Synopsis of the App
Probiotics are a hot topic among clinicians and the general public. The US Probiotic Guide app is an educational tool that makes it a little easier to discover, research and identify the right probiotic supplement or food for specific conditions or indications from a smartphone. Users can search for probiotics by brand name, age, gender, and indications from digestive issues to cholesterol lowering. If the guide continues to be reliably updated, it would make a good pocket reference for clinicians.
Platform and Price
Free. Apple and Android.
RDN Score
4 out of 5
Pros
- Easy-to-use guide with a user-friendly design.
- Includes supplemental probiotics as well as functional foods with added probiotics like yogurt and infant formula.
- Filter results by brand name, age, gender, and indication.
- Search for probiotics suitable for a number of indications including antibiotic associated diarrhea, constipation, Heliobacter pylori, and cholesterol lowering among several others.
- Content is written and reviewed by a team of doctors and pharmacists.
- Includes a list of peer-reviewed references.
- Content is also available on a dedicated website under the same name for convenience.
Cons
- Though a good start, the database is not comprehensive.
- Current guide is for 2016 with no 2017 replacement (as of March 2017) so the content may be slightly out of date.
- To further educate the public, it would help to include general sources of probiotics like yogurt, kefir or kimchi.
Bottom Line
Best as a pocket reference for clinicians, the US Probiotics Guide makes it a little easier to discover, research, and identify the right probiotic supplement or food for specific conditions or indications.
