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Probiotics for gut health have become a staple of the wellness aisle, promising better digestion, immunity, and bloating relief in a daily capsule. But according to Dr Will Bulsiewicz, many people may be spending money on supplements that are unlikely to help. Not because probiotics are useless, but because they are often taken in the wrong way.
Bulsiewicz, known online as The Gut Health MD, is a gastroenterologist, New York Times bestselling author, and founder of the gut health company 38TERA. In a recent YouTube video titled “Stop Wasting Money on Probiotics. Here’s What Actually Improves Gut Health,” he shares what he says are three common mistakes that reduce the efficacy of probiotics and explains how to take them correctly.
Read more: Eating 30 Plants Per Week Could Transform Your Gut Health
His message is not that probiotics should be thrown out altogether. In fact, Bulsiewicz says he has seen them benefit thousands of patients during his 20 years in clinical practice. But he argues that the supplement industry has trained consumers to think about probiotics too generally, when the research points to something much more specific.
“I’m not anti-probiotic,” he says. “I believe in probiotics when they’re used the right way for the right person with the right strain.”
The problem, he argues, is that much of the probiotic market is built around broad claims such as “digestive health” or “immune support,” rather than evidence-based formulas that match a particular strain to a particular symptom. Bulsiewicz says the probiotic industry is worth $50 billion, and that many products are designed more to sell than to work.
Editor’s note: This article is intended as a guide only. Always consult a healthcare professional before making changes to your medication, diet, or supplement routine, especially if you have existing health conditions or concerns.
Mistake one: Buying a generic probiotic
For more plant-forward tips to support your gut health, visit Bulsiewicz’s YouTube channel and website.
Bulsiewicz says the biggest misconception is that any probiotic is automatically good for gut health.
“That’s like saying any medicine is good for the body,” he says. “That’s meaningless.”
In the video, he explains that different probiotic organisms have different functions. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, for example, has been studied for antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Bifidobacterium infantis may relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. Saccharomyces boulardii, a beneficial yeast rather than bacteria, is often used for acute diarrhea.
He also points to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, another beneficial yeast, as having a different purpose. Rather than being used for acute diarrhea, he says it can support gut barrier integrity and calm low-grade inflammation. It also helps reduce symptoms such as bloating, abdominal discomfort, and digestive distress.
“Different organisms, different functions, different results,” he says.
That means a “random blend of 10 strains” may sound impressive on a label. However, it does not necessarily mean it is the right product for a person’s specific issue. Bulsiewicz says people should look for probiotic strains that have been tested in human clinical trials. Ideally, they should choose the exact strain shown to work for the condition they are targeting.
For those using probiotics for gut health, the takeaway is simple: specificity matters. A general wellness blend may not be enough if the goal is to address a particular symptom, such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, or IBS.
Mistake two: Taking the wrong dose
The second mistake, according to Bulsiewicz, is taking a probiotic that does not contain enough live microbes to match what has been shown to work in research.
He says people should use the dose that was used in clinical trials whenever that information is available. When it is not clear, he recommends looking for at least 10 billion colony-forming units, or CFUs.
“You should aim for 10 billion CFUs or more because most meaningful studies use somewhere between 10 and 100 billion,” he says.
The issue, he says, is that many drugstore probiotics contain only one billion to five billion CFUs. These products may look appealing and be cheaper to manufacture, but Bulsiewicz describes them as “subtherapeutic” if they fall below the dose needed to produce results.
There is another catch: CFU counts can decline over time. A bottle that contained 10 billion CFUs when it was made may have significantly fewer by the time it has been sitting in a cabinet for six months. Bulsiewicz says that can turn a once-promising supplement into little more than an expensive placebo.
He recommends choosing products that match the clinical dose whenever possible, or, at a minimum, choose a product with 10 billion CFUs verified by a third party. He also points to NSF certification as a marker for supplement cleanliness and purity.
Mistake three: Taking probiotics at the wrong time
Even when someone has the right strain and a reasonable dose, Bulsiewicz says timing can still make a difference.
“Most probiotics work best on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before a meal,” he says.
Many people take supplements with breakfast because that is when they remember to do it. But according to Bulsiewicz, taking probiotics with food may reduce their effectiveness by 30 to 50 percent.
Duration matters, too. He says many people buy a 30-day bottle, take it for a month, feel disappointed, and conclude that probiotics do not work for them. But in many studies, he says, people need eight to 12 weeks to assess whether a probiotic is helping.
“Minimum of eight weeks,” he says. “If you’re not willing to do eight weeks, save your money.”
His suggested protocol is to match the strain to the condition, check the dose, and take it on an empty stomach 30 minutes before a meal. It’s also important to commit to at least eight weeks, and then reassess based on how you feel. If it helps and the cost makes sense, he says it may be worth continuing. If it does not help, he says it is time to move on.
Read more: 7 Fermented Plant Foods That Could Boost Your Gut Health
Food first, supplements second
The most plant-based-friendly part of Bulsiewicz’s message may also be the one he says the probiotic industry does not want people to hear: For most people, the best place to start is food.
“For most people, you should start with fermented food,” he says.
He lists kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt, and traditionally fermented pickles as examples of fermented foods that can contain living microbes. He emphasizes that real fermented foods are not just isolated organisms in a capsule; they are ecosystems that can also contain fiber and other beneficial compounds.
Fermented foods, he says, can be far cheaper than many supplements. A head of cabbage can be turned into multiple jars of sauerkraut, while a probiotic supplement may cost $40 or more.
But Bulsiewicz also stresses that adding bacteria is only one part of the equation. People already have trillions of bacteria in their gut, he says. What many need is not necessarily more bacteria, but more food for the bacteria they already have.
That food is prebiotic fiber, which comes from plant-based foods. Bulsiewicz compares the gut microbiome to a factory: Rather than importing more workers, it may be more effective and affordable to feed and energize the existing team.
He also points to the American Gut Project, which studied more than 10,000 people, and says one of the strongest predictors of gut health was eating 30 different plant-based foods per week. In his view, variety is key.
“Food should come first,” he says. “Supplements should come second.”
For anyone interested in probiotics for gut health, that may be the most important point. Bulsiewicz is not saying probiotics never work. He is saying they are not a substitute for a diverse, fiber-rich diet.
His bottom line is direct: “You can’t outsupplement a bad diet.”
Dr B’s advice is refreshingly practical. Start with fermented foods. Aim for 30 different plants a week. Feed the microbes already living in your gut. And if you do choose a probiotic, make sure it is the right strain, at the right dose, taken at the right time, for long enough to know whether it works.
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