronic diseases such as obesity, type II diabetes, colorectal cancers, cardiovascular diseases as well as other digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis (Carding et al., 2015; Hills et al., 2019).

How can you optimize your health by balancing your gut microbiota? One answer is probiotics. Probiotics are “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host” (World Health Organization, 2004). Probiotics can be consumed through supplements or found naturally in some foods. Foods that contain probiotics are typically those that have been fermented, such as yogurts, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, pickled vegetables, tempeh, miso, sourdough breads, and some cheeses. It is beneficial to incorporate some of these foods into your diet before supplementation as they also provide other nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and a nourishing environment for the probiotics they contain (Rezac, Kok, Heemann & Hutkins, 2018).

Some people do not prefer fermented foods, and that is okay! That is when probiotic supplements become a great resource. While more research is needed regarding strain-specific and disease-state specific probiotics, it is important to choose a reputable, professional brand that uses third party testing and formulates their probiotic to match dosing used in research. A few other simple rules to follow when choosing a probiotic supplement include: 

1. Look for products that contain ​billions ​of colony forming units (CFU’s). 
2. Bacterial strains of ​Lactobacillus ​ and ​Bifidobacterium ​ have shown improvements in diarrhea, IBS, gut inflammation, bloating, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and other conditions. Choosing a probiotic that is diverse with many of these two types of bacteria strains is likely to be beneficial. 
3. Choose a product that isn’t filled with other ingredients (fillers, thickeners, dairy, etc). Flip the bottle over and take a look at the ingredients list. The best probiotic products are CLEAN!
4. Switch it up! The gut microbiota is very diverse, and your probiotics should be too. Cycle through a few different products (keeping reputable, well-formulated brands in mind) so that you constantly provide your gut with a variety of healthy bacteria. 

References

1. Carding, S., Verbeke, K., Vipond, D. T., Corfe, B. M., & Owen, L. J. (2015). Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in disease. Microbial ecology in health and disease, 26(1), 26191.
2. Hills, R. D., Pontefract, B. A., Mishcon, H. R., Black, C. A., Sutton, S. C., & Theberge, C. R. (2019). Gut microbiome: profound implications for diet and disease. Nutrients, 11(7), 1613.
3. Rezac, S., Kok, C.R., Heemann, M., & Hutkins, R. (2018). Fermented foods as a dietary source of live organisms. Frontiers in microbiology, 9, 1785.
4. Sanders, M. E. How do we know when something called “probiotic” is really a probiotic? A guideline for consumers and health care professionals. Functional Food Rev. 1, 3–12 (2009).
5. World Health Organization. (2004). Food and agriculture organization of the United States Nations. Vitamin and mineral requirements in human nutrition, 2.