Disease-causing microbes including bacteria have slipped past our immune systems' front lines of defense and are threatening to destroy our bodies' good bacteria, important components of our defense systems. Add to this invasion the eradication of beneficial bacteria by improper diet, chlorinated contaminants in drinking water and overuse of antibiotics. This onslaught results in impairment of the body's ability to ward off illness. You can find several types of probiotics at natural products stores. Ingesting active probiotic products can lead to an improved ratio of beneficial to harmful bacteria in your digestive system.
Most probiotic products start as deep-frozen human bacteria samples.
Small amounts are then taken from the samples and grown in cultures. Once grown, the bacteria are freeze-dried and kept in cold storage until they're reactivated by increased temperature, moisture and an adequate supply of nutrients. If probiotics are stored on a warm shelf or transported in warm conditions, the viability of the bacteria decreases rapidly, says Anthony Almada, M.S., supplement researcher. For optimal effectiveness, he advises probiotics be kept at as cold a temperature as possible. Even freezing probiotic products won't damage them, he says.