Do you need to keep probiotics in the refrigerator?

Do you need to refrigerate probiotics?

No, not all probiotic supplements need to be kept in the fridge. The best way to determine whether they need to be kept in the fridge or not would be to simply check the label on your supplement carefully. Another good way to determine if your probiotic needs to be kept in a fridge would be to look at how it was stored when purchased. If it was refrigerated at point of purchased or delivered in packaging with a cool pack, then it will be more than likely that the product will need to be kept in a refrigerator. Some probiotic supplements can be kept at room temperature safely. These probiotics will be labelled as shelf stable on their packaging or labels which you will be able to see upon purchasing the product.

It is worth remembering that probiotics are bacteria and they have to be stored correctly in order to work. If the supplement is kept out of the correct temperature range, then the product will degrade much faster and ultimately, wont work. If you buy a probiotic supplement that was not temperature controlled, they will not function in the way they should.

Are refrigerated probiotics better for you?

No, when it comes down to the efficacy of the products, as long as your probiotic supplement is stored correctly as the label states then your supplements should work just as effectively as compared to a probiotic that needs to be refrigerated.

The reasoning behind that some probiotics need to be refrigerated and others don’t mainly boils down to the fact that the many different strains of probiotics all have varying sensitivity levels. Not all strains of bacteria can be freeze dried – this is the process used to make the probiotics shelf stable effectively.

Our probiotic supplements ensure shelf life stability – meaning if you can keep your products at normal room temperature they will still work efficiently.

Can probiotic supplements expire?

Yes, probiotic supplements do have an expiry date. You will need to read the product lavbel carefully once purchased to check the shelf life of the probiotic supplement. Our probiotic supplements offer a shelf life of up to two years – pretty impressive huh? The objective of taking a probiotic supplement is to get a substantial amount of live bacteria past your stomach acid and into your gastrointestinal tract for it to work as it should. Although taking a probiotic supplement with an expired shelf life should not give you any serious side effects, it is not recommended to take a probiotic supplement that is out of date. It is also highly likely that the probiotic supplement will also not work, so you are better off throwing out the old probiotic and purchasing a new probiotic supplement!

Can I take a probiotic supplement after its expiry date?

Yes, you can take a probiotic supplement after its expiry date. Although you will more than likely be wasting your time by taking it. The way we see it is, you wouldn’t consume out of date food, so why would you consume a supplement that was out of date too? The potency of a probiotic supplement that has been kept past its shelf life date, or stored incorrectly will simply be ineffective and not benefit those who take it.

When should I refrigerate a probiotic supplement?

Although it is not necessary to refrigerate your probiotic supplement if it offers shelf life stability and potency, most probiotic supplements only offer this if your home or chosen place of storage sits at around room temperature. Room temperature is classed at roughly around 20 degrees Celsius. Different strains in different probiotic supplements have different storage requirements, so you always need to check the labels. Most bacterial strains in probiotic supplements will die if they are exposed to heat, so it is best to keep them in the fridge if your chosen place of storage for your probiotic is above 20 degrees Celsius.

If you have any medical questions relating to probiotic supplementation. It is recommended that you discuss any questions you may have with a medically trained professional or your Doctor. While there are no studies that suggest taking an out of date probiotic supplement will do you any harm, we recommended that you throw away any out of date probiotics should you have them.