Although this is true of some brands of friendly bacteria, technology now allows probiotic supplements to be manufactured to be stable at room temperature.

The proprietary production processes at our factory mean that the ProVen Probiotics range has been specially formulated to be stable at room temperature for 18 months and still deliver the stated levels of beneficial bacteria.

We recommend that you store our products in a cool, dry place and if you wish to store ProVen Probiotics in the fridge that is fine, particularly if you are in tropical climates.

The shelf-life of all ProVen Probiotics’ products is 18 months and we guarantee the bacteria count in each product to the end of the expiration date.

There is increasing evidence that the daily supplementation of probiotics helps to improve both intestinal and immune health.

Our gut bacterial community is not static – every day, bacteria represents around half of the faecal mass we excrete from our bodies. This reflects the dynamic nature of our gut bacteria and suggests that supporting this microbiota with probiotics every day will have a positive effect on the balance of bacteria, helping to maintain a higher ratio of the good bacteria required to support health.

Previous generations had higher intakes of probiotic organisms as fermentation was used to preserve foods and these fermented vegetables and dairy foods contained high levels of bacteria. Consumption of fermented foods is far less prevalent today as refrigeration is now used as the means of food preservation and it can therefore be useful to support the friendly bacteria with daily supplementation.

ProVen probiotics are designed to be taken daily and long-term. We would recommend continuing to take friendly bacteria on an ongoing basis to help support the balance of your microbiome. There are no detrimental effects to taking friendly bacteria long-term.

ProVen probiotics can be taken at any time of the day to suit you, alongside any meal or snack.

Missing a dose of your ProVen probiotics is not a problem – just take the capsule, tablet or sachet as soon as you remember and then take your next dose as normal. Whilst it is useful to take friendly bacteria daily to help support our microbiome, it is not necessary.

Probiotics should always be taken with food. If they are not taken alongside food, 90-95% of the bacteria will die in the stomach acid.

When the stomach is empty, it is typically very acidic (1.8-2.6 pH) and this will kill the friendly probiotic bacteria before they can reach the small intestine where they can be utilised to support a balanced microbiome.

When we eat, acid is produced to digest the food, but this acid is neutralised by the food and consequently the pH of the stomach rises to 3.5-4.2. At this pH, the probiotic bacteria are able to survive and pass through the stomach to the intestines.

Yes, the capsules can be opened and the contents sprinkled onto cold food or drink. We often recommend yoghurt or cooled mashed potato as foods that work well. ProVen Probiotics’ products should always be taken alongside food – so if adding to a drink, eat before drinking.

Yes, all ProVen Probiotics’ products can be taken on holiday.

Many of the adult products are packed in airtight blisters in slim cartons that are easy to pack and are able to be stored at room temperature in a cool, dry place.

We also have a specific travel product, which includes 14 capsules and is easy to pack in a small case or bag.

There are no known interactions between ProVen Probiotics’ products and medications or foods, but we recommend consulting your doctor or health practitioner before taking any of the ProVen Probiotics range if you are on medication or if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy.

Yes, we would recommend that you take ProVen probiotics both alongside and following a course of antibiotics to help to maintain the balance of bacteria in the microbiome.

Always take the probiotics at least two hours away from each dose of antibiotics as the antibiotics can impact the friendly bacteria in the supplement.

The products that we recommend alongside antibiotics are our Adult Acidophilus & Bifidus – 50 Billion and one of our Fit for School products for children.