Q. What does the word “Probiotics” mean?
A. The word is derived from the Greek pro (for, supportive of) and bios (life). When the word refers to dietary supplements it refers to those consisting of friendly, beneficial living bacteria – single celled forms of life – that support life by promoting health. Probiotics are beneficial, pro-life, health-enhancing bacteria.

Q. Where in the body do these friendly bacteria live and perform their beneficial functions?
A. They colonize, multiply and perform their beneficial functions mainly in the intestinal tract.

Q. What beneficial functions do Probiotics perform in the intestinal tract?
A. They support the proper functioning of all body systems by improving the digestion and absorption of the foods and supplements that are ingested into the body through the mouth, resulting in strengthened immunity, more energy and better general health.

Q. What other benefits result from taking Probiotics?
A. Improved digestion and absorption of foods and supplements results in increased energy, improved general health and simply feeling better.

Q. Do some of our ordinary, everyday foods contain Probiotics?
A. Yes, and some foods such as yogurt contain more beneficial bacteria than other foods.

Q. If I eat a lot of yogurt, will I get all of the Probiotics that my body needs?
A. No, because a large percentage of the Probiotic bacteria in yogurt are neutralized by the strong acids in your stomach, and never make it into the small intestines where the metabolism, digestion and absorption of nutrients mainly takes place.

Q. OK, then why are not the Probiotics taken in Probiotic supplements likewise neutralized in the intestines?
A. Because good Probiotic supplements are “Enteric Coated” so that, unlike the Probiotics in yogurt, they survive the stomach acids and pass on into the intestines where they perform their beneficial functions.

Q. What about the Probiotics in the variety of foods that I eat? Why are they not adequate to perform their beneficial functions in my intestinal tract?
A. If your dietary intake is typical, too much of the food you eat is not natural food. It is processed food that is deficient in living, beneficial Probiotic bacteria due to chemicals, overheating, boiling, baking and microwaving which nullifies much of the friendly bacteria.

Q. Is there any relationship between my age and the supply of beneficial bacteria in my intestines?
A. Yes. As your body ages, the supply of beneficial bacteria in your intestines decreases progressively. For that simple reason it is increasingly important to replenish the lost Probiotic bacteria by taking good Probiotic supplements. Regardless of your age, you need Probiotic supplements, and with aging the need becomes increasingly urgent.

Q. What about unfriendly bacteria that are non-beneficial or worse? Don’t we all have them in our body?
A. Yes, and that is good because as your beneficial bacteria struggle to maintain predominance, they gain strength. It’s something like an athlete whose struggle to win against his opponents makes him a more effective athlete. Or an army that is combat seasoned and therefore a more formidable foe. Beneficial bacteria struggle to maintain predominance, and thereby gain strength and effectiveness. A properly balanced intestinal tract contains enough non-beneficial bacteria to keep the beneficial bacteria busy fighting them in order to keep them under control.

Q. There is a lot of chatter these days about longevity, meaning the length of life. Is there any relationship between supplementation with good Probiotics and longevity?
A. It is a no brainer that the longer you can maintain the health of your body, the longer you will live. An adequate supply of Enteric Coated Probiotics in the intestinal tract translates to improved metabolism, enhanced digestion and absorption of nutrients, and a strengthened immune system. These are factors that contribute to maintenance of health, which in turn may support longevity of physical life.