Are all probiotics created equal?

I purchased some from the grocery store the other day, but I'm a bit confused - are some better than others? Work better for us UC people? Any advice would be appreciated to ensure I'm making the best decision.

Definitely they are not, some have more live cultures in them (colony-forming unit (CFU) is a measure of viable bacterial or fungal numbers. Unlike in direct microscopic counts where all cells, dead and living, are counted, CFU measures viable cells. By convenience the results are given as , colony-forming units per milliliter.)

The one I use is called Primadophilus Reuteri made by natures way which can be found in most health food stores (in their refridgerator), typically the refridgerator ones are best...this one that I take also contains 5 billion CFU's and it aids with lactose intolerance, high cholesterol and for women, vaginal health (I no longer have issues with severe lactose intolerance, high cholesterol or yeast infections which I used to have issues with, so I know it works). I also have not had a single mouth sore (and no proctitis issues since I started taking it about 5 yrs ago which is the longest I have not had proctitis issues) it does have guaranteed intestinal release which is another reason why I like it, many of them don't get past the gut which is really of no use to an IBDer.

It's affordable too, in Canada (where you are as well) I pay 29.00 for 90 caps and only one/day is needed so one bottle goes a long way, the only downside is it must be kept in the fridge but that's not a big deal for me.

:)

Nope, not online, buy them at Sangsters in Calgary, 29.00 for 90 caps...78.00 is quite a rip off even if they do work well.

I agree that they're definitely not all the same. They have different strains and different levels of viable organisms. Look for a brand that has independent lab tests to prove its effectiveness. The brands I've had good success with are Custom Probiotics six strain powdered blend and all of Natren's products. I'm currently taking Natren's Healthy Trinity capsules.

Unfortunately, in my experience, the ones that are effective ARE the ones that are fairly expensive. In many cases, less expensive brands use probiotic strains that don't have proven effectiveness, but sound good on the label - particularly to the untrained, average consumer. Also note that people with IBD may require much higher doses for therapeutic uses than healthy folks or those with milder digestive issues.

I saw a nutritionist yesterday and did some muscle and nutrient testing. I got some supplements and my probiotic one is called primal defense the brand name is Garden of Life. My nutritionist told me that this brand is from the guy who wrote the makers diet, so that's got to count for something. The only down side is I payed 80 bucks for 180 tabs. Figured it'll be a little more from a nutritionist but I checked it out online and found a place that's got them for half price right now.