PB 8
13.79
Pros
- Provides a good range of probiotic bacteria
- 14 Billion CFU is well within normal ranges for probiotic dosages
Cons
- Very basic probiotic by modern standards
- No prebiotic fiber
- No added ingredients
PB8 Probiotic Review Summary
There’s nothin wrong with PB 8 as a probiotic. It is not the most advanced or powerful probiotic I’ve ever reviewed, and those of you who have read the full review below will know that it is not a complete gut health supplement; it has no prebiotic fiber to support healthy bacteria growth. The exact blend of bacteria in PB 8 probiotic is also not exactly groundbreaking; this is a common blend found in pretty much any commercial probiotic. If you have digestive problems, then PB 8 can certainly help. Just be sure to follow it with a high quality prebiotic to maintain optimal gut health. Or better yet, use a combined prebiotic/probiotic supplement instead.
What is PB 8 Probiotic?
PB8, or PB 8, is a probiotic supplement from Nutrition Now. This is not a widely known supplement brand by any means, yet PB8 is still a ver popular probiotic in the US and Canada.
The manufacturer, Nutrition Now, claims that PB8 probiotic supports overall digestive health. They say that PB8 contains 8 strains of healthy bacteria which together help rebalance the gut microflora and promote healthy digestion.
Promoting healthy gut microflora is associated with numerous benefits, including:
- Enhanced cognition
- Improved immune system function
- Increased strength and stamina
Now, we know that high quality probiotics can help fix digestive issues in the short term. But they are generally unsuited to frequent use.
Is PB8 any different? Can you use this probiotic every day? Does PB8 really work? Is it the best probiotic for gut health? Read my PB8 probiotic review and find out!
PB8 ingredients
What is in PB 8 probiotic? This is the most important question any PB8 review needs to answer.
Here is the PB8 ingredients list as it is shown on the bottle:
In case that isn’t clear enough for you, here’s a list of the ingredients:
- Proprietary Blend (14 Billion CFU) – 780mg
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterium lactis
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Magnesium stearate
- Silicon dioxide
- Lactobacillus salivarius
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Bifidobacterium longum
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Lactobacillus casei
Right off the bat, I can see that this is quite a comprehensive probiotic. PB8 contains all of the major probiotic strains commonly used in gut health supplements. I’ll now go into these probiotic strains in a little more detail and discuss the PB8 ingredients as they work together as a whole formula.
Formula analysis: My take on the PB8 ingredients
PB8 looks like a pretty decent probiotic to me. It contains a good, diverse range of standard probiotic bacteria.
The CFU count is good too; 14 billion CFUs is reasonable without being excessive. Too many CFUs can cause side efects by radically changing the gut microbiome. With CFUs, sometimes less is more!
The range of bacteria used in PB8 is standard, but standard among good quality probiotics. In absolute terms, it is excellent.
The healthy human gut should be overwhelmingly dominated by Bifidobacterium bacteria strains. These strains play a central role in digestion; producing enzymes to break down key nutrients, controlling the growth of harmful bacteria, and more.
Perhaps more importantly for most users, the lactobacillus strains in PB8 produce enzymes which help break down lactose. The consumption of lactose is responsible for a large proportion of the cases of indigestion, bloating and stomach cramps; most people are at least a little big lactose intolerant.
By introducing a diverse range of both Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains of bacteria, PB8 will no doubt help rebalance your gut microbiome, fostering a healthier environment for friendly bacteria and supporting healthy digestion.
My only issue with PB8 is the lack of prebiotic fiber included in the formula. Probiotics are good for rebalancing a microbiome, but they are not suitable for maintinaing healthy digestion in the long-run. Constantly consuming bacteria will leave you reliant on probiotics, and with all sorts of potential imbalances actually caused by the strange bacteria being introduced to the gut every day.
That’s why I redcommend a prebiotic for daily gut health management. Even the best probiotic needs to be coupled with a prebiotic supplement to keep healthy bacteria thriving for months and years. PB8 contains no fiber, so the benefits will end as soon as you stop taking it.
All in all, PB8 is a solid probiotic. It is petty standard as far as probiotic supplements go; it contains a standard range of bacteria known to promote a healthy gut and good digstion.
But PB8 is certainly nothing special. It is identical to any other probiotic on the market right now. Unlike more advanced products like Bioschwartz Probiotic, PB8 contains no added ingredients for extra gut health support (such as prebiotic fiber).
PB8 Side Effects
Is PB8 probiotic safe?
In my opinion, PB8 is perfectly safe for the vast majority of users, assuming of course that you do not have an overabundance of any one type of bacteria in the gut, and assuming you don’t have a condition that might be made worse by probiotics.
It’s also important that you are not using PB8 for too long. Probioics are not meant for long term consistent use. Rather, they are designed for infrequent use; probiotics are for fixing severe microbiome imbalances.
Using a probiotic like PB8 every day for prolonged periods can cause various side effects, such as:
- Bloating
- Gas
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Stomach cramps
- Constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Overeating
Some of these side effects may seem contradictory, but the effects of severely disrupting the microbiome can be surprising and chaotic. Some people even experience joint pain and stiffness when using probiotics long-term. In those cases, it is recommended that you stop taking the probiotic and try a good natural joint supplement for a few weeks.
To avoid side effects from PB8, you should only use it for a limited tie; about 1-3 weeks maximum.
PB8 Review Conclusion: Is this probiotic any good?
PB8 is not a bad probiotic at all, but it isn’t a particularly good probiotic either. All things considered, PB8 is a decidedly average probiotic supplement.
PB8 provides a good range of probiotic bacteria. But pretty much every probiotic supplement on the market today contains the same mix of bacteria, at roughly the same dosage (a few billion CFU either side makes little difference).
PB8 has no added ingredients to help facilitate certain aspects of health and performance.
Nor does it contain any prebiotic fiber to help support the growth of the healthy bacteria introduced to the gut.
I always recommend a prebiotic supplement as the best solution for tpimizing gut health for the long term.
But if you do have some specific digstive issues relating to microbiome imbalances or an overgrowth of bad bacteria, PB8 probiotic can probably help. Just be sure to follow up with a good prebiotic.
So What Is The Best Supplement For Digestive Health?
If your goal is to optimize overall digestive health and enjoy all of the benefits that come with it, then the best supplement for you is always going to be a combined prebiotic/probiotic stack which uses a range of probiotic bacteria and a high quality prebiotic fiber such as FOS or Inulin.
Ideally, the probiotic supplement you use will exclusively contain bacteria species that have been proven to improve digestive health, promote immunity, control appetite and improve skin quality in several clinical trials. Bacteria strains you want to look out for include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Lactobacillus plantarum. These bacteria species are highly beneficial to health and performance.
The type of prebiotic fiber is also important. Not all fibers are the same; some are better than others at feeding healthy bacteria. So it is vital that the best gut health uses prebiotic fiber that is most effective at selectively feeding the healthy bacteria it is introducing to your gut in the first place. This brings us to the most important aspect of a good probiotic - without some prebiotic fiber, taking a probiotic is practically pointless!
After reviewing dozens of popular probiotics and prebiotics, we think there is one clear winner: YourBiology Gut+.
The benefits of taking YourBiology on a daily basis include:
- Lasting changes to gut microbiome
- Better digestion, less bloating, no cramps
- Improved ability to digest dairy
- Enhance immune system function
- Higher energy levels all day long
- Bealthier skin, hair and nails
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Johan Theorin is an author, editor, and competitive cyclist. He is the author of most of the content on this website, and he is the site editor. Johan has spent years researching joint health, sports performance and recovery. He is a leading biohacking expert and an experienced physiotherapist.
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