Udo's Choice™ Probiotics work to maintain the delicate balance of "good" or "friendly" bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract.

NEW! PROBIOTICS PDF FILE AVAILABLE to download!

Probiotics derive from the extensive group of friendly micro-organisms already present in nature that we commonly obtain from yogurt and raw foods. Udo's Choice™ Probiotic Blends consist of SIX distinct varieties, each engineered for a specific age group or condition: Infant's Blend, Children's Blend, Adult's Blend, Advanced Adult's Blend (for seniors), Hi-Potency Bowel Blend, Super 8 Hi-Potency, and Super 5 Lozenge. Click on any of these links for further information on Udo's Choice Probiotics Blends!

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"THE BACTERIA YOU WANT IN FOOD"

Why do we need them? How can they benefit us?

What are probiotics? The human gastrointestinal tract is home to more than 400 types of probiotics (ie, "friendly" bowel bacteria, gut microorganisms, or intestinal flora). In fact, more probiotics live in a person's mouth than there have ever been human beings on this Earth.

These "friendly" microorganisms protect the GI tract (from mouth to anus) and keep us healthy by protecting us from "unfriendly" microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, and fungi that cause disease. They also improve immune system function, and have other health benefits (see lists below).

Where do probiotics come from?

Scientists have identified about 4,000 species of bacteria, and estimate from 400,000 to 4 million actually exist. Good (and bad) bacteria live virtually everywhere! No matter where we go or what we do, we come into contact with them, but certain sources act as "primary sources" of probiotics for us.

During birth, probiotics from the mother's birth canal colonize the infant's gut, and thereafter are provided by mother's milk. After infancy, probiotics are supplied to us by raw foods (grown on uncontaminated soil); lactic acid bacteria-fermented foods such as yogurt and cheese; and probiotic supplements.

Unfortunately, we also come into contact with disease-causing bacteria which are responsible for about half of all human disease. These include some yeasts (Candida and others), Salmonella, Listeria, Montezuma's Revenge, Amoeba, certain E-coli strains, Botulinum and, in places without sanitation, the deadly Typhus and Cholera.

Probiotics protect us from diseases caused by "unfriendly" organisms by:

• Out-populating and inhibiting the growth of "unfriendly" microorganisms;
• Replacing "good" bacteria killed by taking antibiotics (antibiotics kill "bad" bacteria as well as the "good" ones) or cooking foods; and
• Manufacturing chemicals absorbed into the body that the immune system uses to control the "bad" microorganisms.

Any action taken to kill "bad" bacteria essentially kills "good" bacteria as well. For example, cooking foods, taking antibiotics, or using mouthwash will also destroy the organisms meant to protect us. Replacing them is accomplished easily with quality probiotic supplements.

In addition to protecting us from "unfriendly" microorganisms, probiotics help with the following:

• Enhance the immune system's ability to fight infections throughout our tissues;
• Provide a main source of Vitamin K;
• Lower cholesterol by metabolizing it;
• Control bowel toxicity and decrease the risk of bowel cancer; and
• Reduce gas production by non-disease-producing microorganisms.

About 20 different probiotics are grown commercially in dairy or non-dairy cultures. A combination of one or more of these probiotics can be added to cold or warm (up to 120°F or 50°C) foods to replace the ones killed by cooking.

All probiotic supplements work most effectively if taken after meals, when stomach acid is lowest. Stomach acid destroys up to 99.9% of probiotics if taken before a meal but only about 90% if taken after the meal.

Thus, after-meal intake ensures maximum delivery to the small intestine where they reproduce rapidly, populating the colon. They do most of their good work in the small and large intestines, but they also help the mouth and esophagus to remain uninfected. In order to stay alive, probiotics should be kept refrigerated.

Time of Manufacture Guarantee

Flora's dating process is based on the "time of manufacture", which means that the bacterial count on the bottle reflects the number of bacteria in each capsule at the time it was made. The bacterial count found on Udo's Choice Probiotic labels reflects only the number of viable or active bacteria in the product. Any damaged or ineffective bacteria were not included in the count.

We can assume a 2%–4% decrease per month if the product has been kept refrigerated, for example 30 billion viable cells at a 2% decrease will contain 23.5 billion viable cells after 12 months. If left at room temperature, for 30 days an encapsulated product will experience a 20%–40% decrease in bacterial count. A 25% decrease can be expected for an unrefrigerated lozenge product.

Udo's Choice Probiotics boast some of the largest bacterial counts available at time of manufacture so that even by the expiry date you will still be getting all the probiotics you need for proper digestion, strong immune function & overall health.

Refrigeration ensures maximum potency and stability, however Udo's Choice Probiotics can be left unrefrigerated for short periods of time, making them convenient for travel. All Udo's Choice Probiotics may be frozen to further extend shelf life.

This process, which is both simple and complex, is one where state-of-the-art equipment and the knowledge of expert technicians play a key role in order to produce probiotics at the highest possible standardized concentration.

• Mother-culture & Fermentation
  The bacteria proliferate in culture media of increasing volume, until they are placed in the fermentor. The resulting probiotic culture goes from clear to cloudy as the bacteria reproduce
• Filtration
  Once fermentation is complete, the culture is then concentrated to reduce its volume and protected to survive the next phase.
• Lyophilization (freeze-drying)
  The concentrated bacterial culture is frozen at – 40°C. Then, through a process called sublimation, the ice is converted into steam, yielding a solid crust ready for grinding.
• Grinding
  The crust is then gently ground into a fine powder with a high bacterial concentration. This is called the pure culture.
• Mixing
  The pure culture is mixed with excipients to make the subsequent encapsulation or compression phase possible.
• Packaging
  Specific Udo's Choice Probiotics are available in powder, capsule or lozenge formats. Flora uses vegetarian capsules because of their low moisture content which prolongs the shelf life of moisture sensitive products such as probiotics. Flora uses only light-resistant, recyclable, non-reactive, nitrogen flushed, dark brown glass bottles which prolong stability and product integrity.

Bacteria were the first living creatures on Earth, more than 3.5 billion years ago. They are an evolutionary success story that has been around for 2 billion years longer than have humans and all other animals!

Contrary to what most people understand, only a fraction of existing bacteria actually cause disease in humans or other living creatures. In fact, the majority of bacteria are absolutely essential to life on planet Earth.

Functions of Bacteria:

• Decompose dead matter into inorganic chemicals and return them to the environment where they sustain plant life, which animals consume to live;
• Form symbiotic relationships with other living creatures and are believed to be the ancestors of all other life forms; and
• Act as defense against foreign invaders and maintain gut integrity in living creatures

• Decompose sewage (methanogens);
• Decompose synthetic chemicals such as pesticides (soil bacteria called proteobacteria);
• Make vitamins and antibiotics. Over 50% of antibiotics are produced by soil bacteria (Streptomyces);
• Convert milk into yogurt and different types of cheese, and make other fermented
  foods such as miso and tempeh, all of which are valuable food sources for us.

References:

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2. Shahani, Khem. Personal communication, 1998.
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4. Hentges, DJ (ed.), Human Intestinal Microflora In: Health and Disease. Academic Press, New York, NY, 1983.
5. Campbell, Neil A., Biology, Fourth Edition. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc., 1996.von Wright A., Salminen S., Probiotics: established effects and open questions. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1999 Nov;11(11):1195-8. University of Kuopio, Institute of Applied Biotechnology, Finland.
6. Saavedra J., Probiotics and infectious diarrhea. Am J Gastroenterol 2000 Jan;95(1 Suppl):S16-8. Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA.
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9. Elmer G.W., Surawicz C.M., McFarland L.V., Biotherapeutic agents. A neglected modality for the treatment and prevention of selected intestinal and vaginal infections. JAMA 1996 Mar 20;275(11):870-6. Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
10. Simenhoff M.L., et al., Biomodulation of the toxic and nutritional effects of small bowel bacterial overgrowth in end-stage kidney disease using freeze-dried Lactobacillus acidophilus. Miner Electrolyte Metab 1996;22(1-3):92-6. Department of Medicine and Nephrology, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA 19107-6799, USA.
11. Hilton E., et al., Ingestion of yogurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus as prophylaxis for candidal vaginitis. Ann Intern Med 1992 Mar 1;116(5):353-7. Division of Infectious Diseases, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY 11042.
12. Reid G., et al., Is there a role for lactobacilli in prevention of urogenital and intestinal infections? Clin Microbiol Rev 1990 Oct;3(4):335-44. Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto General Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
13. Saavedra J.M., et al., Feeding of Bifidobacterium bifidum and Streptococcus thermophilus to infants in hospital for prevention of diarrhoea and shedding of rotavirus. Lancet 1994 Oct 15;344(8929):1046-9. Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
14. Shahani K.M., Chandan R.C., Nutritional and healthful aspects of cultured and culture-containing dairy foods. J Dairy Sci 1979 Oct;62(10):1685-94.
15. Saavedra J., Probiotics and infectious diarrhea. Am J Gastroenterol 2000 Jan;95(1 Suppl):S16-8. Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA.
16. Gorbach S.L., Lactic acid bacteria and human health. Ann Med 1990 Feb;22(1):37-41. Department of Community Health, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111.
17. de Roos N.M., Katan M.B., Effects of probiotic bacteria on diarrhea, lipid metabolism, and carcinogenesis: a review of papers published between 1988 and 1998. Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Feb;71(2):405-11. Division of Human Nutrition and Epidemiology, Wageningen University, Netherlands.
18. von Wright A., Salminen S., Probiotics: established effects and open questions. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1999 Nov;11(11):1195-8. University of Kuopio, Institute of Applied Biotechnology, Finland.
19. Schultz M., Sartor R.B., Probiotics and inflammatory bowel diseases. Am J Gastroenterol 2000 Jan;95(1 Suppl):S19-21. University of Regensburg, Department of Internal Medicine, Germany