Probiotic Guide US (Version 1.2)

Synopsis of the App

Probiotics are a hot topic among clinicians and the general public. The US Probiotic Guide app is an educational tool that makes it a little easier to discover, research and identify the right probiotic supplement or food for specific conditions or indications from a smartphone. Users can search for probiotics by brand name, age, gender, and indications from digestive issues to cholesterol lowering. If the guide continues to be reliably updated, it would make a good pocket reference for clinicians.

Platform and Price
Free. Apple and Android.

RDN Score
4 out of 5

Pros

• Easy-to-use guide with a user-friendly design.
• Includes supplemental probiotics as well as functional foods with added probiotics like yogurt and infant formula.
• Filter results by brand name, age, gender, and indication.
• Search for probiotics suitable for a number of indications including antibiotic associated diarrhea, constipation, Heliobacter pylori, and cholesterol lowering among several others.
• Content is written and reviewed by a team of doctors and pharmacists.
• Includes a list of peer-reviewed references.
• Content is also available on a dedicated website under the same name for convenience.

Cons

• Though a good start, the database is not comprehensive.
• Current guide is for 2016 with no 2017 replacement (as of March 2017) so the content may be slightly out of date.
• To further educate the public, it would help to include general sources of probiotics like yogurt, kefir or kimchi.

Bottom Line

Best as a pocket reference for clinicians, the US Probiotics Guide makes it a little easier to discover, research, and identify the right probiotic supplement or food for specific conditions or indications.

Marisa Moore, MBA, RDN, LD

Marisa Moore, MBA, RDN, LD, is a nutrition consultant based in Atlanta and adjunct faculty at Georgia State University. Follow her at MarisaMoore.com, on Twitter or Instagram.