Which one better?

A monostrain vs multistrain vs multispeciesis probiotic. Which one better?
Most of the commercial probiotic are composed of monostrain spesies , (Yakult – lactobacillus shirota), as monostrain probiotic is easier to be patented. While one strain may be better for producing certain vitamins or effects than another, the wise choice is to colonize with a variety of “good-guys”. Its like diversifying your excess earnings into money market, blue chip stocks, commodities, foreign money markets and real estate. If one goes bad (or weakens), the other markets may be stronger, and compensate for losses.

Similarly, a variety of different strains of “good-guys” bacteria in colonies in the intestinal tract may have one or several of the strains placed under undue stress, but the others pick up the synergistic biological load, all to protect you — and their species!.

1) Monostrain probiotic is defined as containing one strain of a certain spesies. ( Lactobacillus acidophillus)
2) Multistrain probiotics contain more than one strain of the same species or, at least of the same genus.( lactobacillus acidophillus, lactobacillus casei)
3) Multispecies probiotics is used for preparations containing strains that belong to one or preferentially more genera ( lactobacillus casei, bfidobacterium longum)

Most research has investigated the effect of monostrain or multistrain probiotic microbes of the same species or genus. However, Sanders and Huisin’t Veld (1999) suggested that the health effects of probiotics to be genera, species and strain specific and they further proposed that multistrain and multispecies probiotics to be more effective than monostrain probiotics.


It can be generally concluded that different strains of the genera Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium and Propionibacterium show symbiotic,additive relationships towards each other which enhances growth and metabolic activity. Furthermore, it can be expected that this enhanced probiotic activity causes an icreased nutrient consumption, a well-known probiotic mechanism in the control of intestinal pathogens.
The use of positively interacting strains of these genera in multistrain or multispecies probiotics should be encouraged.

Certain probiotic species are dependent on other strains for their carbohydrate supply.
For example, Lactobacillus strains produce mainly lactate which is catabolized by propionibacteria into propionic aci.

Certain strains like S. thermophilus are oxygen scavengers and create anaerobic conditions that could enhance the growth and survival of strict anaerobes like bifidobacteria. Secondly, the ability to adhere to mucosal surfaces is related to various probiotic health effects, and it is regarded as a prerequisite for stimulation of the immune system and for antagonistic activity against enteropathogens.

Probiotics are appreciated for their antimicrobial activity, but this property may also be a potential weakness for probiotic mixtures. Secreted antimicrobial compounds such as lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide and bacteriocins not only inhibit potential pathogens but also closely related species.

The increased efficacy of multistrain probiotics against pathogens may be caused by the greater variety of antimicrobial capacities associated with mixed preparations, such as production of weak organic acids, bacteriocins, hydrogen peroxide, coaggregation molecules (blocks the spread of the pathogen) and/or biosurfactants (inhibit adhesion), and the stimulation of sIgA production and mucus secretion by the host.