Why Traditional Probiotic Strategies Don’t Work & What to Do Instead…

taking probioticsWe read endless reports of the benefits of taking probiotics.

It makes it that much more frustrating when they don’t seem to be working for you.

Why might they not be working for you?

Let’s explore the most common reasons why!

Low Diversity of Gut Flora is Behind Most Gut Problems –
But… Add Diversity Back in Stepwise Fashion 

Some probiotics may be over-stimulating short-term – start with balancing & conditioning microbes like Bifidobacteria & Spore probiotics, respectively. Start low and work up with all probiotics, and, introduce Lactobacillus & prebiotics later in your protocol to avoid unintended probiotic side effects.

I’ve summarized a sample progression of how to take probiotics and prebiotics & introduce them in a stepwise order!

Dr. Rinehart’s Probiotic Blueprint: Taking Probiotics to Restore Microbiome Diversity

Probiotic Articles:

Favorite Probiotics:

Favorite Prebiotics:

Antimicrobial Support:

Die-Off Support when Starting Probiotics:

When you first start taking probiotics they can crowd out overgrown bacteria or produce antimicrobial compounds that directly kill unwanted organisms.

This process is called “Die-off” or “Herx’ing” – a shortened term from “Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction” named after the scientists who first detailed it.

When microbes die, they release toxins and cell debris that can make us feel sick in the short term. Symptoms like diarrhea, headache, mental fog, and more can be normal when first starting. In many cases they dissipate in 1-5 days but can persist.

Foremost this is a “healing” response – and sometimes a necessary evil to initiate change in the microbiome – but it is also a stress on the body that may already be stressed in the first place.

This is why it’s generally recommended to start low and work your way up with probiotics and natural antimicrobial herbs – and add “die-off support” if you’re still having trouble.

Here are some examples of common products used for die-offs.

See all Best-Selling Supplements