CFU stands for colony-forming unit—the standard way of measuring the quantity of live strains in probiotic supplements. It refers to the number of live, active microorganisms present in one dose of Biotic⁺.

As CFUs indicate the number of live microorganisms in a probiotic dose, larger numbers do increase the likelihood of an impact. However, CFUs aren’t the only thing to consider when choosing a probiotic. You should also consider the specific strains present, the science that backs up the probiotic, and the quality and care that goes into the production process.

CFU stands for Colony Forming Unit, referring to the number of live, active microorganisms present in one dose of Biotic⁺. When any probiotic advertises a number of CFUs on the bottle, this is the minimum number of CFUs present at the end of its shelf life. For example, the Biotic⁺ is guaranteed to still have 20 billion CFUs after 18 months. We are able to do this by adding 65 billion CFUs at time of manufacture, and rigorously testing to ensure a minimum of 20 billion CFUs remain alive through expiration.

CFU ATM stands for Colony Forming Unit At Time of Manufacture. This is the number of CFUs in a single dose of the probiotic when it is first manufactured. Over the course of a probiotic’s life, the number of CFUs drops, so the faster the probiotic gets from the factory to you, the more CFUs are present, and the more likely it is to have an effect.

The Biotic⁺ production and distribution processes ensure that it reaches you as fresh as possible, ensuring maximum potency.

What actually are 'strains'?

In probiotics, there are 3 concepts to distinguish: the genus (e.g. Bifidobacterium), species (e.g. Bifidum) and strain (e.g. Rosell-71). You can recognise strains through numbers, letters, or names.

Each bacterial species and strain has specific and different health benefits. Bifidobacterium Bifidum, for example, is not the same as Bifidobacterium Longum, and within each species there can be thousands of different strains.

As proven benefits are connected to specific bacterial strains, it's important to identify strains when choosing a probiotic. Not just to verify that the included strains will actually have an impact (it’s worth checking whether they’re evidenced by clinical trials), but also to see if they'll deliver the benefit you're after.

Biotic⁺ contains 7 clinically studied strains, of which include proprietary strains, supporting gut, brain and immune health in one daily capsule.

Research from over 380 clinical studies informed the formulation of Biotic⁺, which contains some of the most documented probiotic strains in the world, including S. boulardii, L rhamnosus, and Cerebiome®.

It contains both yeasts and bacteria to facilitate dual-action impact, and includes a unique combination of strains that targets the gut-brain axis, to promote mental well-being as well as gut and immune health.

By encouraging the growth of certain strains in your microbiome, Biotic⁺ provides targeted support for the gut-brain axis to impact your mental health, as well as your digestive and immune systems.