What Dose Should I Take?

A push towards using natural methods to maintain digestive health in recent years has led to an increased interest in probiotics—live microorganisms that confer health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts, often for immune and digestive health.¹ Probiotics are thought to exert beneficial effects by supporting protective barriers and immune function, and helping to maintain microbiome balance by displacing potentially “unfriendly” bacteria.^2–4

Upon learning of probiotic benefits, people often want to know what constitutes an “adequate” amount. However, because there are so many different probiotic microorganisms and variables to consider when making recommendations (e.g., dosage, delivery methods, number of strains, etc.) it is difficult to generalize one dose as “adequate” for providing probiotic effects for everyone.^5,6

Consequently, the answer to “What dose should I take?” will ultimately depend on an individual’s purpose for taking probiotics.

To help meet individual needs, Nordic Naturals offers a variety of probiotic formulas designed to support the whole family with daily probiotics for everyday maintenance, age-appropriate blends for kids and toddlers, and higher-CFU probiotics for adults with more specific needs.*

Colony Forming Units

Probiotic dosage is expressed in CFU, or colony forming units. This estimates the number of live microbes capable of forming colonies in laboratory testing. CFU is determined in the laboratory because it tells you the viability of the bacteria before they’re exposed to the GI tract.¹ Supplemental probiotics come in a wide range of CFUs—from the high millions to as many as 200 billion.

The International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) does not assign a specific amount to their definition of “probiotic”; however, other national health agencies require a minimum of one billion CFU to be labeled as probiotic.¹ Thus, ISAPP considers a total daily dose of one billion CFU to be the minimum effective amount, unless clinical research demonstrates otherwise.¹

Balancing the Intestinal Ecosystem

Although the vast majority of existing clinical trials indicate that probiotic doses of 10-20 billion CFU per day are sufficient for maintaining immune and digestive health, research studies examining the dose-response of larger CFUs and products featuring CFUs of 50 to 100 billion are becoming increasingly common.^6,7 While it may be tempting to assume that a larger CFU automatically translates to greater probiotic benefits, this is not necessarily the case for every individual or intended health benefit.^8,9

One of the mechanisms of probiotic supplementation is helping maintain intestinal balance by replacing unfriendly microbes with more favorable ones. Because not everyone needs very large amounts of probiotic bacteria to achieve this, regularly providing the body with a moderate supplementation of high-quality probiotics may represent a biologically meaningful approach to health maintenance.

Thus, for individuals in relatively good health, a daily dose of 10-20 billion CFU is likely sufficient for everyday immune and digestive support. If this is what you’re seeking, Nordic® Flora Probiotic Daily by Nordic Naturals provides a daily dose of 12 billion CFU to help replenish, balance, and maintain a healthy gut.*

Different CFUs for Different Needs

As with most supplements, there is a large dose range over which probiotics are clinically effective, and higher dosages may be advisable for certain individuals and specific health benefits.^10-12 For example, research suggests that supplementing with a high CFU probiotic may be beneficial for people who’ve experienced a significant alteration to their gut microbiome due to illness, use of antibiotics, or other lifestyle factors.^5,13

Consider Nordic Naturals’ more powerful probiotic formulas designed to address immune health, gut biodiversity, regularity, and women’s vaginal health.*

Adding to the complexity of dosing, research studies show that different health states can respond differently to different probiotic strains and dosages. For some, a lower dose may work as well or even better than a higher dose, whereas for others, higher amounts (50 billion+ CFU) are necessary to provide effects.^7,10,14-18 More and better studies investigating the dose-response relation of probiotics for different health benefits can further inform our understanding of appropriate dosing.

Survivability and Stability

CFU is not the only variable in the probiotic dosage equation. The survivability of a probiotic product’s strains and the methods used to provide stability and support for survival within the digestive system are just as important as the number of viable bacteria it provides.^19-20 

After all, probiotics usually exert positive benefits if they survive. For a deeper dive into variables affecting probiotic survivability, check out “Probiotics 101: Everything you need to know”.

Takeaways

• It is difficult to define an “adequate” CFU for achieving probiotic effects because there are so many different probiotic microorganisms and variables affecting probiotic efficacy.^5,6
• The number of CFU a person needs will ultimately depend on their purpose for taking probiotics.
• While most studies show that 10-20 million CFU are adequate for probiotic benefits, larger CFUs may be more suitable for individuals requiring high-intensity support.^7,10,14–18
• Individuals with special needs looking to start a probiotic regimen should speak with a medical professional about what CFU and strains to look for.

FDA Disclaimer:
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

General Notice & Disclaimer: 
This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult your health care provider if you have a known medical condition or are taking medications. The information provided herein is based on a review of current existing research; the presenter and sponsor do not accept responsibility for the accuracy of the information itself or the consequences from the use or misuse of the information.