Hi. I've started taking probiotics but just had a couple of questions about them that perhaps some of you who are more familiar with them can help answer. I take the probiotics in capsule form (I take the natural factors brand, usually NF Priotec, and I take 1-2 a day) and also in powdered form as part of my greens foods mix. I know that probiotics have to be refridgerated so I was wondering if the probiotics in the powdered mix are actually effective and/or living, at least to the extent that they should be, since they sell the mix on the shelf (I do refridgerate it after opening).

I have read about probiotics' beneficial effects with respect to fighting and helping to reduce the chances of certain diseases, viruses, and infections but the studies I've seen are all done on rodents who are orally adminstered amounts of probiotics way above that which I take, and I guess most people take. The studies say that effectiveness is dependent on how much and for how long you take the probiotic(s) and in many cases the probiotics were give by injections which I guess helped them survive since they weren't killed by stomach acids. Are the probiotics that you take as supplements, then, actually effective in doing what they are supposed to do considering that the amounts taken aren't as high as those in the studies and since many of them are killed by stomach acids? I was just wondering since I just may be wasting money on these things if they aren't as effectove as I think.

Thanks

Probiotics are very good after taking antibiotics or with antifungal medication. Once you have taken them for a few weeks on a regular basis I think you can stop because your guts will be full of the new bacteria and should be forming nice colonies on their own. Start again if you experience milk intolerance or after antibiotics.