Guide
Probiotics topical, sprays and foods: what to know
Skin products, mouth sprays and foods like ice cream carry probiotic claims too. What reviews say, and what we sell: a swallowed capsule only.
Probiotic skin products, mouth and breath sprays, and foods such as ice cream or cream cheese are different products from a swallowed capsule, each with its own research. A 2022 review said clinical trials of topical probiotics are scarce. We sell only a capsule and make no claim about any of these.
Probiotics topical: skin products
A narrative review of the gut-skin axis and probiotics reported that laboratory studies suggested potential effects and that clinical trials with both topical and oral probiotics are scarce. That is the state of what we can cite: no trial that would let us say what a probiotic cream does at any amount. The accepted definition of a probiotic requires an identified strain, a known adequate amount and a demonstrated benefit to the host, so a product with none of those has not met it. A review of 249 trials found effects are strain-specific and purpose-specific.
Probiotics oral spray, mouth spray and breath spray
Sprays and lozenges act in the mouth and are a separate product category from a swallowed capsule. We cite no trial of a mouth or breath spray, and we do not apply gut research to them or the reverse. Check the label for strain names, count and storage, as for any probiotic. See how to choose a good probiotic.
Probiotics ice cream, cream cheese and other foods
Experts define fermented foods as foods made through desired microbial growth and say they are not the same thing as probiotics, so cream cheese or yogurt with live cultures is not automatically a probiotic dose. A laboratory study of ice cream containing Bifidobacterium lactis followed the strain over 120 days of frozen storage and found viability depended on what else was in the recipe. It is one recipe in a lab, and it tells you nothing about the ice cream you buy. We do not cite an amount for any food.
What we sell
Electric Tiger Probiotic 20 Billion CFU is a swallowed vegetable capsule: 20 billion CFU at the time of manufacture per capsule from 13 listed organisms (species only, one 317 mg row), one capsule daily with 6–8 oz of water, as low as $14.39 a bottle on subscription. It prints no strain codes. For drinks and powders, see probiotics powder and liquid; for what a probiotic is, what are probiotics.
Sources
- Acne, Microbiome, and Probiotics: The Gut-Skin Axis A 2022 review said clinical trials of topical probiotics are scarce.
- Expert consensus document. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic A 2014 international expert consensus statement defined 'probiotic' as a specific, identified live microorganism given in a known, adequate amount that has been shown to produce a health benefit — not a general term for any product containing live bacteria.
- The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on fermented foods Experts define fermented foods by how they are made, and say they are not the same thing as probiotics.
- Choosing an appropriate probiotic product for your patient: An evidence-based practical guide A review of 249 trials found probiotic effects depend on the exact strain and the purpose, and many products have no trial of their own.
- Application of Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas L.) Peel in Probiotic Ice Cream: Functionality and Viability during Storage In a lab study of one ice cream recipe, how many B. lactis cells survived 120 days frozen depended on what else was in the recipe.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
