The material provided below is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the diagnosis or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional. You should always seek medical advice before consuming any new medicines or supplements.
What information do you look for when comparing probiotic supplements? Two items on the label are important when choosing a probiotic: the probiotic strain used and the number of CFUs.
Regarding the probiotic strain, it’s important to select strains that have been clinically proven to promote the intended health benefits. You can be certain that every Culturelle® probiotic contains clinically validated strains, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG.1
But what about the CFUs? If you look on the label of your favorite probiotic supplement, you may find these letters. While it might sound like something from outer space, CFU’s are actually a very important aspect in choosing the right probiotic supplement for your needs. In this article, we explore what CFUs are, why they are important and how to determine how many CFUs are required to achieve the intended benefits of the probiotic.
What Are CFUs in Probiotics?
CFU stands for “Colony-Forming Unit”. It refers to the number of live and active microorganisms in each serving of the probiotic you are taking. It’s the way to express the amount of the probiotic contained in the supplement and are determined by laboratory testing.
Why Are CFUs Important?
Why Are CFUs Important? CFUs are super important as they indicate how many live and active microorganisms are in each supplement. You wouldn’t take medication without knowing the dose, right? Yet, the current dietary supplement labeling regulations don’t require that probiotic supplements packaging include the CFUs.2
Some manufacturers only list the number of milligrams of probiotic, which meets the current dietary supplement labeling regulations but doesn’t provide enough information for you to know if a specific product contains the clinically validated amount of probiotics. To further explain probiotic strains sold from different suppliers can have different concentrations. For example, 50mg of a probiotic from one supplier may not be equal to 50 mg from another supplier. CFU is the only unit of measure that accurately provides the number of live and active bacteria that are in the product, and this is directly linked to the efficacy of the probiotic in providing the intended health benefit.
Not all probiotic brands tell you how many CFUs you are receiving per probiotic, and the ones that do might not have science backing up the amount. It’s important to consume probiotics in CFU amounts that have been clinically proven to be effective at achieving the desired health benefits.
Plus, some manufacturers indicate the CFUs present at the time of manufacturing, as opposed to the CFUs at the products expiration date. The CFU count at time of manufacturing does not accurately represent the number of live microbes through the product’s shelf life. Some of the probiotics in a supplement may naturally die over time, which can further be impacted by factors like storage conditions, temperature and humidity. If your probiotic does not contain the clinically studied dose by the time you take it, you may not get the health benefits the product was intended for. At Culturelle®, we guarantee the listed CFUs through the expiration date so you can be sure you are getting what the label says you are.
How Many CFUs Do I Need?
As mentioned previously, the ideal amount of CFUs for a certain strain is that which has been clinically shown to lead to the desired health benefit. Different amounts are effective for different health outcomes, from gut to immune to feminine health. So, it’s best to consider why you’re taking a probiotic and pick a supplement with a CFU count clinically validated to support your desired health benefit.
Probiotic supplements come in a wide range of CFUs. While you might be tempted to believe that more is better, this is not necessarily the case. Most clinical studies with probiotics are conducted with amounts of 1 to 20 billion CFU.
Culturelle® formulations are based on science, with just the right amount of live active cultures to support the unique benefits of each product. Some examples include:
- 15 Billion CFUs in our Health & Wellness Probiotic
- 10 Billion CFUs in our Digestive Daily Probiotic and Digestive Daily Probiotic Chewables
- 5 Billion CFUs in our Kids Purely Probiotic Chewables and Kids Purely Probiotic Packets
As you can see, we tailor our probiotic formulations to the purpose behind the supplement.
Are Higher CFU Probiotics Better?
Higher dose probiotics containing 50 billion to over 200 billion CFUs are becoming more and more common. Some of these contain multiple strains of probiotics. Even though high-dose probiotics are safe for most people, this does not mean they will exert extra benefits. Oftentimes, the strains in the formulation have not been tested in clinical studies. To guarantee effectiveness, it is best to select either single strains or combinations at dosages that have been repeatedly shown to support the same health benefit through clinical studies.
How Do You Know If Your Probiotic Is Too Strong?
Keep in mind that your body may need time to adjust to the introduction of new microorganisms, so taking a high-CFU probiotic right off the bat may lead to symptoms like gas and bloating.
Your body may need some time to adjust to a probiotic, so it can help to start at a moderate amount and increase as needed, especially if you have never taken a probiotic before. This can help reduce or prevent gas or bloating that can occur as your body acclimates to introducing these new microorganisms.
A little gas and bloating can occur as your body adjusts to taking a probiotic supplement, but if you have other symptoms or if the gas and bloating persist for more than a few days, it’s best to contact a healthcare provider. Also, if you started taking the probiotic for a specific reason and you do not experience any change or feel worse, contact your healthcare provider for individualized guidance.
Beyond CFUs: What Else Matters?
CFUs are important, but they are not the only factor to consider when selecting a probiotic. You should also consider the probiotic strain, product testing, and your health history.
Probiotic Strain
There are thousands of probiotic strains, some with more research than others. Besides CFUs, the probiotic strain is the most important thing to consider when picking a probiotic. It can be overwhelming to know which strain to pick. Look for supplements with clinically proven strains. That’s why we use Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in most of our Culturelle® probiotics. This strain has been well-researched and is known to maintain the immune system and support digestive health.1
When you look at the Supplement Facts, look for probiotics that indicate the strain. The strain designation should follow the genus and species and is generally a string of letters, numbers or both, for example, in the name Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, the GG indicates the strain. Since clinical studies use individual strains to identify health benefits, if the probiotic does not indicate the strain, it is not a good supplement and benefits are not clinically proven.3
Product Testing
At Culturelle® Probiotics, we take immense pride in the quality of our products. Our probiotics are manufactured and tested on a batch-by-batch basis to comply with the FDA's current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) regulations for dietary supplements. We ensure each batch meets our stringent purity, quality, and potency standards. Furthermore, we conduct stability testing to guarantee the listed CFUs through the expiration date.
Our facilities undergo regular inspections by the FDA and relevant local Departments of Consumer Protection. Additionally, our manufacturing sites adhere to third-party cGMP certifications, including USP, UL, and NSF, and are periodically audited to maintain these certifications.
We believe that upholding these high-quality standards is crucial for products intended for consumption. It's essential to purchase supplements from a brand you trust. At Culturelle® Probiotics, we ensure you can be confident that you are getting exactly what the label promises.
Your Health History
Probiotics can support various aspects of health, but they’re not for everyone. Plus, your health history and reason for taking probiotics are important in determining the best option for you.
If you are taking any medication or have a health condition, it is best to speak with your healthcare provider before starting a probiotic to verify it is safe for you.
Why You Can Trust in Culturelle® Probiotics
A lot of other probiotics merely state the amount of CFUs that were used during manufacturing, but not Culturelle® Probiotics. We guarantee that the listed CFUs are present through the expiration date as long as the product is stored properly.
Since probiotics are living microorganisms, they die off some faster or slower than others. Heat, moisture, light, and air can impact their survival over time, and if they are not alive when you consume them, they will not be able to exert their beneficial effects.
Thanks to our unique, state-of-the-art manufacturing process and packaging, we guarantee that the number of naturally sourced, live Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG probiotics stated on the label is the amount you will get, therefore ensuring the delivery of the health benefit. You don’t even have to store them in the fridge to maintain the strength of the CFUs (just make sure they are in a dry place that is kept at room temperature or below).
Explore our probiotics for Digestive Health, Immunity, and more today.
The Bottom Line
When you want to achieve the immune and digestive health benefits that probiotics can provide, you need to make sure that you have the correct amount of a clinically validated strain. In other words, you want to make sure the CFU is appropriate and that the CFU amount claimed on the label is what’s alive and active when you take the supplement.
With Culturelle® Probiotics you get proven probiotic strains such as Lactobacillus GG that offer you both a high-quality strain and products with various amounts of CFU, depending on your needs.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30741841/
https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-issues-draft-guidance-labeling-dietary-supplements-containing-live-microbials
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7394020/pdf/fmicb-11-01662.pdf
