Fermented foods including yogurt, kombucha, sauerkraut, and kimchi are the most significant sources of dietary probiotics. Fermented foods contain a wide variety of bacteria and yeasts that can provide health advantages, but strain and quantity of probiotics are very hard to determine.
Probiotic supplements come in oral, topical, and suppository forms and are made up of bacteria, bacterial spores, or fungi. Probiotic effects are based on certain families and species of bacteria, rather than merely amount or CFU count, according to research.
While some probiotics, such as Bacillus coagulans (bacterial spore) and Saccharomyces boulardii (fungus), can be stored at room temperature, most probiotics are bacteria and must be kept refrigerated since they lose efficacy and numbers when exposed to heat. Always pay attention to the storage directions on the product label.
Any statements or products mentioned herein this article are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.