In general, there are two situations in which a low CFU (colony forming unit) is better than a high one. One is related to age. Infants under 6 months of age should have no more than 1 to 2 billion CFU. This is simply due to age and lack of biodiversity in the gut. Infants between 6 months and 3 years of age also require lower CFUs, ranging from 2 billion to 6 billion. Children over 3 years of age require fewer CFUs than adults, with adults requiring between 4 and 25 billion (Consider this here too).
Outside of these ages, some adults may require lower probiotic concentrations. This is especially true for people who are already sensitive to supplements, have gastrointestinal irritation, or have autoimmune diseases such as MCAS. Of course, there are many other health conditions that can increase an individual’s sensitivity to probiotics. The way to find out if you’re sensitive is to start with a low concentration and increase the dose until you notice a change in your digestion or overall health.
What is CFU in probiotics? When should I take high CFU probiotics?
So, you’re an adult who doesn’t have leaky gut, severe health conditions, or sensitivities to supplements, but you want to improve your overall health or address bothersome chronic constipation right away. That’s what I’m doing. Perhaps you’re ready to take a powerful probiotic or prebiotic supplement to fuel you into action. In that case, enjoy a whopping 25-70 billion CFU at your disposal.
Of course, you may feel the need to temporarily reduce your dose if temporary symptoms such as gas, bloating, loose stools, or headaches interfere with your daily life. On the other hand, if you start with a lower CFU, such as 25 billion, and don’t feel any improvement in your digestion or energy levels, try doubling the amount and seeing if you see a difference with a higher CFU.
How to know if you are probiotic CFU is too high
It’s very possible to have too much of a good thing. Some people have reported sudden onset of chronic diarrhea (lasting more than a week) when taking probiotics with a total CFU of 70 billion or more. If you are a person suffering from severe medical conditions, abdominal pain due to intestinal problems, or severe leaky gut, intolerable side effects may be recorded if the dose of CFU is too high.
In all these cases, the best way to find out if your symptoms are caused by too many CFUs is to take a probiotic every other day or take a half dose and see if your symptoms go away. Just to see if it improves. If that happens, you can take lower doses until you feel ready to scale up.
Remember to consider the power of prebiotics
Prebiotic powders such as inulin, Jerusalem artichoke, triphala powder, FOS, and XOS can help increase the effectiveness of probiotic supplements when taken at the same time or in the same capsule. Because probiotics are so good at helping probiotics multiply quickly, some people with sensitive gastrointestinal tracts or other severe health conditions may be concerned about which prebiotics to take and when. , you may need to carefully calculate how much to take.
When you think of prebiotic supplements as fertilizer for your favorite plants, it may be easier to consider how important gentle dosing is to plant health. Finding the right amount of prebiotics to ingest can mean the difference between helping a struggling probiotic grow or giving prebiotics to a population that already has more than enough. may be produced.
Find the CFU that’s right for you
When it comes to finding the best probiotic for you, it’s not always important to get the CFU as high as you can tolerate. There are several important factors to consider when searching.
What prebiotics (if any) does it contain?
How sensitive are you to supplements?
How strong is your digestive system?
Which probiotic strains are included?
How quickly do you want results?
It may sound like a lot to consider, but they all help make a probiotic supplement uniquely tailored to your needs. When you know more about what your needs are and what you can tolerate, it becomes much easier to meet those needs. Knowing how high your probiotic concentration (CFU) should be is a great place to start.
Finally, don’t forget the most important thing. If you take a small amount, Probiotic foods like homemade yogurt and kefir (And more) When taken daily, it can promote intestinal health, and this has been proven for a century. These foods are well-balanced and eating the right amounts and frequently is key to good health.
