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Is there an objective difference between liquid probiotics and probiotics in tablet / capsule / powder form?

Probiotic supplements are available in a variety of forms, from capsules, tablets to powders and liquids. Each form has its advantages and disadvantages, but individual forms have irreplaceable comparative advantages.

The most important characteristic of probiotics is not necessarily the number of bacteria / strains mentioned on the label, but the ability of bacterial cells to reach our intestines. In particular, if probiotic bacteria are not able to cross the stomach acid barrier and its low pH, they will not be able to reach the intestines and do the job assigned to them optimally.

Scientific studies show that the survival rates of some probiotic strains do not reach more than 10 – 20 %, due to the acid environment in the stomach, and in some cellulose-coated capsules it is estimated that up to 96 % of probiotics die in contact with stomach acid.

We often overlook the fact that the technological process is largely responsible for the absorption of dietary supplements we take – regardless of whether the composition of probiotic cultures on the declarations is identical to similar products offered.

The technological process of lacto-fermentation in a liquid probiotic creates lactic acid as a by-product of fermentation, which means that the bacterial culture already lives in an acid environment. When a bacterial cell enters the acid environment of the stomach, it is already accustomed to the acid medium and as such can continue its journey to the intestines undamaged. Most probiotic supplements in tablet / capsule form cannot survive stomach acid because they are not initially adapted to an acid environment.

Probiotic drinks and probiotic foods are active media and the bacteria in them are already in an activated state. By lacto-fermentation, we add live and active bacteria to the liquid medium, which enables them to grow and ferment inside the bottle. With such process guidance, the bacteria work together as a team, there is no major competition with each other. In particular, when they reach our intestines, they immediately “start to do their work”. Certain probiotic supplements in tablet or powder form takes them up to 6 hours to start acting and settling in the gut (if they succeed at all).

An essential characteristic of lacto-fermentation is that food retains its vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids in their original form (since there is no heating). Lactic acid bacteria make nutrients even more accessible to our body, so we extract the maximum of what we put into this fermented food supplement. This applies especially to the synergy of the active components – since bacteria / probiotics need prebiotics to start active metabolic processes, i. e. to increase the level of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Prebiotics are plant fibres and sometimes are not included in probiotic capsules, but are found in probiotic foods and beverages.

Probiotic drinks also create a synergistic effect among different ingredients. This means that different substances have a combined effect that is greater than the sum of their individual components. This synergy can only occur when probiotics supplements are in active form – and the acidic liquid medium allows them to do a prerequisite for creation of POSTBIOTICS!

We often received inquiries from our users – why we do not create Acidosalus probiotic supplement in the form of tablets or powder?

But now it has been clarified – Acidosalus is a lacto-fermented liquid that is also the most optimal format for probiotics to be in their active form and to deliver them to your gastrointestinal tract in the best possible way!

Blog written by: Acidosalus Blog Project Team

 

Sources and scientific articles:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264796370_The_Comparison_of_Food_and_Supplement_as_Probiotic_Delivery_Vehicles

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257790105_Probiotic_Formulations_Application_and_Status_as_Pharmaceuticals-A_Review

https://www.researchgate.net/journal/1040-8398_Critical_Reviews_in_Food_Science_and_Nutrition

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2014.887055?src=recsys