What’s the Best Probiotic?
(It Depends — Here’s Why)
One of the most common questions I get is “What probiotic should I take?”
The honest answer is that the best probiotic for you depends on what’s happening in your gut. Different strains do very different things, and in some cases probiotics can make symptoms worse if they’re not the right fit.
Many people have already tried one or two probiotics before finding this page — sometimes with little improvement, or even more bloating — which is usually a sign that the type of probiotic didn’t match what the gut actually needed.
This is why, when possible, I recommend starting with testing. A GI-MAP stool test allows us to see what bacteria are already present, whether certain microbes may be overgrown, and what type of support is most likely to be helpful.
That said, if testing isn’t possible right now, there are a few probiotic types that tend to be better tolerated and more broadly supportive for many people.
The product links below open through my Fullscript dispensary.
Fullscript allows me to provide professional-grade supplements at a 20–25% discount once you create a free account, with pricing visible after sign-up.
Your discount is automatically applied to all future orders.
Saccharomyces boulardii (a.k.a. Sacc B or S. Boulardii)
Saccharomyces boulardii is different from most probiotics because it’s actually a beneficial yeast rather than a bacteria.
Instead of permanently colonizing the gut, it works temporarily while you’re taking it, which makes it easier for many people to tolerate — especially if traditional probiotics tend to cause bloating.
Sacc B may be helpful for:
Supporting healthy stool consistency
Helping maintain balance when yeast or opportunistic organisms are present
Supporting gut barrier and immune function
Providing support after antibiotic use or travel
Why it’s often well tolerated
Because it’s a yeast, it doesn’t permanently colonize the gut, which is one reason many people tolerate it well.
It’s often used as short-term support rather than a long-term daily probiotic.
Best for: Inconsistent digestion, post-antibiotic support, or when traditional probiotics tend to cause bloating.
Note: product links open through my Fullscript dispensary, so pricing is visible once you create a free account. My dispensary discount (20–25% off retail) is applied automatically.
Spore-Based Probiotics (Megasporebiotic)
Spore-based probiotics work a little differently than traditional probiotics.
These organisms are naturally protected by a spore shell, which allows them to survive stomach acid and reach the intestines more effectively. Rather than trying to replace existing bacteria, they help support a healthier gut environment so beneficial bacteria can rebalance more naturally.
This can make them a helpful starting point for people who have reacted poorly to traditional probiotics in the past.
Spore-based probiotics may be helpful for:
People who experience bloating with traditional probiotics
Supporting gut balance without introducing very large amounts of bacteria
Situations where digestion feels sensitive or reactive
Supporting microbial diversity over time
Best for:
Sensitive digestion, probiotic intolerance, or supporting gut balance without introducing large amounts of new bacteria
My favorite is MegaSpore:
Traditional Lactobacillus & Bifidobacterium Blends
These are what most people think of when they hear the word “probiotic.”
For some individuals, these blends can be helpful for general digestive and immune support. However, they aren’t always the best starting point, especially if bloating, gas, or histamine sensitivity are already present.
Traditional probiotic blends may be helpful when:
Digestion is relatively stable
Probiotics have been well tolerated in the past
The goal is general maintenance rather than symptom support
As with all probiotics and supplements, individual response can vary.
Best for: General digestive and immune support when digestion is relatively stable and probiotics have been well tolerated in the past.
A Final Note on Probiotics
Probiotics can be helpful tools, but they aren’t always the first place I start. In many cases, mineral balance, digestion, or the gut environment itself needs support before adding bacteria.
This is why testing can be so helpful — it allows us to choose the right support at the right time instead of guessing, and often prevents unnecessary trial and error.
If you’re unsure where to start, GI-MAP stool testing can help take the guesswork out of the process and make probiotic choices much more targeted.
NutrEval
NutrEval is a blood and urine test that identifies key nutritional deficiencies. The NutrEval evaluates overall nutritional status to determine personalized supplementation needs for antioxidants, B-vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, digestive support, and other select nutrients.
NutrEval testing is effective for client concerns such as:
Mood disorder
Depression
Anxiety
Fatigue
Digestive Complaints
Chronic Pain/Inflammatory Conditions
Musculoskeletal
Migraine
Cardiovascular Risk
Weight Issues/Dietary Guidance
General Health and Sports Fitness Optimization
To see a sample NutrEval report, click here
Toorder your own NutrEval click here
GI Map Test for Gut Health
To order your own GI Map with practitioner interpretation, click here.
The GI-MAP (Gastrointestinal Microbial Assay Plus) test, offered by Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory, is a comprehensive stool test designed to assess the microbiome and detect gastrointestinal pathogens.
Utilizing advanced DNA sequencing technology, the GI-MAP provides detailed insights into the presence and levels of gut bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi, allowing for targeted interventions to restore gut health.
A GI Map test is recommended if:
You have issues with digestion, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or excessive burping
You have hormone, weight, or skin issues
You are constantly getting sick or have low energy
You recently took antibiotics
You are curious about what is going on in your gut
You want to be able to complete the test at home
A GI Map may not be recommended if:
You are pregnant or breastfeeding (cannot recommend detoxing during these times)
The GI-MAP test analyzes over 40 different commensal and pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi, along with markers of inflammation and digestive function. By identifying specific pathogens and imbalances in the gut microbiome, the GI-MAP offers valuable information for practitioners to develop personalized treatment plans tailored to the individual's unique microbial profile.
This stool test offers a non-invasive and comprehensive approach to evaluating gut health, providing actionable insights to optimize digestion, immune function, and overall well-being. With its ability to detect a wide range of gastrointestinal pathogens and dysbiosis, the GI-MAP test serves as a valuable tool in the assessment and management of digestive disorders, allowing for targeted interventions to promote gut health.
Read an example of a GI Map report here.
To order your own GI Map with practitioner interpretation, click here.
Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH)
What is the DUTCH test?
The DUTCH test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) is an advanced at-home hormone test that looks at how your body produces, uses, and clears hormones, not just whether levels are technically in range.
Unlike standard blood or saliva testing, DUTCH evaluates:
Sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA) and how they are metabolized
Daily cortisol patterns (free cortisol and total cortisol output)
Melatonin (6-OHMS) and sleep rhythm
Markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and detoxification
Select organic acids that offer insight into nutrient status, gut health, neurotransmitter activity, and mitochondrial function
This layered approach helps connect symptoms to patterns, rather than isolated lab values.
To order a DUTCH Complete test and practitioner analysis, click here.
How DUTCH Helps With Womens Hormone Health
Hormonal symptoms in women are rarely caused by just one hormone being too high or too low. More often, the issue is imbalance, poor hormone clearance, stress signaling, or shifts throughout the menstrual cycle.
DUTCH testing can be especially helpful for women dealing with:
PMS, PMDD, or worsening symptoms in the luteal phase
Irregular or missing periods
Perimenopause or early menopause symptoms
Infertility or cycle irregularities
Weight gain that does not respond to diet or exercise
Fatigue, burnout, or poor stress tolerance
Anxiety, mood swings, or sleep disturbances
Hair loss, acne, or changes in skin health
Low libido or cycle-related migraines
Because DUTCH shows both hormone levels and metabolites, we can see whether symptoms are related to low production, poor detoxification, stress-driven shifts, or nervous system signaling - which is often missed on bloodwork alone.
Cortisol, Stress, and the Bigger Picture
In addition to reproductive hormones, DUTCH provides a detailed look at cortisol rhythm and total cortisol output throughout the day.
This is critical because chronic stress can:
Suppress progesterone
Alter estrogen metabolism
Drive inflammation and blood sugar instability
Disrupt sleep and energy production
Worsen PMS, anxiety, and perimenopause symptoms
Seeing how cortisol behaves over the course of the day allows for much more targeted support, rather than generic stress recommendations.
Is DUTCH Only for Women?
No - DUTCH can be valuable for men as well.
As testosterone and DHEA naturally decline with age and stress, many men experience symptoms sometimes referred to as andropause. DUTCH helps identify whether symptoms are related to hormone production, metabolism, cortisol patterns, or lifestyle-related stressors.
Common symptoms in men include:
Loss of muscle mass or strength
Abdominal weight gain
Chronic fatigue or brain fog
Reduced motivation or confidence
Low libido or changes in sexual health
Lifestyle factors like poor sleep, toxin exposure, chronic stress, and metabolic dysfunction can accelerate these changes, and DUTCH helps clarify where support is needed.
DUTCH Complete vs. DUTCH Cycle Mapping
For many women, testing hormones at a single point in the menstrual cycle is sufficient. In other cases, symptoms fluctuate enough that we need to map hormone patterns across the cycle to fully understand what is happening.
When DUTCH Cycle Mapping Is Recommended:
Infertility or fertility challenges
Cycling hormones without regular bleeding
Partial hysterectomy (ovaries intact, uterus removed)
Endometrial ablation
Mirena IUD with ongoing hormonal symptoms
Irregular or unpredictable cycles
PCOS
Shifting or short luteal phases
Unsure when to test due to long or short cycles
Symptoms that change throughout the cycle (PMS, spotting, migraines, mood shifts)
When DUTCH Complete Is Usually Sufficient:
Postmenopausal women
Women on hormonal birth control
Women with predictable cycles and stable timing
Ready to Get Started?
To order a DUTCH Complete test and practitioner analysis, click here.
(A 7-minute example video walkthrough can be found here!)
To order a DUTCH Cycle mapping test and practitioner analysis, click here.
Or please reach out with questions to: Kelly.Shea.FDNP@gmail.com
Organic Acid Test (OAT)
The Organic Acids Test (OAT) is a comprehensive test that gives metabolic insight into a person’s overall health. There are dozens of markers on the organic acids test including vitamins and antioxidants, oxidative stress, energy production, detoxification, neurotransmitter levels, oxalates, and intestinal yeast and bacteria. The test is a simple, non-invasive, at home urine test that gives a great deal of information.
To order your own OAT test kit with practitioner interpretation, click here.
Effective for client concerns such as:
Mood Disorders
Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Fatigue
Chronic Stress
Inflammation
The report assesses important metabolic pathways and includes personalized micronutrient recommendations for vitamin and mineral cofactors, as well as digestive support recommendations based on a persons individual biochemical metabolism.
Mediator Release Test for Food Sensitivities (MRT)
To order your own MRT test with practitioner interpretation, see this page.
There are 3 categories of diet-induced inflammatory reactions: allergy, autoimmune disease, and sensitivities. Of the 3, sensitivities are the most prevalent.
Food and food-chemical sensitivities are a highly complex category of non-allergic, non-celiac inflammatory reactions. They can manifest in many different ways and they are one of the most common sources of inflammation.
This “hidden inflammation” can be hard to measure, and that is where the MRT test comes in! The MRT stands for Mediator Release Test for Food Sensitivities and is the only test on the market that quantifies the inflammatory response to food & food-chemicals, using a live blood sample to measure the white blood cell response.
Just a few examples of medical conditions where food sensitivities can play a primary or secondary role:
Obesity
Migraines
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
GERD
ADD/ADHD
Depression
Insomnia
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
To read more about the Oxford Biomedical MRT, click here.
This MRT test is recommended for you if:
You struggle with any of the conditions above
You feel like you’re eating “healthy” but still don’t feel great
You are willing to temporarily remove foods that show an inflammatory reaction to see how it improves your overall health
You don’t want to have to be actively eating a food to know your immune response to it (other food sensitivity IgE tests can only measure immune response to foods currently in your diet in the last week or two, since it measures antibodies)
This MRT test is not recommended for you if:
You are seeking validation for an otherwise known food sensitivity or allergy - the MRT looks at hidden inflammation, and will not cover all IgE sensitivity or IgA allergen responses
You are unable to get your blood drawn
You have an extremely limited diet already or are not willing to temporarily remove more foods from your diet
You live in NY state and are not willing to cross state lines to get your blood drawn (New York has laws against ordering your own blood draw)
Example report example below (does not show practitioner interpretation and individualized analysis that comes with our package, but shows the broad range of foods tested!):
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
What Is Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)?
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a non-invasive functional lab test that looks at the mineral content of hair to assess longer-term mineral status, stress patterns, metabolic trends, and toxic metal exposure.
Rather than giving a single-day snapshot like blood or urine testing, HTMA reflects how your body has been adapting over time. By analyzing the most recent 1.5-2 inches of hair closest to the scalp, we get an average picture of the last 3-4 months (depending on hair growth rate).
This makes HTMA especially helpful for identifying chronic patterns that often fly under the radar.
To order this test, click here.
What HTMA Does (and Does Not) Tell Us
HTMA is a non-diagnostic screening tool, meaning it does not diagnose disease. Instead, it helps us understand:
Mineral deficiencies and excesses
Key mineral ratios that influence thyroid function, blood sugar regulation, and adrenal health
Metabolic patterns (slow vs fast oxidation)
Stress adaptation over time
Trends in toxic metal exposure
The real value comes from interpreting the patterns together, not looking at any single mineral in isolation.
Why Hair Is Used for Mineral and Metal Testing
Hair is recognized as a useful tissue for assessing certain mineral and toxic metal trends because it reflects what has been stored and excreted over time, rather than what is circulating at that exact moment.
Because minerals and metals are incorporated into hair as it grows, HTMA can offer insight into longer-term exposure that may not show up clearly in blood or urine testing.
How HTMA Is Used
A full HTMA report and practitioner interpretation can help guide:
Targeted dietary adjustments
Strategic supplementation (rather than guessing)
Mineral repletion after stress, illness, pregnancy, or long-term depletion
Decisions about whether additional testing is needed (hormones, gut, etc.)
HTMA is often a starting point, especially when symptoms feel vague, chronic, or unexplained.
HTMA May Be Helpful If You Are:
Struggling with fatigue, poor stress tolerance, or burnout
Experiencing weight changes, blood sugar swings, or thyroid-related symptoms
Dealing with headaches, poor sleep, anxiety, or mood changes
Recovering from pregnancy, breastfeeding, illness, or a prolonged stressful period
Eating a restricted diet and concerned about micronutrient sufficiency
Curious about toxic metal exposure
Unsure where to start with functional testing
Willing to make targeted diet or supplement changes based on data
HTMA May Not Be a Good Fit If You:
Are not in a position to make diet or supplement changes right now
Have significant concerns about hair loss and do not want to remove a small sample
Conditions Commonly Influenced by Mineral Imbalances
Mineral imbalances do not cause disease on their own, but they can contribute to dysfunction in many systems. Patterns on HTMA are commonly associated with concerns such as:
Fatigue and low energy
Headaches or migraines
Blood sugar instability
Hair loss
Thyroid disturbances
Mood changes or anxiety
Digestive issues
Joint or muscle discomfort
Cardiovascular stress
Common Contributors to Mineral Imbalance
Mineral imbalances often develop slowly and are influenced by:
Long-term stress
Diet mismatched to metabolic needs
Chronic under-eating or over-exercising
Pregnancy, postpartum, or breastfeeding
Certain medications or hormonal birth control
Toxic metal exposure
Inherited mineral patterns
This is why many people feel like they are doing "all the right things" and still feel off.
Did You Know?
PMS headaches can sometimes be influenced by elevated copper relative to zinc
Zinc status plays a key role in hormone balance, immune health, and male reproductive health
Magnesium deficiency is extremely common due to modern farming and soil depletion
Some people do not tolerate certain supplements well depending on their mineral patterns
Stress alone can significantly shift mineral balance over time
Ready to Get Started?
To order your own HTMA kit with practitioner interpretation, click here or use the form below.
Partial example HTMA report below (example does not include interpretation):
To order your own HTMA kit and get started, click here.