Be a Savvy Probiotic Shopper
Are you really getting your money’s worth when you buy a probiotic supplement?
Two media reports, published within days of each other, tell decidedly different stories when it comes to probiotic quality.
But both reports make the same conclusion: quality depends on one thing and one thing only: testing and trusting your brand to do enough independent testing to ensure true delivery of label and health claims.
The first article noted that few brands actually do the testing necessary to ensure quality and that the consumer is receiving what the labels claim.
Writing in the November 16, 2009 online edition of Newsweek, reporter Johannah Cornblatt notes that, “Americans are spending more and more dollars each year on probiotic supplements, or so-called ‘friendly’ bacteria.”
The magazine reports scientific evidence that probiotics are as essential to our health as a multivitamin. Sales are skyrocketing. Nutrition Business Journal reports sales of probiotics almost quadrupled from 1998 to 2008, growing from $115 million to $425 million.
Yet, at the same time, “many of the most popular probiotic supplements don’t contain the amount of live bacteria listed on their labels,” reports Newsweek.
Independent testing by Consumer Lab found that by the time a consumer buys a probiotic product, “it may contain as little as 10 to 58 percent of the amount of viable organisms listed on the label.”
Just two days later better news appeared when Natural Products Marketplace released category leader UAS Laboratories’ announcement of the most recent results of testing for their DDS® probiotics. The studies are actually done on every batch of DDS® probiotics by Silliker Laboratories, a world leader in quality control—and UAS Labs released its findings at just the right time to let shoppers know that some companies are doing everything right to ensure the highest levels of quality.
Here are the amazing results: Probioplus with DDS® capsules claimed to have 10 billion colony forming units per gram (CFU/g) and the independent tests showed it contained 20 billion! DDS® acidophilus capsules, tablets and powder claimed 5 billion CFU/g and tests found 6.6 billion. Not to be outdone, Consumer Labs tested DDS® probiotics in 2007 in an earlier round of product testing. In this testing as well, UAS Laboratories was the leading probiotic company that passed, independent confirmation that DDS® probiotics deliver more than their guaranteed potency.
According to Dr. S.K. Dash, many factors determine a quality probiotic supplement. Here’s what to look for, according to the UAS Labs founder:
Acid and Bile Resistance Seek acid and bile resistant probiotics.
Colonizers vs. Transients A good brand is a proven colonizer.
Glass Bottle vs. Plastic BottleProbiotics are “anaerobic” organisms, meaning they live in the absence of oxygen. Probiotics packaged in plastic bottles can lose potency during prolonged storage. Glass is the superior container..
Probiotic Supplements with Proven BenefitsA probiotic strain that is proven to aid in a number of health conditions may be all that is needed. We refer to strains like this as broad-spectrum super strains. Often multi-strains are not tested in combination and one strain may inhibit another strain reducing the overall functionality of the probiotic.
Resources
DDS® probiotics from UAS Labs are available at health food stores, pharmacies and natural food sections nationwide. Visit
www.uaslabs.com or call them at
800-422-3371.
cheap wow gold says:
Awesome, cheap wow gold and cheap wow accounts for sale. You can buy world of warcraft gold or accounts safe and fast here. Fast delivery guarantee for wow gold.
May 21st, 2013 at 1:49 AM