5 Best Probiotics for Traveling Abroad (UK, Bali, Mexico, Thailand)

Studies show that up to 56% of tourists face gut issues like Traveler’s diarrhea, acidity, and constipation. These issues can make your trip memories quite unpleasant. 

So, what’s your preventive measure to safeguard your gut from exotic germs and digestion troubles?

Good News, you’ve landed at the right place! Because probiotics are a proven solution for travel-time gut issues. 

Here is my list of 5 effective travel-friendly probiotics among the plethora of options available on the market;

But before I dive into their product features, let me share my selection criteria with you.

I hope you find it helpful.

Here’s How I Selected the Best Probiotics for Travel

Looked for Shelf-stable Strains

When traveling, it’s hard to carry and maintain cold storage. So, refrigerated probiotics are a big no for traveling, especially when visiting hot regions.

That’s why make sure your probiotics are thermostable and can survive at room temperature without refrigeration for many days or even weeks.

To help make the decision, all brands I have put on the following list are shelf stable, so rest assured you can take them while traveling to any place in the world.

Picked Only Delayed-Release Capsules 

Probiotics can only benefit you when they are settled in your intestines. To reach the intestinal tract, they must first pass through the stomach, where gastric acids can kill many of these pH-sensitive creatures.

Therefore probiotics with quick-release encapsulation aren’t going to do any good. 

Instead, you should opt for delayed-release, acid-resistant capsules. These capsules are made from plant fiber, usually with HPMC or MAKtrek technology.

With delayed-release technology, the capsules only open after reaching the intestines, where the pH is “just suitable” for probiotic strains.

Strains That Make The Best Probiotics for Travelers

Probiotics’ efficacy is always strain-specific. So, not all of them will work equally well for travelers. 

For example, L. acidophilus is a strain with proven efficacy against antibiotics-associated diarrhea. However, its efficacy for Traveler’s diarrhea and similar issues is not confirmed unless it is paired with B. bifidum. 

Let me share how and why.

According to a clinical trial from the Pasteur Institute, Paris acidophilus does not prevent or cure traveler’s diarrhea. 

However, this meta-analysis from the Journal of Travel Medicine and Infectious Diseases proves that a mixture of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum can reduce the chances of Traveler’s diarrhea.

Hence, multi-strain probiotics containing L. acidophilus are likely to be more beneficial during travel than acidophilus only.

But some strains are quite potent even when taken alone. These are:

• Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG,
• And yeast strain Saccharomyces Boulardii

The efficacy of S. boulardii for travelers’ gut health is backed by research and user feedback.

Studies suggest it helps with travel-related health issues better than any other strain, even the LGG probiotic.

I found the tourists confirming its efficacy on TripAdvisor. Dianne from Australia shared that probiotics kept her gut healthy during her visit to South Asian countries. 

She mentioned that Saccharomyces boulardii is the best probiotic for traveling to Bali and other tropical locations with hot and humid weather.

Similarly, studies show L. rhamnosus GG pills significantly reduce the chances and intensity of Traveler’s diarrhea.

The Journal of Travel Medicine published research on the diarrheal prevention efficacy of LGG probiotics for travelers. Results show that tourists taking LGG probiotics experienced travelers’ diarrhea less often than placebo.

Also, this strain can resist acid and bile secretions and adheres to the intestinal walls better than many other friendly strains.

So, it stays viable in the gut for longer, helping you quickly get used to the foreign meals without becoming sick. 

Infection Preventing bacteria

Besides the strains mentioned earlier, probiotics that can fight diarrhea and infection-causing germs are a good choice for travelers. 

That’s because visiting foreign places can expose you to germs through food, drinks, and air.

E. coli is the most common germ implicated in Traveler’s diarrhea. Other species like Clostridium difficile, Campylobacter jejuni, Shigella, and Salmonella strains can also cause such troubles.

So, your gut should be able to resist the pathogenic attack when you are away from home. 

Lactobacillus strains (L. plantarum, L. paracasei, L. casei, L. bulgaricus), Bifidobacterium strains (B. longum), and S. thermophilus are the most effective species for pathogen resistance.

A 2020 study reports that L. plantarum protects the gut from diarrhea-causing germs like E. coli by promoting the detoxification of their harmful secretion.

Similar results are reported for L. paracasei in a 2022 study from Frontiers in Nutrition.

Another research found a probiotic blend of L. casei, L. bulgaricus, and S. thermophilus effective for C. difficile-associated Traveler’s diarrhea. 

5 Best Probiotics for Travel

1. Yourbiology Gut+ – Best Shelf-Stable Probiotics to Take Before/While Traveling 

CFU Per Serving: 40 billion 

Dosage: 2 capsules daily

Probiotics Strains: 

• 3 Lactobacillus strains (L. plantarum, L. paracasei, L. acidophilus)
• Bifidobacterium lactis

Form: MAKtrek 3D Vegan Capsules

Certifications: GMP-certified

Storage: Shelf-stable

Cost: 

• $64.99 for 1 month supply
• $129.99 for 3 month’s supply
• $194.99 for 5 month’s supply

Health experts suggest tourists start taking probiotics a few weeks before their trip. 

Because ingesting friendly strains before traveling prepares your gut to withstand the effects of environmental change, unfamiliar foods, and exposure to exotic microbes. 

Yourbiology Gut+ is my first choice for travel because it delivers as many as 40 billion units to diversify the natural gut microbiome. 

Plus, it contains prebiotic fiber that feeds these friendly creatures and regularizes bowel movements.

Among its 3 Lactobacillus strains, L. plantarum is especially beneficial for traveling.

On one side, it protects the gut from toxic secretions of harmful bacteria. And on the other side, it promotes colonization and rebalancing the number of gut microbes killed by harmful bacteria. 

So, if you, unfortunately, get germs inside your body, L. plantarum colonies won’t let them bother your gut health.

With Gut+, you also get benefits from B. lactis, helping you enjoy your holidays in full health. 

International Probiotics Association reports that it is a germ-resistant strain that improves Immunity, especially in preventing respiratory tract infections and viral allergies. 

Hence, you get protection against air-borne infections as well with this supplement.

And you need not worry about the survival of these microbes because they come in seaweed, delayed-release capsules. So, you will have all of them delivered to your intestines, viable and healthy. 

Where to buy: 

• You can order from Yourbiology’s official website.
• The price per pack is $64.99, discounted bundle deals are also available
• You can pay in 4 interest-free installments and get a 60 day money back guarantee as well

2. Biotics 8 – Best Probiotics For Travel Acidity

CFU Per Serving: 20 billion

Dosage: 3 capsules daily 

Probiotics Strains: 10 strains

• 7 Lactobacillus strains (L. casei, L. paracasei, L. plantarum, L. fermentum, L. longum, L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus)
• 2 Bifidobacteria strains (B. longum, B. breve)
• Saccharomyces Boulardii

Form: HPMC Vegan Capsules

Certifications: GMP-certified

Storage: shelf-stable

Cost: 

• $64.99 for 1 month supply
• $129.99 for 3 month’s supply
• $194.99 for 5 month’s supply

New ingredients, different types of oils, and spices often become hard to digest, increasing gut acidity. Ultimately, high gut acidity leads to heartburn and nausea.

But Biotics 8 enzymatic blend can help you avoid this situation and enjoy new foods at foreign festivals. It contains Lipase, Amylase, and Protease to help you easily digest fats, carbs, and proteins.

Besides that, this multi-strain product offers 10 friendly bacteria and yeast species to support good digestion and pathogen resistance. 

Most of the effective strains (like S. boulardii, L. rhamnosus, L. casei, L. paracasei, and L. plantarum) for travel, as described in the above section, are a part of this probiotic.

Besides improving gut microbiota characteristics, it also helps improve gut health by providing digestive enzymes. With many potent probiotics, it also gives you a good immunity boost.

And all this in travel-friendly thermostable capsules that have no special storage requirements.

Where to buy: 

• You can get it from the Biotics8 official website.
• Costs $64.99 for 1 bottle. Bundle discounts are also available.
• Shipping is free for all orders.
• You also get a 60-day money-back guarantee with a 100% refund promised.

3. Culturelle Daily Digestive – Best Probiotics for Travelers’ Diarrhea

CFU Per Serving: 10 billion

Dosage: 1 capsule daily

Probiotics Strain; Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG)

Form: Vegan Capsules

Certifications: Not indicated

Storage: Shelf-stable 

Cost: 

• $17.99 (30 pills)
• $23.99 (50 pills)

Culturelle Daily Digestive is a single-strain supplement. Being an LGG supplement, its efficacy against Traveler’s diarrhea is proven by research.  

You get 10 billion strains with each capsule. And its resistant vegetarian capsules make sure these bacteria reach your intestines untouched by the stomach acids. 

In the intestines, LGG bacteria cling to the walls and colonize. As discussed above, this bacterium adheres to the intestinal lining more strongly than other probiotics.

So, besides prevention, it can also help you cure Traveler’s diarrhea when gut motility is increased.

As it is a shelf-stable supplement, you can take it along on trips to hot weather areas as well.

Where to buy: 

• It’s available on Culturelle’s official website. The smaller pack (30 pills) will cost you $17.99, while the larger pack (50 pills) will cost you $23.99.
• It also sells in local grocery stores and online marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc., at a price ranging from $17.99 to $25.99.

4. Optibac Travel Probiotics – Best Probiotics for Traveling Abroad

CFU Per Serving: 5 billion 

Dosage: 1 pill daily

Probiotics Strains:

• Saccharomyces boulardii

Form: HPMC Vegan Capsules

Certifications: Not indicated

Storage: shelf-stable

Cost: 

• $22.99 (40 capsules)
• $36.49 (80 capsules)

This single-strain Optibac travel probiotic supplies 5 billion CFUs of yeast probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii. 

S. boulardii is the most widely studied probiotic strain for traveler’s diarrhea and abdominal discomfort. And it’s the most successful one too!

According to the World Journal of Gastroenterology, it has been found significantly effective in preventing and curing traveler’s diarrhea in 27 research studies. 

You can estimate the efficacy of this strain owing to the fact that overall, 5029 individuals participated in these studies.

S. boulardii is also a potent immunity booster. It strengthens the intestinal barrier and prevents the growth of pathogenic bacteria. 

So, chances of getting sick by exotic germs during travel are minimized as well.

Like other products on the list, it is also a shelf-stable probiotic. So, you need not worry about special storage arrangements for your probiotics during your holiday.

Where to buy: 

• You can get it from the Optibac Website, paying $22.99 for a pack of 40 capsules and $36.49 for a pack of 80 capsules.
• It is also available at Optibac’s Amazon store and other physical stores like Boots in the UK. Delivery is also free for UK residents.

5. Probullin Total Care Soothe – Best Probiotics for Travel Constipation

CFU Per Serving: 15 billion 

Dosage: 1 pill daily

Probiotics Strains: 

• 4 Bifidobacteria strains (B. lactis, B. longum,  B. infantis, B. bifidium)
• 7 Lactobacillus strains (L. acidophilus, L. rhmnosus, L. fermentum, L. reuteri, L. helveticus, L. brevis, L. bulgaricus)
• 2 Pediococcus strains (P. acidilactici, P. pentosaceus)
• Propionibacterium freudenreichii
• Streptococcus thermophilus

Form: MAKtrek 3D Vegan Capsules

Certifications: 3^rd party lab tested

Storage: Shelf-stable

Cost: (60 pills)

Without subscription 

• $47.99 

With subscription 

• $35.99 (first order)
• $38.39 (every 2-week delivery)
• $40.79 (every 4-week delivery)
• $43.19 (every 2-month delivery)

This multi-strain probiotic supplies up to 15 billion CFUs within a single capsule.

With the diverse variety of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Pediococcus, Propionibacterium, and Streptococcus strains, this supplement helps keep your bowel movements regular.

Bifidobacterium strains, especially B. lactis, upregulate colon motility and would be a safeguard against Traveler’s constipation.

And to further support probiotics’ growth and regular bowel, these pills contain prebiotic fiber Inulin, Ginger extract, and Menthol powder from peppermint leaves.

Fiber nourishes probiotics and helps soften the stools, while Ginger and Menthol have laxative properties. So, help in curing Traveler’s constipation.

The Maktabolite postbiotic blend in this supplement also supports the growth of healthy bacteria and kills harmful microbes in the gut. 

And the best thing is all these ingredients, plus the encapsulation material, are plant-based. This supplement uses probiotic stains grown over organic vegetarian media.

Where to buy: 

• Available at the Probulin Website, it costs $47.99 for a pack of 30 pills
• 25% discount available on 1^st order with subscription
• 45 days refund guarantee

FAQs

Can I travel with probiotics?

Probiotics are a dietary supplement; you can take them along while traveling.

Should I take probiotics before traveling?

Gut health experts recommend taking probiotics before traveling because it diversifies your gut microbiome. In turn, an improved microbiome helps you resist exotic pathogens and stay away from Traveler’s diarrhea.

Why take probiotics when traveling?

When traveling, probiotics will help you digest foreign meals easily and avoid getting sick by fighting disease-causing microbes you may have ingested or inhaled.

Also, probiotics regularize gut motility and bowel movement, resisting constipation and bloating during travel.

What probiotic strains to take before traveling?

The best strains to take before travel are L. rhamnosus GG, and S. boulardii, as they have science-backed efficacy against traveler’s diarrhea and other gut troubles.

Multi-strain probiotics containing L. acidophilus, L. plantarum, L. paracasei, L. casei, L. bulgaricus, B. longum, and S. thermophilus are also effective for protection against exotic disease-causing bacteria.

When to start probiotics before travel?

It is suggested to start taking probiotics at least 2 weeks before your trip, continue during travel, and up to a week afterward.

What are the best probiotics to take when traveling to different countries?

When traveling to different countries, it’s important to consider the potential changes in diet and environment that can affect your digestive health.

For traveling to countries like the UK, Mexico, Bali, India, Thailand, and other countries with different food and water sources, it’s recommended to take probiotics with a variety of strains, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Saccharomyces boulardii. These strains have been shown to help prevent travelers’ diarrhea and support overall digestive health.

My recommended probiotics for travel include Yourbiology Gut+, which contains 4 live active strains of probiotics and is a good value for money, and Culturelle, which contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, a strain that has been shown to reduce the risk of travelers’ diarrhea.

It’s also important to consider whether the probiotics need to be refrigerated during travel. Look for travel-friendly probiotics that are formatted to survive hotter climates and do not require refrigeration. Remember to follow the recommended dosage instructions for the probiotics you choose.