7 Best Shelf Stable Probiotics (are they effective?)

We all know that probiotics are an important part of a healthy diet, but did you know there are shelf-stable versions you can enjoy without having to keep them in the fridge?

That’s right!

Shelf-stable probiotics do what their name implies: they stay stable at room temperature. Of course, this means choosing the best option for your health might take some research – and we’re here to provide it for you!

Shelf-stable probiotics are easier to store and carry on the go. But choosing the right one from myriads of available options can be daunting. 

In this blog post, I’ll cover 7 of the best shelf-stable probiotics on the market today so you can make an informed decision about which one is right for your overall well-being.

Here’s a quick list of my best shelf-stable probiotics brands:

• YourBiology Gut+ – Overall best for both men and women (based on personal experience)
• Biotics 8 – Best for Men 
• Culturelle Daily Digestive– Best for fighting off gut infections
• Pendulum Metabolic Daily – Best Probiotics for Weight Loss
• Optibac Travel Abroad Probiotics – Best for Travel
• Probullin daily care 60 capsules – Most Lasting Probiotic Supplement
• Dr. Formulated Probiotics Chewables – Best for Kids.

When choosing probiotics, you should consider if their strains provide the results you are looking for and if their microbial content is high enough to make a difference.

Temperature stability and capsule quality are also important because a slight change in the condition can kill your gut protectors.

How I Made Selections For The Best Shelf Stable Probiotics?

Here’s a quick checklist that I always follow for myself to narrow down my options when selecting a probiotic supplement. You can do the same and save yourself from buying the wrong product!

1. CFU Count Should Be High

CFU (colony forming unit) number describes how many active microbes you take with each dose. 

Generally, supplements with a billion or more CFU are considered the most effective. That’s why I selected the products with the highest CFU numbers.

2. Should Be Allergen-free 

A good probiotic is free from food allergens and preservatives. While shortlisting the best products, I especially looked into this because it’s counter-productive to take a dietary supplement that harms you instead of being beneficial.

The absence of preservatives maintains the product’s efficacy, as preservatives kill microbes. Thus, they can turn probiotic supplements into useless filler pills.

3. Multi-strain Products Are Better Than Single Strain Probiotics

A product with strains belonging to different microbial families (yeast and bacteria) is more beneficial because it adds diversity to the natural microbiome, delivering different anti-oxidants, organic acids, and enzymes.

Also, the capacity to fight harmful bacteria is higher when you go for a multi-strain product.

4. Capsulation Should Be Moisture-Resistant And Delayed-Release type 

Pill formation significantly affects the efficacy of a probiotic supplement. Capsules made of resistant polysaccharides are best because such material keeps the bacteria safe from humidity and contamination.

Plus, good brands utilize specialized technologies to create delayed-release pills that only open once they reach the intestine. In this way, probiotics aren’t exposed to stomach acids.

5. It Should Be Shipped Safely

Although all products listed here are shelf stable and completely safe at room temperature (20-25⁰C).

Even yet, they should still be shipped with ice packs or in cold storage containers. That’s because, inside the shipment cargo, the temperature can go up to 50⁰C or more.

7 Best Shelf Stable Probiotics

1. Yourbiology Gut+ – Overall Best For Men & Women

CFU: 40 billion CFUs

Dosage: 2 capsules daily

Probiotics Strains: 

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

Form: Capsules

Certifications: GMP-certified

Storage: Shelf-stable

Cost: $64.99 for 1 month’s supply, $129.99 for 3 month’s supply, and $194.99 for 5 month’s supply

Helps Treat Gut Issues: Owing to a high CFU number, Gut+ helps you ditch digestive troubles as friendly bacteria enhance the gut’s ability to break down and absorb food.

Also, these strains’ anti-inflammatory and protective effects upregulate bowel movements, relieving disorders like diarrhea and constipation.

Improves Vaginal Health: The presence of more Lactobacillus species makes Gut+ an ideal probiotic supplement for women because strains of this bacterial family are highly suitable for the vaginal microbiome.

The vaginal is naturally acidic, and Lactobacillus bacteria secrete lactic acid to maintain this low pH and kill the infectious bacteria.

A clinical trial from Romania proves that Lactobacillus oral supplements improve vaginal health and reduce the chances of infections.

Also includes Prebiotics: Another plus point of Yourbiology probiotics is it supply prebiotic fiber to ensure their strain gets all necessary nourishment until they adjust to the gut microbiome.

Safe Delayed-release Capsules: With Gut+, you get a full guarantee of probiotics delivery to your gut microbiome because its pills are made of brown seaweed polysaccharide complex using Maktrek technology. 

As these capsules are thermostable, moisture-resistant, and delayed release type, so, none of the useful bacteria is killed by gastric acidity.

Pros

• Shelf-stable, Enteric capsules
• Contains Prebiotics
• Improves gut and vaginal health
• Increases immunity and mental wellbeing

Cons

• Not available at local pharmacies

Where to buy: 

• From Yourbiology’s official website for $64.99 per pack. 
• Installment options and bulk discount deals are also available.

2. Biotics 8 – Best For Men 

CFU: 20 billion

Dosage: 3 capsules daily 

Probiotics Strains:

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

Form: Capsules

Certifications: GMP-certified

Storage: Shelf-stable

Cost: $64.99 for 1 month’s supply, $129.99 for 3 month’s supply, $194.99 for 5 month’s supply

Enhances Testosterone Secretion: Biotics 8 is a diverse blend of probiotic strains, prebiotic ingredients, vitamin D, and digestive enzymes. 

This combination suits well for men’s health as research shows that a probiotic and prebiotic mixture enhances the secretion of testosterone and other androgenic hormones, resulting in more strength, energy, and sex drive.

Subsidies Gut Problems: All 10 strains of Biotics 8 produce anti-inflammatory substances that protect and heal intestinal membranes. Also, microbial secretions help in food digestion and absorption. Hence, it helps you say goodbye to occasional bloating, stomach ache, flatulence, diarrhea, and constipation.

Uplift Mood and Energy: Anti-inflammatory effects of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus strains increase the production of serotonin, making you feel motivated, happier, and contented.

The Additional Benefit Of Enzymes And Vitamin D: Besides the goodness of friendly microbes, Biotics 8 supports digestive machinery with enzymes.

Also, vitamin D is added to increase strength, stamina, and testosterone production.

Safe, Enteric Encapsulation: These pills are made to withstand temperature, humidity fluctuations, and acidity. That is why you can store them in your kitchen cabinet, concern-free.

Plus, you get the surety of probiotics delivery to your intestines as HPMC capsules are delayed-release and only open when exposed to the gut microbiome.

Pros

• Enhances testosterone level
• Promotes mental wellbeing
• Improves digestion
• Safe encapsulation

Cons

• Only available from the official website

Where to buy: 

• From the Biotics 8 website, costing $64.99 per bottle.
• You can avail yourself of discounts and free bottles on bulk purchases.

3. Culturelle Daily Digestive – Best For IBS

CFU: 10 billion

Dosage: 1 capsule daily

Probiotics Strain: Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG 

Form: Capsules

Certifications: N/A

Storage: Shelf-stable 

Cost: $17.99 for 30 pills pack, $23.99 for 50 pills pack

Culturelle is a big name among probiotic brands, and Daily Digestive Probiotic Capsules are its most popular product.

Rightly so, because this single-strain supplement has helped thousands of people get rid of gut issues. That is why it is one of the highest-rated probiotics. 

Each of its capsules delivers 10 billion CFUs of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (nicked as LGG).

Improves Bowel Movements: LGG is clinically proven to help with digestive problems and irregularity of bowel movements.

Heels Intestinal Membrane: LGG colonies act like an intestinal barrier, protecting the gut lining from harmful bacteria and chemicals with their anti-inflammatory secretions. 

Plus, it helps the intestinal membrane heal from the effects of drugs, allergens, and pathogens. 

With a healthier gut lining and streamlined bowel movement, IBS symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and bloating soon disappear, as the World Journal of Gastroenterology confirmed.

Can Resist Gastric Acids: The best thing about LGG is its acid resistance. As a result, it travels to the gut microbiome without being damaged by stomach acidity. 

Safe from Moisture and Heat Damage: Besides being shelf-stable and thermo-resistant, this probiotic is also safe from moisture damage. 

That’s because Culturelle seals probiotics in vegan capsules that are packed the pills in double aluminum blisters.

Pros

• Vegan and Allergen-free
• Shelf Stable
• Improves digestion
• Protects gut from harmful agents

Cons

• Lesser strain diversity

Where to buy:

• From the Culturelle website, the price is $17.99 for a small pack (30 pills) and $23.99 for the larger (50 pills).
• Or from online marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc., within a price range of $17.99 to $25.99.

4. Optibac Travel Abroad Probiotics – Best For Travel

CFU: 5 billion 

Dosage: 1 pill daily

Probiotics Strains:

• 2 Lactobacillus strains (L. rhamnosus Rosell-11, L. acidophilus Rosell-52)
• Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175 
• Saccharomyces boulardii

Form: HPMC Vegan Capsules

Certifications: N/A

Storage: Shelf-stable

Cost: $19.99/ bottle (20 capsules)

Optibac is a trusted UK-based brand producing various probiotic supplements tailored for kids, adults, and different medical conditions.

Travel Abroad Probiotic is designed to withstand weather changes when traveling to different climates.

It’s Travel Friendly: Its strains are grown and packed in the UK, but the supplement maintains its efficacy even if you travel to hot weather countries like India or Mexico.

Prevents Traveler Diseases: When you visit different places, you get a chance to try different meals than you find in your home town. 

But constant traveling and exposure to unfamiliar food can overwhelm your gut, causing indigestion, nausea, and traveler’s diarrhea.

S. boulardii in this supplement prevents this misfortune. It is a strain whose efficacy is widely tested and proven in travelers. 

A double-blinded study including 3000 travelers proves that ingesting this yeast strain reduces the risk of travelers’ diarrhea.

On top of it, users’ experiences like this one from Candi Davies also assures its potency to prevent gut disturbances on the go;

Vegan And Allergen-free: Its capsules are made of plant-based HPMC polysaccharides. Hence, it is temperature and moisture-resistant, 100% vegan, and enteric.

Also, you need not fear food allergies because Optibac pills are free from dairy, gluten, and GMOs. 

Pros

• Vegan 
• Prevent Travelers’ diarrhea
• Supports digestion
• Allergen-free

Cons

• Relatively expensive

Where to buy: 

• From Optibac’s Website, paying $19.99 per pack.
• Or from Optibac’s Amazon store.

Related: Best Probiotics For Traveling Abroad

5. Probullin daily care 60 capsules – Most Lasting Probiotic Supplement

CFU: 10 billion 

Dosage: 1 capsule daily

Probiotics Strains:

• 7 Lactobacillus strains (L. acidophilus, L. rhmnosus, L. bulgaricus, L. fermentum, L. helveticus, L. brevis, L. reuteri)
• 5 Bifidobacteria strains (B. breve, B. lactis, B. longum, B. bifidium, B. infantis)

Form: MAKTrek 3‑D Seaweed fiber Capsule 

Certifications: Third-Party Lab tested

Storage: Shelf-stable 

Cost: $53.99 for a pack of 60 pills

Probullin daily care is a great supplement to meet your everyday probiotic needs. It is a multiple-strain formula created by certified doctors to get maximized benefits from friendly bacteria. 

It comes in different pack sizes, and a larger one will last you for 60 days; that’s twice as long as most supplements.

Upregulates Gut, Skin, and Vaginal Microbiome: Besides the gut, your body harbors friendly bacteria in the vagina and on the skin. As this supplement supplies 12 active strains, each dose adds new microbial units to these different microbiomes of your body.

Resultantly, your digestive system is strengthened, and your skin condition and immunity are also improved. 

Also, your mood is uplifted owing to the positive effects of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria species on the gut-brain axis.

Allergen-free: Probullin daily care is free from dairy, gluten, eggs, wheat, soy, shellfish, magnesium stearate, and artificial additives. It is also 3^rd part tested for safety and efficacy.

Pros

• Third-party Lab tested
• No allergens, no preservatives
• Multi-strain supplement
• Enhances natural microbiome

Cons

• No yeast strain

Where to buy: 

• From Probulin’s official website or its Amazon Store.

6. Pendulum Metabolic Daily– Best Probiotics For Weight Loss

CFU: 300 million

Dosage: 1 pill daily

Probiotics Strains:

• 2 Clostridium strains (C. beijerinckii, C. butyricum)
• Akkermansia muciniphila
• Anaerobutyricum hallii
• Bifidobacterium infantis

Form: HPMC Vegan Capsules

Certifications: 

• Formulated by a team of microbiology researchers
• Tested in clinical trials

Storage: Shelf-stable

Cost: 

• $79.00 on the one-time purchase
• $49.00 with membership

Pendulum is a probiotics brand that stands out from the crowd due to its microbe diversity. Unlike most probiotic brands that sell commonly available bacteria, this company includes rare but highly beneficial strains.

Metabolic Daily is a similar supplement formulated to help you lose weight easily and quickly. 

Reduces Food Cravings And Suppresses Appetite: After a meal, your gut produces GLP-1 and butyrate. These substances reduce food cravings by stabilizing blood insulin and glucose levels.

If a supplement triggers the production of these chemicals, it will act as a good appetite suppressant. And that’s what Pendulum Metabolic Daily does.

Anaerobutyricum, Clostridium, and Akkermansia species enhance the production of GLP-1 and butyrate, reducing the occasional food cravings.

User feedback confirms its efficacy to suppress hunger and cravings as Nichelle said she now craves sugar less and eats less but still feels a lot more energetic than before;

Boosts Metabolism: On one side, these strains reduce calorie intake by minimizing the urge to eat. And on the other side, these bacteria increase metabolic rate, making your body use carbs more effectively.

A review article about the effects of weight management infers that it upregulates metabolism and energy production. Hence, it can prove a good therapeutic tool for obesity control.

Takes Care Of Your Gut: Your gut is the first beneficiary of any probiotics you take. And same is true for Pendulum probiotics.

All its strains show anti-inflammatory characteristics and play protective roles for the gut lining.

Pros

• Reduce sugar cravings
• Minimize hunger
• Enhance metabolism
• Helps in diabetes management 

Cons

• Expensive

Where to buy: 

• From Pendulum’s official website, you can buy a single bottle for $79.00.
• With membership, the price is reduced to $49.00
• Only available for US and Canadian residents

7. Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Chewable Probiotics – Best For Kids

CFU: 5 billion

Dosage: 1 pill daily 

Probiotics Strains:

• 9 Lactobacillus strains (L. acidophilus, L. plantarum, L. gasseri, L.paracasei, L. casei, L. brevis, L. rhmnosus, L. salivarius, L. bulgaricus )
• 5 Bifidobacteria strains (B. lactis, B. breve, B. infantis, B. bifidium, B. longum)

Form: Chewable jellies

Certifications: 

• Non-GMO certified
• NSF certified
• USDA Organic product

Storage: Shelf-stable

Cost: $22.39 for a pack of 30 chewable tablets

Improves Digestion: Dr. Formulated jellies deliver 14 bacterial strains to help young tummies digest better. These microbes also aid in the absorption of food nutrients in the blood.

Relieves Drug-associated Diarrhea: Children are highly prone to drug side effects. And diarrhea and vomiting are the top of these drug-related ailments.

Lactobacillus species are especially known for their ability to treat diarrhea. According to a clinical trial conducted in Copenhagen, the probability of diarrhea reduces by 20% only by adding probiotics to a child’s diet.

Boosts Immunity: Both Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus strains are great immunity boosters. They released dozens of anti-inflammatory substances that create a protective barrier on the gut lining, preventing the growth of germs in a child’s gut.

Besides that, they improve the body’s ability to fight harmful bacteria and toxins, making your young ones stronger and healthy.

It’s 100% Organic: Garden of Life takes pride in supplying 100% organic products. Hence, their probiotic capsules, chewable, and powders are also free from artificial flavoring, preservatives, and genetic modifications. 

Pros

• Organic, non-GMO product
• Tasty chewable candies
• Provides vitamins and prebiotics
• Improves Digestion
• Strengthens immunity

Cons

• 1 flavor only

Where to buy: 

• You get it directly from Garden of Life’s official website.
• Or from online marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart ($17.99 to $22.39, varies with the seller)
• Also, local pharmacies

Related: Refrigerated Probiotics Vs. Shelf Stable – Which is Best?

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