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These Are The Three Strains To Look For In A Probiotic To Combat Bloat*

Author:

Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN

September 12, 2024

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

By Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN is a Registered Dietician Nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Texas Christian University and a master’s in nutrition interventions, communication, and behavior change from Tufts University. She lives in Newport Beach, California, and enjoys connecting people to the food they eat and how it influences health and wellbeing.

Image by Sergey Filimonov / Stocksy

September 12, 2024

Nobody enjoys being bloated, but so many of us are. Whether it's caused by (food, travel, hormones, and even stress), it's estimated that anywhere from 40-70% of adults 1 have these functional gut concerns (aka nonspecific woes like bloating, gas, discomfort, feelings of excessive fullness, etc.). It's frustrating.

Whenever something is amiss with our gut, probiotics tend to be at the top of the list for potential solutions, and they should be. You just need to know what to look for, (because while many probiotic bottles say they can rid your bloat, they really aren't equipped to).

Here are the probiotic strains to look for if your goal is to reduce bloat:*

Bifidobacterium lactis HN019

This probiotic strain has been clinically studied to aid digestion and reduce gas.*

If your digestion is slowed, and things aren't moving through your system as regularly as they should, the result may be an uncomfortable distended stomach.

Researchers of a 2018 study published in Gut Microbes investigated the effects on bowel frequency of taking B. lactis HN019 for 28 days in a row. Results showed the probiotic was especially effective at improving regularity 2 for those who reported going No. 2 less than three times a week.*

Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM

advanced probiotic+ with bloat support

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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L. acidophilus NCFM is a well-studied probiotic strain and is known for its ability to effectively reach the gut microbiome after ingestion. (Remember: Probiotics are live microorganisms and have to survive harsh conditions—like the stomach—to have a positive effect.)

Researchers of a study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology looked at how 12 weeks of supplementation with probiotic strain L. acidophilus NCFM impacted bloating 3, abdominal discomfort, and bathroom regularity concerns for 340 adults.

After 12 weeks of daily intake, the probiotic strain helped enhance abdominal comfort for those who struggled with that the most at the start.*

Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07

Rounding out our list of the best probiotic strains to address bloat is B. lactis Bi-07. This probiotic works especially well when taken with L. acidophilus NCFM. Researchers of a study published in The Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology compared the effects of a probiotic (containing these two strains) to a placebo on bloating severity 4 in 60 adults in their 30s and 40s.

Consistent supplementation with the probiotic improved bloating at both four and eight weeks after the start of the study.*

The best probiotic for bloat support*

The three strains outlined here have been clinically shown to combat bloat.* And you can find them all in mindbodygreen's advanced probiotic+ with bloat support.

This targeted probiotic works to rest your gut within two weeks, reduce gas and bloating by week three, promote regularity a month in, and keep bloat at bay at the two-month mark (with consistent intake).*†

My go-to choice!

"Well tolerated and helpful. As a family physician, I am a great proponent of probiotics, and this particular probiotic has helped my own family tremendously. Less gas and bloating."* —Stacy B.

The takeaway

Not all probiotics work for bloat support. Some probiotic strains are better for weight management, some promote women's health, and some may not even have a lot of scientific evidence behind them.*

But B. lactis HN019, L. acidophilus NCFM, and B. lactis Bi-07 are the three probiotic strains you should prioritize for bloat support.* advanced probiotic+ with bloat support makes it convenient by packaging them all (in their effective doses) in one daily capsule.*