As a natural supplement company focused on holistic health, you’d better believe that the concept of rotation is a big part of our fundamental philosophy on health. And we talk about it a lot – rotating foods and supplements – and that’s because it’s actually really important, especially when it comes to rotating probiotics.
But why? What’s the big deal? After all, as long as you’re giving probiotics on the regular, what difference does it make?
A big one, actually…
Why Rotating Probiotics is SO Important
The gut is a complex ecosystem. Our Founder, Julie Anne Lee, DCH, has always viewed the gut the same way she views nature: as a complex ecosystem in a state of constant flux. It shifts with the environment; it turns with the seasons. In this same way, the bacteria within the gut must constantly change to build true diversity and resilience.
This is why, for us, a one-size-fits-all approach to probiotics is not the answer. When we feed the same probiotics day in and day out, we are offering the gut the same singular notes over and over. Instead of growth, this can create an environment of resistance.
Simply stated, by giving the same thing, day after day, the gut can actually get lazy!
Instead, by rotating between different probiotics, switching them out over time, you’re exposing your animal’s gut to new strains of beneficial bacteria from different sources. This keeps the gut primed to adapt to new changes and creates resilience. You’re keeping it sharp, giving it a chance to take in the benefits of different strains, without giving it a chance to get complacent.
For example, at ABA, we offer a variety of probiotic blends. Each one was created to fit a different need, and they also each target different areas of the body or different bodily systems. (Here’s a breakdown of them and when to use them.)
Some have the same strains (Love Bugs, Healthy Gut, Gut Soothe) but with different additions, such as digestive enzymes (Healthy Gut) or anti-inflammatory herbs (Gut Soothe). Then you have our species-specific probiotics that feature canine or feline-specific strains. Then, of course, you have Soil & Sea, which features soil-based probiotics.
So, by giving these in rotation, you’re exposing your animal to so many different probiotic strains – and the different benefits are just mind-blowing!
How to Rotate Probiotics
Now that you know rotating probiotics is a good idea, you’re probably asking, well, what’s the best way to do it?
It’s really very simple – whatever way works best for you!
For example, in our house, with two big dogs, we share a jar, finish it up, take a short break, and then start a new jar. So, our girls might get Love Bugs one month, then The Wolf the next, and so on. That way, their bodies are taking advantage of the change-up, the diversity.
We also focus on the seasons and what else is in the jar. When the seasons change, and the body needs a bit of a detox, we rotate in Fido’s Flora, because of the fulvic and humic acid. Or, if we’re changing foods, or going into something stressful, we might opt for a rotation of Gut Soothe.
But that’s just us! You might have small dogs, or dogs with specific health concerns, or just a different schedule. The cadence doesn’t really matter. What matters is that you’re making the effort to switch things up, introduce the gut to different bacterial strains over time to keep it on its toes, keep things from getting stagnant and stale.
Rotating probiotics is a fundamental principle Julie used when developing all Adored Beast products, one anchored in more than 30 years of practice. It allows the gut (and the whole body) to effectively use all the different strains to its advantage, getting the most out of everything in the jar!
