Gut health. It seems like not a day goes by that science doesn’t discover a new way it’s linked to overall health and wellness, impacting nearly every major body system. And supplement companies have taken notice. Gone are the days where gut health benefits were marketing pitches reserved for yogurt companies and kombucha brewers. Today, it feels like everyone is jumping on the microbiome bandwagon. And if you’re wondering how to choose probiotics and phytonutrients that will actually deliver results, you’re not alone.
In this article, we’ll break down:
- The importance of the microbiome
- How probiotics and their counterparts (prebiotics and postbiotics) work in the body
- How probiotics work synergistically with phytonutrients to support a balanced microbiome
- How to choose probiotics and phytonutrient supplements to support your gut health routine
Your Microbiome: The Master Switch to Wellness
Your body is home to an estimated 38 trillion living microorganisms — mostly bacteria. This microbiome resides mainly in your gut and can profoundly impact your overall health. In fact, some scientists refer to your microbiome as your master switch to wellness. Here are just a few of the areas it affects:
- Gastrointestinal health
- Gut barrier integrity
- Micronutrient synthesis
- Immune function
- Brain and cognitive health
- Mood and mind-body balance
- Overall wellbeing and energy
The health of your microbiome plays a major factor in how good you feel day to day. And there are several ways you can support it, including:
- Getting enough sleep
- Exercising
- Eating healthy food
- Limiting alcohol intake
- Staying hydrated
- Protecting your immune system
- Prioritizing self-care
- Avoiding environmental toxins
The bacteria that make up your microbiome are extremely sensitive to lifestyle habits and external pollutants, meaning that if you’re stressed out, tired and dehydrated, or relying on junk food for fuel, it throws off the delicate balance of bacteria — especially in your gut. In addition to healthy lifestyle habits, you can help support gut health with prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics, plus phytonutrients.
Let’s find out how.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are an umbrella term that covers a wide range live microoganism cultures, mainly good bacteria, known to support a healthy gut microbiome. Probiotic supplements will list what type of cultures they contain on the ingredient panel. To determine how many probiotic cells are in a supplement, look for messaging like, “X billion cells at time of manufacture,” or, “guaranteed X billion cells.” You might also see the acronym CFU on the package, which stands for “colony forming units”.
How to Choose Probiotics
The more cultures or CFUs a probiotic contains, the more benefits it may provide, right? Not exactly. You see, the stomach is a particularly hostile environment for probiotics. It wants to render them inactive before they can reach the intestinal tract, where they’re needed. So, how to choose a probiotic that can survive the digestive process? The key lies in the delivery system.
A quality probiotic will feature encapsulation technology or similar coating to help protect live microorganisms from the acidic environment of the stomach. Further, look for probiotic supplements backed by scientific studies that show they are able to populate in the gut and deliver the benefits they claim.
As for how to choose probiotic cultures, the right probiotic for you may depend on your wellness goals. Some strains are more targeted to gut health and digestive comfort. Others deliver benefits beyond gut health, including mood support, brain support, immune support and more. If you’re looking for a good all-around probiotic supplement, these strains cover foundational gut health:
- Bifidobacterium breve
- Bifidobacterium animalis
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
If you want to go beyond gut health , try these science-backed strains:
- Lactobacillus plantarum DR7
- Lactobacillus brevis
- Pediococcus acidilactici
Regardless of which cultures you supplement with, be sure to seek out reputable supplement companies backed by scientific research and choose the highest quality supplement you can afford. For optimal results, pair your probiotics with prebiotics (and postbiotics). Keep reading to find out why.
What Are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics feed probiotic strains and support their growth. When you pair probiotics with prebiotics, you give bacteria something to “eat” so that it can flourish in the intestinal tract. The most common type of prebiotic is insoluble fiber. The types of fiber preferred by probiotic strains typically include:
- Inulin
- Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)
- Galactooligosaccharides(GOS)
How to Choose Prebiotics
Prebiotics can be found in foods like starchy vegetables, raw oats, whole grains and fruit. But just like us, different strains of probiotics have their favorite “foods”. Fortunately, many high quality probiotic products are formulated with the prebiotics best suited to the type of bacteria the supplement contains. So, if you’re wondering how to choose probiotics and perfectly paired prebiotics, the easiest solution is to look for a gut health supplement that contains both.
What Are Postbiotics?
Postbiotics are a relatively new discovery in the world of gut health. They are natural, bioactive compounds generated from prebiotics and probiotics in the gut during fermentation. Postbiotics are key in reinforcing a healthy gut lining and supporting immune health (70% of your immune system lives in your gut).
How to Choose Postbiotics
There are several vitamins, amino acids and fermentates that display postbiotic properties. But similar to probiotics, its essential that postbiotics survive the digestive process and make it to the intestine where they are needed in order to help support the gut lining. So, look for a probiotic supplement that is formulated with postbiotics (and prebiotics!). Not only does this trio help optimize the supplement’s benefits, it may also help postbiotics survive the acidic environment of the stomach and reach the intestinal tract.
What Are Phytonutrients?
Phytonutrients are compounds found in plants, where they regulate good and bad bacteria and help filter damaging free radicals like those found in UV rays. You may have heard of the most popular groups of phytonutrients, like antioxidants — including heart-friendly resveratrol and flavonoids. Collectively, there are over 25,000 different phytonutrient compounds offered across a broad spectrum of plant-based foods, and they contain up to 64 times more antioxidants than animal-based foods.
Unfortunately, it takes more than an apple a day to reap the benefits of phytonutrients. Recent research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that only 1 in 10 people eat enough fruits and vegetables. What’s more, even if you meet daily recommendations, you may not be getting optimal benefits, especially if your microbiome is out of balance.
Plant-based phytonutrient supplements not only fill in the gaps when your daily fruit and vegetable intake lags, they can also help provide additional support to your microbiome. Studies show that consuming phytonutrients can help alter and improve gut health and help support:
- Immune health*
- Heart health*
- Nutrient synthesis
- Detoxification*
- Cognitive function*
- Microbiome diversity*
The more phytonutrients your body can utilize, the better you’ll feel.
How to Choose Phytonutrients
It’s no secret that eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables is good for your health. But when it comes to being able to utilize nutrients from the foods you eat, the latest research shows that a healthy gut lining is critical to your body’s ability to absorb nutrients.
In other words, eating fruits and vegetables helps support a healthy gut, but you need a healthy gut to get maximum benefits from the fruits and vegetables you eat. Quite the “chicken or the egg” scenario, it seems. So how do you help keep such a complex system in balance?
Supplement with probiotics and phytonutrients simultaneously.
Probiotics help create a healthy gut lining for optimal phytonutrient absorption. Meanwhile, phytonutrients help support microbiome balance and diversity. It’s a synergistic relationship to help you reap optimal benefits!
To supplement your healthy diet, look for phytonutrient formulas that are non-GMO, highly bioactive and highly bioavailable. Again, quality matters!
How to Choose Probiotics: Design a Routine With Modere
Now that you know how to choose probiotics and phytonutrients, let’s explore the options Modere offers. These supplements deliver scientifically studied, highly bioactive and bioavailable ingredients in delicious and convenient formulas. The result? Maximum benefits felt in nearly every major system of the body.
Modere Probiotic™: 4 Bacteria Strains, 5 Billion Cells Guaranteed
Modere Probiotic pairs prebiotic fiber with 4 strains of beneficial bacteria:
- Bifidobacterium breve
- Bifidobacterium animalis (subspecies lactis)
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
To help these bacteria reach the intestinal tract, Probiotic utilizes a unique encapsulation technology. It guarantees 5 billion cells, and is shown to colonize 5x better than uncoated strains to offer these benefits:*
- Balances intestinal microflora for maintenance of good health*
- Helps relieve discomfort caused by imbalanced gut flora*
Probiotic comes in single-serve stick packs, reminiscent of your favorite powdered candy sticks you enjoyed as a kid. They have zero sugar, zero calories and feature a crisp, sweet cucumber flavor you’ll love!
Modere Axis™ TreBiotic: Discover 3-in-1 Microbiome Matrix™
Modere Axis TreBiotic contains prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics. We call this our Microbiome Matrix™, and it’s one of relatively few products on the market that contain all 3 biotic factors in 1. Here’s a closer look at what’s inside:
GOS PREBIOTIC
GOS prebiotic is an ideal food source for L. plantarum DR7 found in our NeuroFlora™ Probiotic Complex and is scientifically shown in an in-vitro study to help this bacteria rapidly and efficiently populate the gut, so you see and feel benefits sooner.*
NEUROFLORA™ PROBIOTIC COMPLEX
NeuroFlora Probiotic Complex is an exclusive blend of highly studied bacteria including:
- Lactobacillus plantarum DR7
- Lactobacillus brevis
- Pediococcus acidilactici
These bacteria that go above and beyond gut health to also support immune function, cognitive health and overall wellness, and contain 10 billion cells at time of manufacture.*
EPICOR® GI+ POSTBIOTIC
Our one-of-a-kind postbiotic, EpiCor GI+, is a whole food fermentate backed by 15 scientific studies. It supports healthy levels of butyrate and helps reinforce a protective gut lining to optimize immune health and nutrient synthesis.*
Axis TreBiotic utilizes an innovative beadlet delivery system. Scientifically selected, acid-resistant bacteria survive the stomach and populate the intestines where they’re needed. Enjoy it in our original sugar-free formula and scoop it over yogurt, cereal or a smoothie. Or, try our Chocolate TreBiotic — single-serve stick packs that are easy to take on the go.
“Supplementing with Modere Axis™ TreBiotic with Microbiome Matrix™ — a perfectly paired formula of pre-, pro- and postbiotics — promotes a healthy microbiome and gut lining, laying the foundation for optimal nutrient synthesis. Adding in plant-based phytonutrients can take your overall wellness to the next level.”*
— Dr. Lisa DeRosimo, MD, MS§ Diplomate, American Board of Obesity Medicine
Modere Axis™ Phytos: Take Wellness to the Next Level
For optimal wellness, pair your probiotic supplement with Axis PhytoGreens and Axis PhytoReds. Both Axis Phytos formulas work synergistically with gut bacteria to support a balanced microbiome, immune health and a healthy lifestyle.*
What sets Axis Phytos apart from other “green” powders (or red) is that rather than trying to cram as many ingredients into the jar as possible, each scoop of Axis Phytos deliver carefully selected, high-quality, science-backed ingredients your body can readily use. More than a superfood, Modere Axis Phytos are concentrated and formulated to be highly bioavailable and bioactive.†
Here are the key ingredients and benefits of each formula:
MODERE AXIS™ PHYTOGREENS
- Marine and leafy greens: spirulina, chlorella, kale, green tea, parsley, spinach, barley grass, rosemary, aloe vera and dandelion
- Phytonutrient-rich fruits: lime, avocado, apple, pineapple, acerola, grapeseed, bilberry and papaya
- Adaptogenic roots and fungi: Asian ginseng root, licorice root, eleuthero root and shiitake mushroom
Primary benefits: Optimizes digestive health, alkalinity in the body and energy levels.*
MODERE AXIS™ PHYTOREDS
- Polyphenol-rich berries: raspberry, acaí, strawberry, blackberry and blueberry
- Red fruits to help support antioxidant capacity: grape and pomegranate
- Highly bioavailable vegetables: red beet, tomato and carrot
Primary benefits: Optimizes heart health, antioxidant capacity and vitality.*
How to Choose Probiotics & Phytonutrients: Summary
Maintaining a healthy microbiome is key to experiencing optimal wellness. In addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle, incorporating prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics can help support a balanced microbiome. What’s more, adding highly bioavailable and bioactive phytonutrients to your daily wellness routine delivers a synergistic approach to help support microbiome diversity.*
Modere takes the guesswork out of how to choose probiotic and phytonutrient supplements. We offer perfectly paired prebiotic-probiotic and prebiotic-probiotic-postbiotic formulas backed by science. Our phytonutrient blends are non-GMO, highly bioavailable and bioactive. When you choose Modere, you can design the best version of yourself from the inside out. Give your body what it craves with cutting-edge nutraceutical science, and experience what it’s like to feel well. (Like, really well!)*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
†Modere Axis™ Phytos contain a greater variety of phytonutrients than individual superfoods.
§Modere Independent Representative.
