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We get a lot of questions about the best way to store probiotics to maintain their potency.  I’ve summarized a couple of the questions that folks ask often below so we can hopefully save you a little time wondering:

Do Probiotics need to be kept cold while travelling or during shipping?

If refrigeration is not available for an extended period of time, probiotics will stay viable at normal room temperature for some time.  ProBiota has been tested in real time for potency loss at different temperatures:

probiotic viability graph

Because of the high cost of shipping materials, we unfortunately cannot offer free cold packs and insulating wrap with all of our probiotics.  But as the graph shows, in most climates, the probiotics will remain potent for some time during cooler months without refrigeration.  

If the climate you live in and the area between where HealthE Goods is located (Bellingham, WA) has daytime temperatures above 80 degrees, we do recommend adding Ice Pack w/ Foil Wrap to your order and selecting Priority, 3 Day, 2 Day, or Overnight Shipping.  

There's no cold pack with my probiotics/the ice pack is thawed.  Will my probiotics be alright?

The cold packs generally thaw out after 24 hours, but the foil wrap does help to maintain the contents at a cooler temperature even after the pack has “melted.”  The ProBiota line of probiotic supplements has been tested to verify that potency is maintained during cold shipping.  

As an extra measure, all ProBiota 12 products, Probiota Infant, and Saccharomyces Boulardii by Seeking Health are formulated with ”overages,” extra probiotic organisms are added to ensure that these products will be outstanding probiotic supplements when they arrive at your door.

Any other tips for handling probiotics so they stay good?

Yes.  If you can, keep them refrigerated with the lid tightly closed.  Avoid handling capsules with your bare hands; it’s best to pour them into the cap and then pour the extra back into the bottle from there.  Use a clean, dry, spoon to measure powdered probiotics.  Moisture from your hands being introduced into the stored products can damage it.