Probiotics are one supplement backed by scientific studies that have found it can fight inflammation (which is lined to obesity and diseases like diabetes and heart disease) as well as help with faster weight loss. It’s not a miracle pill — there are no miracle pills — but a quality probiotic can “reduce the number of calories you absorb from food. They also affect hormones and proteins related to appetite and fat storage. They may also reduce inflammation, which can drive obesity,” according to Healthline.
You can get probiotics from fermented foods like miso and yogurt. And you can take it in supplement form — here’s one that has proven a winner on Amazon.
NewRhythm Probiotics
With 50 billion CFU’s of active cultures and 20 strains of bacteria, this probiotic meets all of the requirements you’re looking for in a great probiotic supplement. It’s made in an organic-certified facility in New York and has only natural, non-GMO, gluten-free ingredients.
And one of the best ways this probiotic stands out is for its targeted release technology, which ensures it works consistently over the course of hours, which is easier on your gut and less likely to cause stomach upset.
NewRhythm Probiotics, $17, Amazon
This particular brand of probiotics enjoys more than 1,700 reviews and a solid 4.3 out of 5 star rating with 72 percent of reviewers giving it a perfect 5 stars.
So what is it about this supplement that makes it stand out?
Two things. The first: bacteria strains.
This vegetarian probiotic contains all of the following strains: L.acidophilus, L.rhamnosus, L.crispatus, L.plantarum, L.paracasei, L.bulgaricus, L.reuteri, L.casei, L.salivarius, L.helveticus, L. gasseri. B.lactis, B. bifidum, B.longum, B.breve, B. adolescentis, B. infantis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophiles.
The second selling point is the sheer number of great reviews you’ll read about this supplement.
One reviewer writes: “NewRhythm is the third brand I've tried and it, by far, has worked the best for me. How do I know? It has cleared up the eczema on my legs and face in just a month of taking 2-3 pills a day. I just purchased my second bottle and will definitely continue with this brand.”
Another reviewer raves: “This product really changed my life. Medication that I take has caused me to experience SEVERE constipation consistently for the past 14 years. No laxatives or any level of hydration including loads of fiber have ever really made a big enough difference to be regular for any length of time. But, I started taking these probiotics a shot-in-the-dark. I had seen in online articles that probiotics seem to be controversial as to whether or not they will help with chronic constipation, especially when it is caused by or associated with opiate/opioid medications. Anyway, after receiving this bottle I took the full dose of two tablets and ever since the next morning I have had a normal, healthy BM including every morning since.”