In general, it is highly recommended that probiotics be refrigerated to maximally preserve their viability over time. Although probiotics should be refrigerated , they DO NOT spoil or die-off quickly at room temperature. They may be left at room temperature for days and even several weeks without a great loss of viable organisms. In our custom formulation of ALIVE we have included extra amounts of probiotics during manufacture to compensate for small losses that may occur during transit or storage so that you are GUARANTEED the full amount of 25+ billion CFU’s no matter what!

A probiotic is an organism which contributes to the health and balance of the intestinal tract. A probiotic is also referred to as the “friendly”, “beneficial”, or “good” bacteria which when ingested acts to maintain a healthy intestinal tract and help fight illness and disease.

A healthy lower intestine should contain at least 85% friendly bacteria to prevent the over colonization of disease causing micro-organisms like E. coli and salmonella. Our colon can maintain its health with 15% unfriendly bacteria, if the body contains at least 85% probiotic friendly bacteria. Most people have this percentage reversed.

The word “Probiotic” simply means “for life” which explains why these nutrients are so important. But if you want the proper scientific definition of a Probiotic here it is: “A live microbial feed supplement, which beneficially affects the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance”

There are several reasons that YOU should be interested in probiotics for health purposes:

First, the world is full of microorganisms (including bacteria), and so are people’s bodies—in and on the skin, in the gut, and in other orifices. Friendly bacteria are vital to proper development of the immune system, to protection against microorganisms that could cause disease, and to the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. Each person’s mix of bacteria varies. Interactions between a person and the microorganisms in his body, and among the microorganisms themselves, can be crucial to the person’s health and well-being.

This bacterial “balancing act” can be thrown off in two major ways:

1.By antibiotics, when they kill friendly bacteria in the gut along with unfriendly bacteria. Some people use probiotics to try to offset side effects from antibiotics like gas, cramping, or diarrhea. Similarly, some use them to ease symptoms of lactose intolerance—a condition in which the gut lacks the enzyme needed to digest significant amounts of the major sugar in milk, and which also causes gastrointestinal symptoms.

2.”Unfriendly” microorganisms such as disease-causing bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and parasites can also upset the balance. Researchers are exploring whether probiotics could halt these unfriendly agents in the first place and/or suppress their growth and activity in conditions like:

Infectious diarrhea Irritable bowel syndrome Inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacterium that causes most ulcers and many types of chronic stomach inflammation Tooth decay and periodontal disease Vaginal infections Stomach and respiratory infections that children acquire in daycare Skin infections

Another part of the interest in probiotics stems from the fact there are cells in the digestive tract connected with the immune system. One theory is that if you alter the microorganisms in a person’s intestinal tract (as by introducing probiotic bacteria), you can affect the immune system’s defenses.

New research is establishing how important the supplementation of probiotics can be for a variety of conditions. Probiotics enhance the immune system by favorably altering the gut micro-ecology and preventing unfriendly organisms from gaining a foothold in the body. They prevent the overgrowth of yeast and fungus and produce substances that can lower cholesterol.

Probiotics are widely recommended for the treatment of Candida – a fungal infection – because they establish large, healthy populations of friendly bacteria that compete with the Candida that is trying to take up residence in the intestine. Probiotics are also essential in the treatment and prevention of thrush, vaginal yeast infections, and athlete’s foot.

An example of an ideal blend of friendly bacterial strains and some of their roles:

B. breve – Aids in the prevention of diarrhea and in the production and promotion of natural antibodies

B. longum – Helps to eliminate cancer-causing nitrates in foods

L. acidophilus – Neutralizes chronic yeast infections, campylobacter, and various flu’s, while helping to lower cholesterol levels

L. bulgaricus – Transient bacteria helps alleviate digestive problems, herpes and acid reflux

L. casei – Protects against deadly Listeria bacteria; inhibits activity in tumor cells

L. plantarum – Blocks receptor sites for gram-negative bacteria and produces natural antibodies and focuses on viruses