How Do You Know If A Probiotic Is Too Strong For You?

It can be difficult to determine if the body is having a natural reaction to new bacteria entering the body or if it’s trying to get used to a large number of probiotics making their way into the gut microbiome. Even though similar strains of bacteria are already present inside the body, it can still take some time for the gut to get used to the additional bacteria. This is why you can sometimes experience side effects when you first begin taking a new probiotic but this is not always related to strength or CFU. There are no known risks to taking probiotics with a high CFU, so long as they are taken correctly, and for a reason. 

Can you take too strong of a probiotic?

The majority of bacterial strains that are found within probiotics already exist inside your gut microbiome, therefore, it can be difficult to say that a probiotic could ever be too strong as the body is already familiar with similar strains of bacteria. That being said, if the body is already familiar with the probiotic bacteria, it does not mean that the body might not still react to your probiotics supplements if you are taking a lot of them! Side effects when you first begin taking probiotics can be common, as the body is trying to get used to the new bacteria surging through the body into the gut microbiome. You may experience bloating, gas, nausea or even diarrhoea when you first begin taking high amounts of probiotics. It can be difficult to determine whether or not these side effects are just down to the body getting used to your new supplement, or it's trying to cope with a very high dosage. Even so, it’s highly unlikely that the body is reacting to a probiotic overdose as this in itself is very uncommon. So long as any side effects disappear after a couple of days, then everything should be normal. Not everyone will experience any side effects but they can happen due to the body needing to get used to the new amount or strength of bacteria entering the body. 

How much probiotic is too much per day?

Whilst there is no harm in taking a probiotic regularly, it is still advised to only take the recommended amount per day and not over exceed the dosage or serving suggestions that have nee provided by the manufacturers. It is typically advised that all you need is one high-quality probiotic supplement a day. Even though there are no known risks to taking more than you need per day, whether that be exceeding the number of capsules a day or having a higher CFU, it is still advised to stick to the recommended daily intake. The main reason why it is advised to stick to just one capsule a day largely comes down to being able to keep track of how much probiotic bacteria you are taking. You could already be consuming many foods that are high in natural probiotics, therefore exceeding your probiotic supplement intake (whilst not considered harmful) could end up being necessary. The body has trillions of bacteria inside it, so over-consuming probiotics bacteria is difficult although should still be taken into account. If you are consuming a lot of probiotic foods and taking a probiotic supplement each day then that is all you need. 

What is the maximum amount of probiotics per day?

It can be difficult to determine the set rule when it comes to the maximum amount of probiotics that you should take per day. Whilst only one capsule or supplement is all you need a day, it is the dosage or colony-forming units can differ so much. The CFU for everyone can be slightly different as we can all be taking probiotics for different reasons. However, it is advised to stay within the suggested dosages to ensure you are taking a sufficient amount of probiotics for your intended reasons: 

• Infants and children only need between 5-10 billion colony-forming units per day

• Adults can safely consume up to 20 billion colony-forming units per day

• Women's formulated probiotics can also be at the higher end of 20 billion CFU

Whilst it is highly unlikely to over-consume probiotics at a dangerous level, it is always advised to follow only the serving suggestions that the manufacturers have stated. This would typically be taking just one suitable probiotic a day with the recommended CFU for that age group. 

Can probiotics mess up your gut?

One of the main reasons why so many people take probiotics is in fact to help support their gut health; keeping it healthy, balanced and functioning correctly.  There are little to no known risks for taking probiotics, especially for your gut health. Therefore it is not known for probiotics to negatively affect or mess up your gut at all.  The right probiotic strain can help increase ‘good’ bacteria, eliminate ‘harmful’ bacteria, and help reduce inflammation! Due to this, probiotics are not known to and should therefore not be making your gut worse but in fact, improving its functionality and overall health. You may or may not experience some side effects when you first begin taking probiotics, which might make you think your gut is getting worse. However, any initial side effects from probiotics would disappear after a couple of days and then will be able to focus on improving your gut. It can just take some time for your gut's natural microbiome to get used to the new bacteria, but when it does then your probiotics will begin improving your overall gut and digestive health.