Probiotic Supplements

Many of our probiotics are listed medicines, which carry an AUST L number. Listed medicines can only use claims from the government's list of permitted indications.^[7] Their permitted claims cover these areas:

1. Everyday gut health: Carusos Probiotic Daily maintains intestinal health and helps restore friendly gut flora (the good bacteria in your gut). We also stock formulas made for adults over 50 and over 60.
2. Antibiotics: Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence helps restore beneficial gut flora after antibiotic use. For children over 2, Blackmores Probiotics+ Kids Daily Health also helps maintain it during the course.
3. Travel: Herbs Of Gold Probiotic + Sb contains S. boulardii, a yeast probiotic. It helps reduce the occurrence and relieve symptoms of travellers' diarrhoea. It needs no fridge, so it packs easily.
4. Wind and medically diagnosed IBS: Ethical Nutrients IBS Control Probiotic relieves symptoms of medically diagnosed irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), including abdominal bloating. It also helps relieve excess gas. Carusos Super Strength Probiotic helps relieve wind and the symptoms of medically diagnosed IBS. UK gut specialists say probiotics may ease overall symptoms and pain in medically diagnosed IBS, although no single strain stands out. The evidence is still limited, so they suggest trying one for up to 12 weeks and stopping if your symptoms have not improved.^[4]
5. Vaginal and urinary health: Inner Health Candex Probiotic maintains vaginal health and healthy urogenital flora. Carusos Urinary Health Probiotic supports urinary tract health and helps maintain a healthy vaginal pH. Blackmores Probiotics+ Womens Flora Balance supports healthy vaginal flora. All three contain L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14. In a trial of 64 healthy women, these two strains were taken by mouth. Within four weeks they raised vaginal lactobacilli (protective bacteria) compared with a placebo (a dummy capsule).^[5] Procter & Gamble part-funded the study and employed four of its seven researchers. RC-14 was called L. fermentum at the time.
6. Immune health and colds: Blackmores Probiotics+ Immune Defence helps maintain healthy immune system function and helps decrease the duration of the common cold. Blackmores Probiotics+ Kids Daily Health helps reduce the occurrence of common colds in children over 2. Across 16 trials in 4,798 people, those taking probiotics were less likely to get a cold or a similar upper respiratory tract infection. The certainty of that evidence is low.^[6]
7. Children's skin: Ethical Nutrients Eczema Shield Kids Powder combines LGG and BB-12 with vitamin D. It helps reduce the occurrence of symptoms of mild eczema and dermatitis in children.

If symptoms persist or worsen, talk to your doctor. Seek medical advice if diarrhoea lasts more than 48 hours in adults and children over 6. For younger children the limits are shorter: 24 hours from 3 to 6 years, 12 hours under 3 and 6 hours under 6 months.

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

Your gut is home to a huge mix of bacteria and yeasts, often called your gut microbiome. A probiotic adds more of one or more well-studied types. Most supplements use Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium bacteria, or the yeast S. boulardii.^[8][9]

Each probiotic has three names: a genus, a species and a strain code, as in Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG. A result found for one strain may not apply to another.^[9] In one review, for example, the travel trials of S. boulardii used the strain CNCM I-745.^[3]

Most probiotics do not settle in your gut for good. They do their work as they pass through, so the effects tend to last only while you keep taking them.^[8][10] Prebiotics are fibres that feed your good bacteria, and products that combine both are called synbiotics.^[10]

1. Start with your goal: pick a product labelled for that use, then check the strains it contains.
2. Check the full strain name: Australian rules let the common probiotics, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and S. boulardii, go on a label without a strain code. Only a few, such as Bacillus coagulans, must show their strain.^[11] Many brands print the strain code anyway, and it is worth looking for.
3. Know the old and new names: in 2020 scientists split Lactobacillus into 25 groups.^[12] So Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG may now read Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG. It is the same strain.
4. Check the dose behind the billions: a bigger count or more strains is not always better.^[8] CFU (colony forming units) is the count of live microbes. In children taking antibiotics, doses of 5 billion CFU a day or more worked better than lower doses.^[2] Choose a product that states the count at expiry, since numbers fall over time.^[9]
5. Pick a format you will keep taking: capsules suit most adults. Powders, sachets, drops and chewables suit babies, kids and anyone who finds capsules hard to swallow. Most of our gummies use Bacillus coagulans, a spore-forming probiotic, and some are sold as foods.
6. Look for an AUST L number: it tells you the product is a listed medicine.
7. Ask us: book a free 10-minute consultation with one of our naturopaths.

• Follow the label: directions differ between products. Some are taken with food, some after a meal and some on an empty stomach. Pick a time you will remember.
• Take it every day: the effects last only while you keep taking a probiotic.^[8][10] Take it daily for as long as the label directs.
• With antibiotics: start the probiotic when you start the course.^[9] Several labels in our range ask you to take it at least two hours away from medicines. S. boulardii is a yeast and is resistant to antibacterial medicines.^[13]
• Store it well: most of our range is shelf stable, but keep it below the temperature on the label, often 25 or 30°C. Keep the lid tight, and keep the jar out of a hot car or a steamy bathroom. Some packs ask you to use them within three months of opening. Any labelled "refrigerate" belongs in the fridge. Read more in our blog Refrigerated Vs. Non-Refrigerated Probiotics.

Side effects are usually mild, such as extra wind or bloating, and they tend to pass.^[9][10] Talk to your doctor before you start if any of these apply:

• you have a weakened immune system or a serious illness^[9]
• you are in hospital or have a central line (a thin tube placed in a large vein)^[9]
• you are pregnant or breastfeeding
• you take prescription medicines

For a baby or young child, choose a product labelled for their age. Ask your doctor first if your baby was born early (premature) or is unwell.^[9]

• AUST L number: the product is a listed medicine. Listed medicines can only contain pre-approved, low-risk ingredients and use claims from a permitted list.^[7][14]
• Food or medicine: some gummies and powders are sold as foods. Foods carry no AUST L and do not have to show how many probiotic bacteria they contain.^[10]
• Strain code: the letters and numbers after the species name, such as GG, BB-12 or 299v.
• CFU per dose: the number of live microbes in each daily dose, ideally the count at the expiry date.^[9]
• Storage: the temperature limit, and whether it needs the fridge.
• Warnings and allergens: age limits and pregnancy advice. Some products contain milk or soy, while many are dairy free or vegan.

• Free advice from qualified naturopaths and nutritionists, in store and online, with no obligation to buy.
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• Free Click & Collect in store. Free standard shipping on orders over $120 in NSW and the ACT, or over $150 in QLD, VIC, SA, TAS and WA (NT calculated at checkout).
• Rated 4.7 stars from more than 3,200 customer reviews.
• More than 50 probiotics in stock, from daily capsules to drops for babies.
• One-a-day capsules from under 50 cents a day, at current prices.

Explore more with our Gut Health & Liver Supplements, Digestive Enzyme Supplements, Slippery Elm and Immune Support Supplements ranges.

1. Hill, C., Guarner, F., Reid, G., Gibson, G.R., Merenstein, D.J., Pot, B., Morelli, L., Canani, R.B., Flint, H.J., Salminen, S., Calder, P.C. and Sanders, M.E. (2014) 'Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic', Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 11(8), pp. 506-514. doi: 10.1038/nrgastro.2014.66. Researchers: expert panel from universities and institutes in Ireland, Spain, Canada, the UK, the USA, France, Italy and Finland, convened by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP). Funding: not stated.
2. Guo, Q., Goldenberg, J.Z., Humphrey, C., El Dib, R. and Johnston, B.C. (2019) 'Probiotics for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea', Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 4, CD004827. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004827.pub5. Researchers: West China Second University Hospital, China; Helfgott Research Institute, USA; Dalhousie University, Canada; and UNESP, Brazil. Funding: not stated. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
3. McFarland, L.V. and Goh, S. (2019) 'Are probiotics and prebiotics effective in the prevention of travellers' diarrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis', Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 27, pp. 11-19. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2018.09.007. Researchers: University of Washington, USA, and University of Hertfordshire, UK. Funding: not stated.
4. Vasant, D.H., Paine, P.A., Black, C.J., Houghton, L.A., Everitt, H.A., Corsetti, M., Agrawal, A., Aziz, I., Farmer, A.D., Eugenicos, M.P., Moss-Morris, R., Yiannakou, Y. and Ford, A.C. (2021) 'British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines on the management of irritable bowel syndrome', Gut, 70(7), pp. 1214-1240. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-324598. Researchers: UK gastroenterology, psychology and primary care specialists. Funding: commissioned by the British Society of Gastroenterology.
5. Reid, G., Charbonneau, D., Erb, J., Kochanowski, B., Beuerman, D., Poehner, R. and Bruce, A.W. (2003) 'Oral use of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and L. fermentum RC-14 significantly alters vaginal flora: randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 64 healthy women', FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology, 35(2), pp. 131-134. doi: 10.1016/S0928-8244(02)00465-0. Researchers: Lawson Health Research Institute and Canadian Research and Development Center for Probiotics, Canada, with Procter and Gamble Healthcare Research, USA. Funding: Procter and Gamble, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Kidney Foundation of Canada.
6. Zhao, Y., Dong, B.R. and Hao, Q. (2022) 'Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections', Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 8, CD006895. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006895.pub4. Researchers: West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China. Funding: not stated. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
7. Australian Government (2025) Therapeutic Goods (Permissible Indications) Determination (No. 1) 2025 (F2025L00450). Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2025L00450/asmade (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
8. Dynan, N. (2018) 'What are probiotic supplements - and are they necessary?', newsGP, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, 18 May. Available at: https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/what-are-probiotic-supplements-%E2%80%93-and-are-they-nece (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
9. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements (2025) Probiotics: fact sheet for health professionals. Updated 25 March 2025. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Probiotics-HealthProfessional/ (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
10. Bray, K. (2020) What are probiotics? CHOICE. Last updated 17 July 2020. Available at: https://www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/medicines-and-supplements/vitamins-and-supplements/articles/probiotics (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
11. Australian Government (2026) Therapeutic Goods (Permissible Ingredients) Determination (No. 3) 2026 (F2026L01382): entries for Bacillus coagulans, Bifidobacterium species, Lactobacillus species and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (boulardii). Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L01382/asmade (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
12. Zheng, J., Wittouck, S., Salvetti, E., Franz, C.M.A.P., Harris, H.M.B., Mattarelli, P., O'Toole, P.W., Pot, B., Vandamme, P., Walter, J., Watanabe, K., Wuyts, S., Felis, G.E., Gänzle, M.G. and Lebeer, S. (2020) 'A taxonomic note on the genus Lactobacillus: description of 23 novel genera, emended description of the genus Lactobacillus Beijerinck 1901, and union of Lactobacillaceae and Leuconostocaceae', International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 70(4), pp. 2782-2858. doi: 10.1099/ijsem.0.004107. Researchers: universities and research institutes in China, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Canada and Taiwan. Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Canada Research Chairs and the Flemish agency for innovation (IWT-SBO project 150052).
13. McFarland, L.V. (2010) 'Systematic review and meta-analysis of Saccharomyces boulardii in adult patients', World Journal of Gastroenterology, 16(18), pp. 2202-2222. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i18.2202. Researcher: Lynne V. McFarland, sole author, Seattle, USA. Funding: not stated.
14. Carbonell, R. (2024) 'What are menopause supplements, do they work, and are they safe?', ABC News, 18 September. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-18/menopause-inquiry-supplements-explained/104355970 (Accessed: 25 October 2026).