By: Legacy Nutrition | February 27th, 2023
✅ Medically reviewed by: Matt Barkdull, MS, MBA, LMFT, MedFT

For millennia, cultures worldwide have recognized the connection between physical and mental health. Indeed, one of the most ancient ideals is a sound mind in a sound body. Achieving this perfect balance can be a challenge, though.

Probiotics

While there are many ways to achieve physical health leading to mental health, such as diet and exercise, one of the simplest is improving the health of your stomach. When the bacteria in your digestive system are balanced, your mental health improves significantly. The link between digestive health and the brain has been studied extensively, with multiple positive effects found in a balanced digestive tract. But how do you improve the bacteria in your stomach?

Probiotics are a popular, easy way to improve your digestive health. These live microorganisms are promoted with the claim of providing health benefits such as restoring or improving the microbiota in the system. The microorganisms are easy to consume in pill or capsule form. Generally, probiotics are considered reasonably safe, with side effects including bacteria-host interactions.

How Do Probiotics Work?

Probiotics serve the body by fixing a dietary imbalance. Most people don’t consume a wide enough range of foods or enough fermented foods to replenish the bacteria we need to make our digestive system function properly. This is important as bacteria in the system only live roughly 3-7 days, and while they reproduce, environmental factors can inhibit growth, so replenishment is a must.

Probiotics are supplements that restore and add bacteria to the system, cultivated to have the safest yet most effective impact on the stomach. With roughly 300 different strains of bacteria in our system, it’s essential to maintain the system. 

But three questions must be asked regarding probiotics. First, should you rotate probiotics? If so, how often? Finally, can you take two different probiotics at the same time? With these questions answered, you’ll have a clear understanding of just how to use probiotics best.

Should You Rotate Probiotics?

The question of should you rotate probiotics should have a reasonably straightforward answer, but as with many health issues, the answer is complicated and highly situation based. Some studies indicate a limit of a few weeks to a few months before the efficacy of a supplement ceases. As probiotics contain an upper limit of around 15 strains per supplement, it’s important to shift and change your probiotics.

However, studies also show that some specific strains work particularly well at particular jobs, such as preventing the growth of harmful yeast candida or the stomach flu, as these microorganisms greatly benefit the stomach in perpetuity. As a result, it’s essential to keep these probiotics in use.

There are other factors to consider. Age makes a giant difference in the environment of our stomachs. Gender, likewise, is a key determining factor. Other health conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, affect your needs. Weigh all of these when seeking to rotate probiotics.

A final reason in favor of the rotation of probiotics is to experiment. Each person is different; finding the best supplement for each system takes testing. Some probiotics induce side effects like bloating and gas, whereas others don’t. Find what works best for you through rotation.

When it comes to the question of should you rotate probiotics, the answer has to be it depends. Most strains vary in effectiveness, so rotate those, but for strains proven effective, keep them in constant use.

How Often Should You Rotate Probiotics?

Once you’ve settled on which strains not to rotate, the question becomes how often should you rotate probiotics? The generally agreed answer is roughly every 30 days for maximum diversity in the system. But there are three factors to consider:

• Remember there’s a lag time in all supplements or the time it takes to work
• Try to shift between different types of supplements to keep everything fresh and moving
• Check to be sure the probiotic includes a prebiotic, which aids the transit and colonization by feeding the bacteria

All of these factors combined answer how often should you rotate probiotics.

Can You Take Two Different Probiotics at the Same Time?

It’s tempting to argue with probiotics that more is better. It’s tempting to take every powerful probiotic on the market, but can you take two different probiotics simultaneously? As attractive as it is to consume mass quantities for health benefits, side effects can occur from overdoing probiotics, such as gastrointestinal distress. While the answer to can you take two different probiotics at the same time is yes, be cautious about your use.

The Value of Food

One option to consider is consuming foods rich in bacteria as well as supplements. This healthier method will encourage you to consume a more diverse array of foods and rotate the bacteria naturally. Consider foods like kimchi, yogurt, and cheeses to improve your health.

If you’re looking for a healthy, tasty option between a supplement and food, consider Amare’s Happy Juice Pack. This package contains three different products, MentaBiotics, Energy+, and Amare Edge, which combine for a single beverage. These products are designed* to enhance mood and mental performance throughout the day. Drink this early in the day for a boost throughout.

Probiotics are a great way to ensure a powerful mind in a healthy body. Should you rotate probiotics? Experiment and find what works best for you. Ultimately, you’ll find what works well with quality probiotic supplements.