If you're on a health journey, looking for the right nutrients for your body can be a never-ending journey. There's a lot to consider, between diet and exercise, gut health, good bacteria in your body, among other aspects. If you're someone who lives with an irritable digestive system, like irritable bowel syndrome, you'll want to be looking for products that help with your overall digestive health. This is where a probiotic supplement can really help your gut health. But how long does it take for probiotics to work? And does it help with things like gut bacteria, the immune system, and the digestive tract? We'll look into why and review some of the best probiotic supplements available online.

What is a Probiotic Supplement?

A probiotic supplement comes as a pill or tablet that has a similar function to your typical nutritional or vitamin supplement.. It's used to add more nutrients to your body that you need to stay healthy. If you are working on gut health and have discussed with your doctor what gut bacteria to focus on aiding, then choosing the right probiotic strain can help you on your health journey. Remember, if you're interested in learning about what probiotic works for you, speak with a trained health professional as to what can help your body, gut health, and immune system. All of these need to be considered before starting probiotic supplementation.

How Long Does It Take for Probiotics to Work?

It's important to know before starting a supplement that it may take some time before you start seeing tangible results. Often, processes are happening to your gut bacteria or immune system that you may not be aware of for months or years. However, if you see any negative results, talk to your doctor, and stop taking the supplement. Have realistic expectations when it comes to using probiotic supplementation. If you're taking probiotic powder or pills daily, make sure to stick to a routine, and you should see results. For those who are experiencing acute diarrhea, results may occur within the first week of taking supplements. This is because the probiotics are quickly delivered to your digestive tract, and digestive symptoms can significantly change. For people who have irritable bowel syndrome, they may see results within the first few weeks of taking probiotics. Supplements can also help with conditions like ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease. However, the time it takes for a probiotic to work can vary. There are many factors to consider, and cleaning out harmful bacteria from your body can take some time. Expect diarrhea symptoms to be helped by a probiotic within 1 to 2 weeks; constipation anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks; bloating within a month; and weight loss or gain in 2 to 4 months.

Top Probiotic Products Reviewed

1. Physician's Choice: Probiotics 60 Billion Probiotic

This probiotic from Physician’s Choice comes in a 30-day capsule bottle. It has 60 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) per serving, which are the number of live and active micro-organisms. This helps colonize good bacteria in your digestive tract and gut health. This Physician’s Choice formula offers a complete supplement to aid in digestive health. It uses non-GMO, vegan, peanut-free ingredients. Doctors do not only highly recommend it, but it’s also the best-selling probiotic on Amazon. This is a product well-loved by probiotic users.

2. Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Probiotics: Once Daily Women’s Probiotics, 50 Billion CFU Guaranteed

Garden of Life is a company that specializes in vitamin supplements, and their Dr. Formulated Probiotics are a high-rated option by customers on Amazon. It’s an online bestseller and comes as a once-a-day capsule. These probiotics have formulas available for women and men. This product is especially helpful for digestion support, as it contains Bifidobacteria and Lactobaccilus to aid with constipation and other digestive problems. Garden of Life’s formula has 50 billion CFU and 16 probiotics, which can help the overall health of your immune system. Probiotic strains contain a blend of whole foods, fiber, and prebiotics that’s a great benefit to gut health. This formula is dairy-free, vegetarian, soy-free, and gluten-free. It’s also shelf-stable so it can live in your medicine cabinet and doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

3. NewRhythm Probiotics 50 Billion CFU 20 Strains

For a probiotic that’s chock-full of vegetables, NewRhythm makes a formula with 50 billion CFU and 20 probiotic strains. Their formula has all-natural probiotics that provide support for the good intestinal flora and healthy digestion. NewRhythm has a targeted release technology, allowing the formula to release gradually for a few hours instead of immediately going into your system. This can help ease any digestive problems as your body eases into the effects of probiotics. With a slow-release, probiotics can survive stomach acids and reach the intestinal tract. It’s especially helpful for anyone with irritable bowel syndrome or other digestive sensitivities. These probiotics are made in the USA and are shelf stable. It’s non-GMO, peanut-free, and gluten-free. If the product doesn’t work for you, NewRhythm offers a 100% money-back guarantee within the first 30 days of purchase.

4. Culturelle Daily Probiotic, 30 count Digestive Health Capsules

Culturelle’s Digestive Daily Probiotic promises to keep your digestive system in balance. Their formula does this with 10 billion CFUs that support your gut microbiome. With proper support for gut health, taking a daily probiotic will help your digestive system work better. Culturelle’s Daily Probiotic also helps anyone who has diarrhea, gas and bloating. If you experience stomach and digestive issues from traveling, Culturelle recommends taking their probiotic before and after travel. These probiotics are strong enough to survive stomach acids and work their way into the digestive tract. Culturelle’s products are vegetarians and gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, wheat-free, and contain no preservatives. They offer several probiotic options, like an extra-strength formula, a Health & Wellness formula, a women’s probiotic, and a kid’s probiotic.

5. Align Probiotics Supplement, 24/7 Digestive Support

This probiotic supplement from Align offers digestive support and balance for adults in a capsule formula. With their 24/7 digestive support, this supplement can help with occasional abdominal discomfort, gas, and bloating. This is another best-selling probiotic online and recommended by doctors, and it’s backed by over 20 years of research by gastroenterologists. Align’s formula contains Bifidobacterium 35624, a probiotic strain that naturally supplements your digestive system with good bacteria. It’s recommended for use if you’re traveling, changing your diet, changing your routine, or if your digestive system has been affected by stress.