Probiotics are live microorganisms, most often lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. They are found in yoghurt, other fermented foods and food supplements. Choose them by five things: which bacteria are named, how many CFU are in a serving, whether there is a figure for each bacterium, at what point the CFU figure applies, and how the product is stored. At Stivits this is a mixture of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria: Probiotics 10 Billion CFU Complex 18 Strains, 60 capsules, 1 capsule a day with meals, 18 bacteria names with a figure for each, lasts 60 days. The EU register has no authorised statements about lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, so we promise no effect.
The numbers are for the daily serving for adults. Stivits sells both the capsules and the powder, so we have no stake in which one you choose.
| Product and daily serving | Format | CFU per serving | Bacteria in the composition | Figure for each bacterium | What else is inside | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Probiotics 10 Billion CFU Complex 18 Strains, 60 capsules, 1 capsule with meals | vegan capsule | 10 billion | 18 names | yes, 0.2–0.9 billion | bacteria only | 60 days |
| GASTROPSYL™ Stomach Support Complex, 10 g in 200–250 ml of water | powder | 5 billion | 18 names | no | psyllium 5950 mg, linseed 2000 mg, 6 more ingredients | 36 days |
Probiotics are live microorganisms taken for their potential health benefit. Most often they are bacteria from the groups Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, less often other bacteria and yeasts. They are found in yoghurt, other fermented foods and food supplements.
The word "probiotic" on a pack proves nothing in itself. NIH ODS notes that the benefit has not been confirmed for every product with such a name. Different bacteria can behave differently: what is shown for one lactobacillus does not automatically hold for another.
There is no single answer for all food supplements. The EU register has no authorised statements about lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in food supplements, so Stivits promises no effect on the gut or the immune system. NIH ODS says there are currently no formal recommendations for or against their use by healthy people.
What you do get: the Stivits capsule gives 10 billion CFU of a mixture of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, each bacterium in the composition has its own figure, and the intake is 1 capsule a day. If you have a specific health problem, talk to your doctor rather than relying on the word on the pack.
Five questions for any product, with the answers for Stivits capsules next to them.
1. Are the bacteria named? NIH ODS defines a probiotic by genus, species and strain. The Stivits composition gives the genus and species of 18 bacteria; it has no alphanumeric strain codes.
2. How many CFU are in a serving? Look at the figure for the daily serving. Stivits has 10 billion CFU in 1 capsule.
3. Is there a figure for each bacterium? A CFU figure for each bacterium shows the whole composition; a single total does not. Stivits has a figure for all 18 names, from 0.2 to 0.9 billion.
4. At what point does the CFU figure apply? Bacteria can die during shelf life, so NIH ODS advises looking for the CFU count at the end of shelf life, not at the date of manufacture. The Stivits composition says 10 billion CFU per capsule and does not say when it applies.
5. How is it stored? Some products need a fridge, others are fine at room temperature. Stivits capsules are stored at room temperature, in a dry place, in the original packaging.
The trade-off: the Stivits capsule composition has no strain codes and does not say when the CFU count applies, so it cannot be matched to a specific strain from studies.
CFU are colony-forming units; they show the number of viable cells. According to NIH ODS, many food supplements contain from 1 to 10 billion CFU per dose, and some 50 billion or more. A Stivits capsule with 10 billion CFU sits at the upper end of the usual range.
More does not mean stronger: NIH ODS notes that products with a larger number of CFU do not necessarily work better. The optimal dose depends on the strain and the product, and there is no single CFU norm.
One capsule contains 18 named bacteria, 10 billion CFU in total. Lactobacilli give 4.8 billion, bifidobacteria 3.3 billion, and three other bacteria 1.9 billion.
| Group | Bacterium | CFU in 1 capsule |
|---|---|---|
| Bifidobacteria | Bifidobacterium animalis lactis | 0.9 billion |
| Bifidobacteria | Bifidobacterium breve | 0.7 billion |
| Bifidobacteria | Bifidobacterium longum | 0.5 billion |
| Bifidobacteria | Bifidum infantis | 0.5 billion |
| Bifidobacteria | Bifidobacterium animalis | 0.5 billion |
| Bifidobacteria | Bifidobacterium bifidum | 0.2 billion |
| Lactobacilli | Lactobacillus acidophilus | 0.9 billion |
| Lactobacilli | Lactobacillus reuteri | 0.6 billion |
| Lactobacilli | Lactobacillus plantarum | 0.6 billion |
| Lactobacilli | Lactobacillus gasseri | 0.5 billion |
| Lactobacilli | Lactobacillus casei | 0.5 billion |
| Lactobacilli | Lactobacillus rhamnosus | 0.5 billion |
| Lactobacilli | Lactobacillus fermentum | 0.5 billion |
| Lactobacilli | Lactobacillus salivarius | 0.5 billion |
| Lactobacilli | Lactobacillus bulgaricus | 0.2 billion |
| Others | Enterococcus faecium | 0.9 billion |
| Others | Lactococcus lactis | 0.5 billion |
| Others | Streptococcus thermophilus | 0.5 billion |
The capsule gives twice as many CFU: 10 billion against 5 billion in a serving of GASTROPSYL™. The powder combines the same 18 bacteria names with psyllium and plants. The choice depends on whether you want only bacteria.
Capsules suit you if you want only the mixture of bacteria and one capsule a day with food. They are vegan, and a pack lasts 60 days.
The trade-off: the capsule contains nothing but the bacteria.
GASTROPSYL™ Stomach Support Complex suits you if you want bacteria and psyllium in one glass: 5950 mg of psyllium, 2000 mg of linseed, 6 more ingredients and 5 billion CFU in a 10 g serving.
The trade-off: half the CFU, no figure for each bacterium, and a pack lasts 36 days. More in the guide to psyllium.
There is no point in taking both products at once: they contain the same 18 bacteria names.
Probiotics are live microorganisms. Prebiotics are usually complex carbohydrates that gut microorganisms use as fuel. Synbiotics are products that combine both. Postbiotics are preparations made from dead microorganisms or their parts.
Stivits capsules contain only bacteria. A serving of GASTROPSYL™ contains a mixture of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria together with plant ingredients, listed above.
Adults take the Stivits capsule, 1 a day with meals. Take it every day: a pack lasts 60 days, enough for a 60-day course. Stir GASTROPSYL™ into 200–250 ml of water, 10 g a day; a pack lasts 36 days, enough for a 36-day course.
Store in the original packaging, in a dry place at room temperature, out of the reach of young children. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet.
Sometimes your situation decides before you buy:
Probiotics are live microorganisms, most often lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. They are found in yoghurt, other fermented foods and food supplements. The Stivits capsule contains a mixture of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria: 10 billion CFU and 18 bacteria names.
There is no single answer for all supplements, because it depends on the bacteria. The EU register has no authorised statements about lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, so Stivits promises no effect. NIH ODS says there are no formal recommendations for or against their use by healthy people. The Stivits capsule gives 10 billion CFU a day.
Check whether the bacteria are named, how many CFU are in a serving, whether there is a figure for each bacterium, at what point the CFU figure applies, and how the product is stored. Stivits has 18 names, 10 billion CFU per capsule, 0.2 to 0.9 billion per name, and storage at room temperature; the moment for the CFU figure is not named.
There is no single norm. According to NIH ODS, many food supplements contain from 1 to 10 billion CFU per dose, and a larger number does not necessarily work better. The Stivits capsule gives 10 billion CFU, and a serving of GASTROPSYL™ gives 5 billion CFU.
CFU are colony-forming units; they show the number of viable cells. The 10 billion CFU in a Stivits capsule is the total over 18 bacteria names: lactobacilli 4.8 billion, bifidobacteria 3.3 billion, other bacteria 1.9 billion.
Take the Stivits capsule with meals: adults take 1 capsule a day. Stir a serving of GASTROPSYL™, 10 g, into 200–250 ml of water; the time of day is up to you.
It depends on the product: some need a fridge, others are fine at room temperature. Keep Stivits capsules, 10 billion CFU, at room temperature, in a dry place and in the original packaging.
Probiotics are live microorganisms. Prebiotics are usually complex carbohydrates that these microorganisms use as fuel. Stivits does not claim a prebiotic action: the capsule contains only bacteria, and a 10 g serving of GASTROPSYL™ contains 5 billion CFU of a mixture of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria and 5950 mg of psyllium.
According to NIH ODS, side effects in healthy people are usually mild, for example gas. For seriously ill people and people with a weakened immune system the risk is greater, and the decision belongs to a doctor. The Stivits serving for adults is 1 capsule a day.
The Stivits directions give no schedule for taking the capsule alongside antibiotics, only the serving: 1 capsule a day with meals. Ask your doctor how to combine them and how far apart to take them.
The Stivits serving is a daily one: 1 capsule a day, and a pack lasts a 60-day course; GASTROPSYL™ lasts a 36-day course. We do not name a time to results. If you want to carry on after one pack, talk to your doctor.
The Stivits mixture of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria is sold at stivits.com: capsules with 10 billion CFU, 60 pieces (lasts 60 days), and GASTROPSYL™ powder, 360 g, with 5 billion CFU per serving (lasts 36 days). If you want bacteria only, take the capsules. If you want bacteria together with psyllium, take GASTROPSYL™. We dispatch your order by the next working day. In the Baltics, delivery to a parcel locker is free on orders from €15 and delivery by courier is free from €25; below €25 the courier is charged at the rate shown at checkout.
Made in Europe, in Latvia: manufactured by SIA Pharma Market Solutions (Mārupe) for HYPERPHARM OÜ, Tallinn. Factory certificates: GMP No. GMP-FS-01 and HACCP No. HACCP-01 (valid until 17 May 2027), ISO 22000:2018 No. MSC-22-1384 (valid until 7 January 2029), issued by BM Certification. Stivits sells direct from the factory, with no wholesalers or pharmacies in between.
Stivits sells direct from the factory, with no wholesalers or pharmacies in between. We dispatch your order by the next working day.