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Hello, I'm YAYAâ½, the lactic acid bacteria master of Yakal!

on the internet ‘probiotics’and searched for it, haven't you??

They all look good, and with so many different functions, everyone experiences having 100 question marks in their head?

Prices vary widely, and unfamiliar terms pop up so much that it becomes even more confusing.

At first, I wandered around like that too

"and then I thought, "Wouldn't it be better to set my own criteria and choose, rather than just following ads?".

So now in my own way I'm choosing probiotics, and you're curious, aren't you??

JA!!!!! Well then, let's go learn about my own probiotics selection method right now!

1. Guaranteed CFU Count

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The first thing you should look at is the guaranteed CFU count.

No matter how good the bacteria are, if an insufficient amount survives and reaches the intestines it's useless.

After all, probiotics are about ‘consuming living, viable bacteria’.

But when you look at actual products, this number varies widely,

‘and you often get confused whether it's 'hundreds of millions' or 'trillions'.

At first, I was also overwhelmed (!) by the numbers, but it turns out this is a really important criterion.

So I check the guaranteed CFU count first. Now shall we look at the score for guaranteed CFU count??

CFU Range (Unit: 100 million))	Score
50-100	40
20-50	32
10-20	24
1-10	16
100 million or less	8

100 billion CFU or more:
In several clinical studies when consuming 100 billion CFU per day improvements in constipation and intestinal microbiota balance showed the most distinct results.
For example, BB-12 even in strain research the recovery rate was highest when 100 billion CFU was consumed such a result exists.
→ So 40 points awarded!
50 billion-100 billion CFU:
For a healthy general person this level is sufficient to expect effects for maintaining and improving intestinal health.
If the strain has high activity and stability, you can obtain sufficiently satisfying results at this dosage, so the highest score was awarded.
→ 40 points awarded!
20 billion-50 billion CFU or less :
Some studies have shown that effects like constipation relief or reduced intestinal discomfort appear at this dosage as well. However, there may be variations in effectiveness depending on the individual's intestinal health status or the type of strain. Through consistent consumption, you can promote the proliferation of beneficial intestinal bacteria and help improve the overall intestinal environment, but compared to the 100 billion CFU range, the intensity or immediacy of effects may be somewhat weaker.
→ you can expect results but it's hard to be certain 32 points awarded!
10 billion-20 billion CFU or less :
This may bring positive changes for some users, but it's difficult to guarantee consistent effects for everyone. Particularly in cases where there are serious intestinal health issues or distinct improvement is desired, this dosage alone may not produce the expected results.
→ 24 points
1 billion-10 billion CFU or less: for probiotics considering survival rate and activity in the intestines it's a level where meaningful effects are difficult to expect. Since a significant portion of ingested probiotics can be killed by stomach acid or bile, the actual number of bacteria reaching the intestines that can exert beneficial effects may be very small. → 16 points
Less than 100 million CFU :
the number of bacteria is absolutely insufficient to reach the intestines, form colonies, and exert beneficial effects. → 8 points

It's hard to say that more bacteria is always unconditionally better,

but it's a definite fact that a certain amount is necessary for basic survival rate and meaningful effects

so I check this criterion first.

The paper below analyzed guaranteed CFU count and changes in fecal microbiota,

and shows that the fecal recovery rate of BB-12 increased significantly as intake increased.

Larsen, C. N., et al. "Dose–response study of probiotic bacteria Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis BB-12 and Lactobacillus paracasei subsp paracasei CRL-341 in healthy young adults." European journal of clinical nutrition 60.11 (2006): 1284-1293.

Also, many products list only the input CFU, and often do not list the guaranteed CFU.

Lactic acid bacteria are very sensitive to heat, humidity, and time,

so quite a few can die before consumption, and considering this point

for products without a specified guaranteed CFU,

I assume about 10% of the input CFU actually survives%and score accordingly.

The paper below tested 5 probiotic products

stored at various temperatures (4Â°C, 25Â°C, 35Â°C, 45Â°C) and periods (1 month, 3 months, 6 months),

and shows that lactic acid bacteria content decreased by an average of 59% after 1-6 months.

While this varies depending on temperature, storage method, etc.,

as a 'penalty' for not specifying guaranteed CFU, I calculate only 10% of the input CFU.

Kim, Young-Su, et al. "Investigation of the lactic acid bacteria content of probiotic and lactic acid bacteria products: A study on changes in the preservation method of probiotic products." Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety 33.6 (2018): 474-482.

2. Raw Material Supplier

The guaranteed CFU count is important for probiotic products, but there's something equally important.

It's the 'raw material supplier'.

Famous raw material suppliers R&D, verify safety, hold strain patents and through these provide high-quality strains

making differentiation possible from products with simply high numbers.

Therefore, I assigned 50 points out of 100 quality points, with details as follows.

Raw Material Supplier	Score
When having an individually recognized strain that has undergone review by Korea's MFDS (provided that it should be first in the product's raw materials and content; when it's second –15 points, when third or below –30 points)	60
When having patented strains from internationally recognized raw material suppliers with clinical data basis (such as HOWARUÂ® HN019â¢, LGGÂ®, BB-12Â®, HN019â¢, etc.) 1) If only non-patented raw material usage from famous suppliers is shown, there's no concern about strain combination and some effectiveness is expected, so â20 points 2) If patented strains from famous suppliers are combined with officially listed strains, â30 points	60
When patented strains are included (provided that they should be first in the product's raw materials and content; if second or below, â15 points)	45
OEM products without distinction such as 19-strain or 17-strain combinations receive the lowest score. (However, products like 17-strain or 18-strain combinations mixed with patented strains receive +10 points for differentiation. Treated the same as 2-2)	20

The reason foreign raw material suppliers receive higher scores is

through decades of R&D investment and numerous clinical studies patented strains have been developed and,

supplied to over 50 countries worldwide with quality verification

and while domestic raw material suppliers have shown remarkable growth recently,

I felt there's still a gap in accumulated research and the level of global verification.

2. Types and Number of Strains

The second thing to look at is the types and number of strains.

When you look at products you see names like Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium appearing frequently,

but often you don't know the difference.

I was also confused at first, but I found that which bacteria are included actually determines the effects.

Lactobacillus:
Strong resistance to stomach acid and bile salt, reaching the small intestine well such characteristics.
Bifidobacterium:
settle in the large intestine, helping with immune regulation and anti-inflammatory actions.

The paper below states that the genus Lactobacillus has resistance to stomach acid and bile salt

and the genus Bifidobacterium settles in the large intestine and contributes to immune regulation and anti-inflammatory actions.

Ruiz, Lorena, Abelardo Margolles, and Borja Sánchez. "Bile resistance mechanisms in Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium." Frontiers in microbiology 4 (2013): 396.

Next, what to look at is the number of strain types.

At first, I thought more strains must be better? ,

but through study, I learned that more isn't always better.

Too many strains can cause them to interfere with each other, or the concentration of each strain becomes diluted, weakening the effects.

Therefore, 6-10 strains providing appropriate diversity and synergy is the ideal range

the best number of types.

The paper below shows that multi-strain products often had superior effects compared to single-strain,

and caution is necessary regarding the notion that unconditionally more types are better.

Chapman, C. M. C., Glen R. Gibson, and Ian Rowland. "Health benefits of probiotics: are mixtures more effective than single strains?." European journal of nutrition 50.1 (2011): 1-17.

3. Brand

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The third thing to look at is the brand.

I evaluate the brand element in three ways.

First is MFDS certification evaluation factors (40%)%),

whether it's a probiotic specialist company (40%)%),

eco-friendly/sustainability efforts and packaging materials (10%)%),

and shipping (10%).

Let's first look at the MFDS certification evaluation factors.

When you look at the back of lactic acid bacteria products, you see quite a lot of marks like GMP, HACCP, and ISO.

You often get confused about how important this really is,

I also remember at first thinking, "isn't it nice to have it but okay to not have it?".

But I realized that these certification marks ‘are a key criterion for gauging whether it's a truly trustworthy product Especially for health functional foods that go directly into the body,

hygienic manufacturing environments and quality management systems are the foundation of all standards.

I use these certification marks and their meanings and credibility as criteria, scoring each separately.

“not a simple approach like "best if all present, disqualified if none",

but also considering what meaning each certification carries!

Certification Mark	Score
Health Functional Food Certification Mark, GMP	40
NSF (U.S. National Sanitation Foundation Certification), USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia Certification))	36
ISO Certification, HACCP	32
Non-GMO Certification, Gluten-Free Certification, Vegan Certification	20

The Health Functional Food Certification Mark is the only mark where the nation directly verifies functionality and safety scientifically. Since it holds the highest credibility, 40 points were assigned.
GMP Certification also means a production system that ensures hygienic and consistent quality, so 40 points were given.
NSF, USP and similar U.S. certifications mainly focus on safety and quality management.
Since domestic certifications should be prioritized slightly for Korean consumer standards, 36 points were assigned.
ISO, HACCP are trustworthy in quality management and sanitation aspects, but don't guarantee the actual product's functionality so 32 points were assigned.
Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, and Vegan Certifications show characteristics of food ingredients but have no direct connection to functionality or effects, so only 20 points were given.

Next, let's look at the score for whether it's a probiotic specialist company.

When choosing probiotic products, many people select based simply on famous brands or price.

But I believe how much

expertise and sincerity the company has in probiotic research and production is also very important.

Probiotics are about the types and combinations of strains,

and the technical capability to maintain them stably and have them survive and reach the intestines Such technical capability.

is likely to emerge from specialist companies

that have invested in R&D over long periods and concentrated on specific fields .

Well then, let's see how I calculated the score for probiotic companies?

Classification	Score
Cases where the company owns its own GMP-certified production facility and directly produces probiotic products there, and also possesses multiple concrete research achievements related to probiotics such as domestic and international patents, academic papers, or government project completion	40
Cases where the company doesn't have its own production facility or primarily uses OEM/ODM methods but actively participates in product planning and quality management, or develops products through external consulting or limited in-house research rather than in-house R&D	20
Cases where the company procures and sells products through OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)/ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) methods rather than in-house research and development or production	0

I attempted to classify based on three criteria,

but there may be somewhat ambiguous boundaries between classifications.

However, through this classification, I'm establishing criteria for evaluating the company's probiotic expertise

and moving forward will establish more detailed and objective evaluation standards

to provide you with more practical help in selecting probiotic products

and will continue making such efforts.

The third evaluation factor is eco-friendly/sustainability efforts and packaging materials (10%)%).

In modern society, corporate responsibility extends beyond simply making good products to,

considering impacts on environment and society.

Especially since health functional foods are often mass-produced, packaging material usage is substantial,

and this can be directly linked to environmental issues.

Beyond just corporate image, I think this is, connected to consumer values-based consumption.

The fourth and final evaluation factor is shipping (10%)%).

The 10% score represents

how quickly and conveniently consumers can receive the product.

Fast and accurate shipping is a key factor ensuring such user convenience, so

points were assigned as follows.

Classification	Score
Next-day Shipping	10
No Next-day Shipping	5

4. Quality

The fourth thing to look at is ‘quality’.

The first evaluation factor among these is packaging material (50%)%).

Probiotics are living lactic acid bacteria and,

are very vulnerable to moisture, air, and light.

No matter how good the strains used, if the packaging is poor,

the bacteria's survival rate can drop sharply during distribution, making it difficult to see the expected effects.

Therefore, I judged that packaging material plays a decisive role in maintaining probiotic quality and gave the highest score

.

Packaging	Score
Alu-Alu Packaging	50
Stick Packaging	40
PTP	30
Glass Bottle, Aluminum Bottle	20

Alu-Alu Packaging: 50 points
perfectly blocks moisture, light, and air the best packaging method.
With both sides sealed in aluminum material, it protects probiotics most safely from external environments.
Stick Packaging: 40 points
Individual packaging is hygienic, and since you open only the amount for single consumption, it minimizes air exposure of remaining product. However, stick packaging can only contain powder, and I judged it has limitations in lactic acid bacteria intestinal transit compared to capsules, so 40 points were given.
PTP Packaging: 30 points
Effective in protecting individual capsules or tablets, but the plastic portion has inferior light-blocking capability compared to aluminum.
Glass Bottle, Aluminum Bottle: 20 points
When opened, all probiotics in the bottle are exposed to external air Every time you consume some, opening and closing the lid continuously introduces moisture and air, creating a large risk of gradual bacterial survival rate decrease.

The second evaluation factor is bacterial stability technology (20%)%).

Probiotics are very vulnerable to stomach acid and bile salt.

No matter how many lactic acid bacteria are consumed, if most are killed in the stomach,

the number of bacteria that actually reach the intestines and can exert beneficial effects is significantly reduced

Therefore, if enteric-coated or seamless capsule is applied, 20 points were given,

and if not, 10 points were given.

The third evaluation factor is capsule type (10%)%).

Probiotic products are released in various forms besides capsules such as powder and liquid.

When choosing capsule form, what material the capsule is made of becomes an important consideration.

Plant-based capsules have lower moisture vapor transmission rates than animal-based capsules.

In other words, they more effectively block external moisture from penetrating the capsule interior.

Therefore, for capsules containing moisture-sensitive ingredients like probiotics,

plant-based capsules are superior to animal-based capsules in moisture blocking, so points were given as follows.

Classification	Score
Plant-Based Capsule	10
Animal-Based Capsule	5
Powder	0

The fourth evaluation factor is consumption convenience.

No matter how good a probiotic product, unless consumed consistently daily

it's difficult to see the proper effects.

At this point the convenience of the consumption method has a decisive impact on whether consumers consistently take the product.

Therefore, I used how easily and conveniently consumers can consume probiotics in daily life as

an important criterion for scoring.

Classification	Score
Once Daily Consumption	10
2-3 Times Daily Consumption	5

Consumption convenience has as much impact on the consumer's medication adherence as the product's own efficacy.

No matter how superior the quality of probiotics, without consistent consumption they become useless,

convenient consumption methods are important quality factors that enhance the product's practical value.

5. Secondary Ingredients

The fifth thing to cover is ‘secondary ingredients’.

Let's examine the impacts that secondary ingredients contained in probiotic products have on product quality and effects.

I scored based on what secondary ingredients are included besides the primary ingredient probiotics,

and their content and types.

First is prebiotic addition and content (50 points)).

Prebiotics (FOS))	Score
3,000mg or more added	50
2,000-3,000mg added	40
1,000-2,000mg added	30
500-1,000mg added	20
500mg or less	10
Not added	0

Prebiotics become food for probiotics

helping promote proliferation and activation of beneficial intestinal bacteria.

The Korea Food and Drug Administration officially recognizes that when consuming fructooligosaccharide (FOS))a specific prebiotic ingredient

at 3g (3,000mg) or more per day "it can help intestinal health"

.

Therefore, I scored FOS addition amounts differentially,

and scored each product's prebiotic type and content differentially.

Second is dead bacteria addition or not (20 points)).

Dead bacteria refer to lactic acid bacteria killed through heat treatment or beneficial metabolic products produced by lactic acid bacteria.

Along with living lactic acid bacteria, they are known to have positive impacts on intestinal health and immune regulation.

Scores for dead bacteria addition are as follows.

Classification	Score
Specific strain name and efficacy specified	20
'Dead lactic acid bacteria', 'heat-treated lactic acid bacteria', 'postbiotics' etc. listed as contained	10
Dead bacteria or postbiotics not added	0

Third is excluding unnecessary additives (10 points)).

The presence or absence of unnecessary additives is also an important consideration.

Artificial flavorings, colorants, and sweeteners can trigger allergic reactions in consumers or,

raise concerns about potential effects on the body from long-term consumption.

Scores are as follows.

Classification	Score
5 or more additives such as flavorings, colorants, sweeteners, silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate not added	10
Flavorings, colorants, sweeteners not added	5
No mention of no-additive principle or many additives included	0

Fourth is zinc addition or not (10 points)).

Zinc is an essential mineral necessary for normal immune function and cell division.

Since intestinal health and immunity are closely connected,

when zinc is included together in probiotic products, you can expect synergistic effects not only for intestinal health but also

for overall immune enhancement.

Classification	Score
Zinc Added	10
Zinc Not Added	5

Finally vitamin addition or not (10%)%).

When vitamins are added to probiotic products,

you can expect nutritional supplementation effects beyond intestinal health.

Especially vitamins D and B-complex play essential roles in immune function and energy production and overall body health maintenance

.

Scores are as follows.

Classification	Score
Vitamin Added	10
Vitamin Not Added	5

So far, I've organized what criteria,

and what thinking I use when choosing probiotics.

Since everyone's body condition and needed functions differ, there's no single right answer

but if you set your own criteria and choose, you'll be able to find even better products?

Intestinal health doesn't develop overnight.

But if small interest and consistent choices accumulate, things will definitely change.

After reading this, I hope you'll develop your own criteria one by one,

and find the probiotics that work for you!