FAQs

Probiotics are the living, beneficial microorganisms (“good bacteria”). Prebiotics are the “food” that these microorganisms consume. Very simply, prebiotics are carbohydrates (fibers and sugars) that bacteria consume in order to survive, grow and flourish in the gut.

All GoLive® products contain an optimal blend of both probiotics (live cultures) and prebiotics (food for these live cultures) to optimize impact and colonization in the gastrointestinal tract.

The modernization of our food supply has had a negative impact on the consumption of probiotic bacteria. While the processes of irradiation, pasteurization and preservation have provided certain benefits, they also have eliminated much of the beneficial bacteria that we once consumed naturally, from food. Other factors, such as stress and lifestyle choices (medications, alcohol, antibacterial products, etc.) further harm beneficial bacteria. While fermented foods (e.g., yogurt, sauerkraut) may contain some live cultures, they typically do not provide a high enough dose or variety of probiotic strains to positively impact the body’s digestive, metabolic and immune functions.

Whether one is healthy or unhealthy, probiotics can positively impact one’s digestive, metabolic and immune systems*. Unfortunately, even the “best” of diets does not include sufficient probiotic strain variety or quantity for optimal health. This deficiency has resulted from the modernization of our food supply (i.e., irradiation, pasteurization and preservation). Therefore, in order to achieve and maintain optimal health and proper digestive, metabolic and immune functioning, it is necessary to supplement our diets with high-quality probiotics and prebiotics.

Homemade yogurt, kefir or other fermented foods contain many species of probiotics; however, widely commercialized, processed fermented foods may not have probiotics at the same levels. Probiotic supplements, such as GoLive®, provide a guaranteed quantity of probiotics with multiple strains to support digestive, metabolic and immune health. Many fermented foods do not guarantee a specific amount of cultures through the product’s expiration and few contain the diversity and/or species of strains needed to colonize the gut. Many products marketed as “probiotic” only contain spore-forming strains (B. coagulans) or yeasts, which are not naturally occurring in the human gut. Few, if any, contain important Bifidobacterium strains. This is why, for many people, taking a probiotic supplement, like GoLive®, is an easier, more predictable and efficient way to get an optimal variety of beneficial bacteria in the diet.

No. However, the prebiotic fiber included in our products can require an adjustment period for those who are not used to consuming. So, it is wise to begin slow with 1 packet/bottle per day before upping your consumption. As always, consult with your physician.

Probiotics are living organisms and, like us, they require food/fuel (prebiotics) in order to survive, grow and flourish. Consuming probiotics without prebiotics is like planting a tree without watering it. By combining our probiotics with the food that they need to survive grow and flourish, the beneficial organisms in GoLive® are delivered in a dynamic, live and growing state. Different from static/non-growing bacteria, actively growing bacteria spit off a host of beneficial byproducts, including b vitamins, enzymes and short chain fatty acids, to name a few.

While the benefits of combining probiotics and prebiotics are widely recognized and undisputed, few products combine the two, as doing so presents logistical challenges/constraints associated with production, packaging and stability of pre/probiotic formulations. Probiotic capsules are constrained by the maximum volume that will fit in each capsule. The volume of prebiotics (fiber and sugar) required for probiotic growth exceeds the volume of a traditional sized capsule, when combined with the probiotic volume. Liquid based probiotics, such as yogurts, kefirs and kombuchas, are challenged by active fermentation, and the gaseous byproducts produced during this process, which pose problems for product shelf life and stability.

Not all probiotics are created equal. Various factors contribute to the relative efficacy (or inefficacy) of a probiotic product, including the following:

Culture Count - This refers to the overall number of bacteria or Colony Forming Units (CFUs). Our digestive tracts host over 100 trillion bacteria. So, it is important to consume a probiotic product containing billions of live bacteria (at time of consumption) in order to address the complex bacterial makeup of our gastrointestinal tract. GoLive® products contain a minimum of 15 billion CFUs count per serving. This CFU count will increase once blended in food/beverage as the probiotics consume the prebiotics and begin to grow.Strain Type, Variety & Quality – The human gut is home to more than 1,000 strains of beneficial bacteria. In turn, it is best to consume a probiotic that reflects and supports the natural diversity of the human gut. Lactobacillus strains are most prevalent in the small intestine, and Bifidobacterium strains are the most common in the large intestine). So, it is important to select a probiotic that contains a variety of both. Additionally, consumers should look for strains that are alphanumeric-coded (vs. generic strains). GoLive® products contain an optimal 15-strain blend of clinically-tested, alphanumeric coded, human colonizing probiotic strains (predominantly Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium). We do not include any yeast, spores or generic strains in GoLive® products.Presence & Quality of Prebiotics – Probiotics must consume prebiotics (fiber and sugar) in order to survive, grow and flourish in the human gut. Prebiotics act as vital food sources for our beneficial bacteria. To encourage optimal probiotic growth and colonization, it best to consume a probiotic in combination with a variety of high-quality prebiotic food sources. GoLive® products contain a variety of high-quality prebiotic food sources. All products contain multiple organic, non-GMO prebiotic soluble fibers, including Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), Larch and Acacia fibers. Certain GoLive® products also contain prebiotic cane sugar.Delivery & Bioavailability – To be most effective, probiotics must be alive at time of consumption (vs. manufacture). The vast majority of products add probiotics at time of manufacture and experience die-off. Additionally, many probiotic products, namely pills, coat only the lower gastrointestinal tract, not the entire digestive tract. GoLive® probiotics are freeze-dried and packaged in foil to prevent exposure to harmful moisture. They are only exposed to moisture when you are ready to consume them. Therefore, you ingest the full, stated dosage of “live” probiotics and experience beneficial intestinal coating along the entire intestinal tract.All GoLive® products have been formulated to provide optimal benefit for human consumption.

GoLive® products include only the highest quality strains of human-colonizing probiotics. GoLive® products contain predominantly Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains, which are concentrated in the small and large intestines. All strains included in GoLive® products are alphanumerically-coded (for quality assurance) and clinically-tested. We only source our strains from the most reputable and trusted probiotic suppliers in the world. All suppliers institute strict quality control processes to ensure the safety and efficacy of their strains.

We are committed to providing our customers the highest quality, most efficacious probiotic products available in any form. Therefore, we do not include any generic, spore-forming or yeast-based strains in our products.

CFU is an acronym for colony-forming units, which is a commonly recognized unit of measure for probiotics. A product’s CFU count designates the number of live, active bacteria present.

No. A product’s CFU-count designates the number of live cultures present. CFU count is one of many factors that contributes to the relative "efficacy" of a given probiotic product. Different strains and species of probiotics have been shown to be “effective” at different CFU-counts. So, while it is important to consume the recommended minimum quantity of any given strain to ensure efficacy, consuming higher CFU quantities does not necessarily equate improved benefit. In fact, the human gastrointestinal tract has a limited capacity for bacterial colonization. So, if specific strains are consumed in especially high doses, odds are, many of the probiotic organisms will flush through as waste without colonizing.

All GoLive® products are formulated with an optimal blend of probiotics and prebiotics (food for probiotics), which allows the probiotics to colonize and grow. So, while GoLive® products contain a marked dose of 10 billion (or more) CFUs per serving, this count will actually increase over time as the probiotics consume the prebiotics and multiply.

All of our GoLive®product formulations, packaging and delivery are designed to support optimal bacterial survival, growth and colonization throughout intestinal transit. Once blended in food or beverages, GoLive® probiotics come out of their freeze-dried state, consume prebiotics (soluble fiber and/or sugar), begin growing and continue doing so through intestinal transit. By providing the good bacteria with the prebiotic food sources they need to survive, grow and flourish, GoLive® probiotics are better equipped to survive the harsh environment of the stomach acid. Some level of die-off in the stomach acid is normal and natural. Think back to the way we used to consume bacteria in food, before the advent of probiotic pills and capsules! Our food wasn't coated in wax (“enterically coated”) to ensure survival of bacteria. Instead, the bacteria had an inherent prebiotic food supply in the food in which they were living (e.g., a piece of fruit/vegetable) to protect and sustain them through the harsh conditions of the digestive system.

GoLive® probiotics are consumed in a dynamic and growing state to mimic the way in which we were meant to get bacteria naturally from food. Probiotic pills and capsules are consumed in a static (non-growth) state and, due to volume constraints, lack sufficient (if any) prebiotics. As a result, the probiotics in pills and capsules degrade more rapidly once consumed than do probiotics supported by prebiotics, like those in GoLive®.

Additionally, GoLive® products begin to colonize immediately in the mouth (this is where digestion begins!) and continue doing so throughout transit, allowing for more complete intestinal colonization, from consumption to elimination.

GoLive® probiotics are kept air-tight, freeze-dried in our patented foil-sealed packaging to ensure that they are live and active in every bottle/packet when they are consumed. Unfortunately, commercially sold probiotic products that are pre-blended in moisture or packaged in a post-fermented state (e.g., yogurt or kombucha) have significantly reduced probiotic potency when they are ultimately consumed. Most commercially sold kombuchas are pre-fermented and include 1 or 2 strains of yeast and/or spores (B. coagulans). Different from Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains (those included in GoLive® products) yeasts and spores do not naturally occur in the human gastrointestinal tract. Additionally, these types of bacteria are opportunistic and may pose problematic overgrowth issues (e.g., candida) if consumed regularly/in high doses. Lastly, fermentation produces alcohol, which kills good bacteria.

Homemade yogurt, kefir or other fermented foods contain many species of probiotics; however, widely commercialized, processed fermented foods may not have probiotics at the same levels. Probiotic supplements, such as GoLive®, provide a guaranteed quantity of probiotics with multiple strains to support digestive, metabolic and immune health. Many fermented foods do not guarantee a specific amount of cultures through the product’s expiration and few contain the diversity and/or species of strains needed to colonize the gut. Many products marketed as “probiotic” only contain spore-forming strains (B. coagulans) or yeasts, which are not naturally occurring in the human gut. Few, if any, contain important Bifidobacterium strains. This is why, for many people, taking a probiotic supplement, like GoLive®, is an easier, more predictable and efficient way to get an optimal variety of beneficial bacteria in the diet.

No. All GoLive® products are freeze-dried and packaged in individual, foil-sealed packets using a nitrogen flush to prevent exposure to moisture. This ensures that the bacteria remain in stasis until you are ready to consume them. While moisture-carrying oxygen will permeate various forms of packaging (e.g., paper, cardboard, plastic) over time, moisture will not permeate foil. Conceptually, our packaging mimics the way in which baking yeast is stored: freeze-dried in foil to preserve the bacteria until use.

No. Though, we do recommend storing GoLive® in a cool, dry place (under 72 degrees F) to ensure viability and optimal product performance through best-by date.

All GoLive® products contain freeze-dried probiotics packaged in protective foil. Moisture permeates cardboard, paper and plastic packaging over time, activating bacteria and allowing them to degrade prior to consumption. Therefore, GoLive® products are packaged in protective foil to prevent exposure to moisture and heat-generating light, both of which can kill bacteria over time. GoLive® supplement products are delivered in foil packets, while GoLive® ready-to-drink bottles utilize our exclusive, patented foil-blister cap. Thus, we ensure that the number of colony forming units that we add at the time of manufacture are viable and growing when it counts...at the time of consumption.

Once opened, we recommend consuming GoLive® within 24 hours for optimal benefit. That said, it is 100% safe to consume GoLive® beyond 24 hours.

Once GoLive® probiotics are exposed to moisture, they come out of their freeze-dried state and begin consuming prebiotics (sugars and soluble fibers). They will continue to do so in your GoLive® Beverage, or the food or drink in which they are mixed, for about 24 hours (or until the prebiotic food supply is used up!). So, you may consume immediately, let sit for several hours or consume throughout the day. Regardless, GoLive® probiotics will have access to prebiotics for nourishment, growth and enhanced colonization through intestinal transit.

GoLive® may be mixed with any unheated food or beverage. For optimal probiotic benefit, we recommend avoiding heated food or liquids and those containing alcohol. Both alcohol and heat will harm the bacteria. 

Mix with water, smoothies, shakes, baby food, juice, formula, ice cream, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches—you name it! For recipe ideas and tips from our dietitians, follow us on social media @goliveprobiotics.

For individuals with an acute or ongoing gut-related health concern (e.g., antibiotic treatment, food allergy/sensitivity, IBS/IBD, candida, eczema, digestive imbalance, etc.) we recommend consuming 1 or more servings of GoLive® daily to help restore healthy bacterial colonization. Those consuming GoLive® to maintain healthy bacterial colonization may consume as frequently as desired, though, we recommend once every 2-3 days, at minimum. As always, consult with your health practitioner regarding condition-specific questions and concerns.

GoLive® may be consumed any time of day, with or without food. By combining probiotics (good bacteria) with prebiotics (the food probiotics need to survive, grow and flourish), we take the guesswork out of the process and emulate the way in which we used to get bacteria from food, in a dynamic, live and growing state. This gives you the flexibility to take GoLive® whenever it is convenient for you.

Yes. GoLive® products are formulated with an optimal ratio and broad spectrum of clinically-tested, human commensurate probiotic strains, serving as an excellent standalone daily probiotic. GoLive® may be consumed in place of (or in addition to) one’s existing probiotic regimen.

All GoLive products are formulated for all ages. Our Matcha Tea SKU contains 12 mg of caffeine, considerably less than a cup of coffee, cola, etc.

To address an acute or ongoing health issue, we recommend 1 or more servings of GoLive® daily to help restore healthy bacterial balance.To maintain healthy bacterial balance as part of your regular wellness routine, we recommend consuming a minimum of one serving at least every 2-3 days.

Consult your physician or pediatrician regarding condition-specific recommendations.

Individual results will depend upon one’s health state. Over time, and within as little as twenty-four hours, one should notice relief from IBS/IBD symptoms, as well as indications of digestive/metabolic health (e.g., urine and bowel movement activity). Longer term, one should notice improvements in a broad range of health indicators  tied to gut health and functional ingredients, including gums, hair, nails, skin, immunity, weight/metabolism, energy levels, waking/sleeping cycles, etc.

Note that depending on the state of one’s GI tract and bacterial colonization, one may experience temporary bloating, gas or GI symptoms during initial use as the  bacteria begin to recolonize. These symptoms should subside within about a week of regular use.

The probiotics in GoLive® are clinically shown to be safe and effective. There are no known contraindications associated with consuming the strains included in GoLive® with any other supplement or medication. In fact, research has shown probiotics to be helpful in improving absorption of certain medications and supplements. However, as with all supplements, we recommend discussing with your healthcare provider before consuming GoLive®.

Probiotic organisms have a limited life span in the body. So, if you stop consuming GoLive® on a regular basis, the bacteria will die-off and you will no longer experience the benefits.

In order for probiotics to properly colonize in the gastrointestinal tract, they must have a healthy, supportive “home” in which to colonize. L-glutamine and vitamin D3 play a critical role in helping to build and repair the lining of the intestinal tract, making it easier for the probiotics to colonize and thrive.

L-Glutamine helps to repair the epithelial lining of the intestinal tract, reducing inflammation and allowing the probiotics to better adhere to the intestinal wall. This is especially important for individuals suffering from Leaky Gut or ulcerative issues. L-glutamine acts like a Band-Aid, repairing and reinforcing weakened or destroyed areas of the gut wall.

Vitamin D3 works in conjunction with probiotics to increase calcium absorption and reduce inflammation in the gut. Depending on where we live most of us cannot absorb adequate amounts of vitamin D3 from the sun. We source our vitamin D3 from lanolin, which is derived from sheep’s wool. Vitamin D2, typically sourced from mushrooms, is not as easily absorbed by the human gut as D3 .

Bacteria consume carbohydrates (sugar and fiber) in order to survive, grow and flourish in the body. Structural differences between “simple” carbohydrates (sugar) and “complex” carbohydrates (fibers) enable probiotics to utilize simple sugars for a quick source of energy, while processing fibers more slowly for sustained fuel. During this process of converting carbohydrates into energy, probiotics also produce important beneficial byproducts, which help counteract concerns associated with sugar intake, including candida/yeast overgrowth, metabolism and healthy weight management, and insulin resistance.

Certain GoLive® products include a combination of prebiotic cane sugar and prebiotic soluble fiber, as essential nourishment for the bacteria, while still maintaining low overall sugar content and optimized glycemic response. Additionally, for those looking to avoid sugar and/or flavor, we offer a range of flavored and flavorless products with zero sugar.

We are currently pursuing organic certification for GoLive® products. Our top priority is to invest in high quality, premium ingredients and probiotics. We work closely with our suppliers to ensure that their standards are in line with GoLive®’s brand values and the quality of ingredients that our customers expect.

All GoLive® products are Kosher. However, we have not yet pursued Kosher certification for our products.

All GoLive® products are free of genetically engineered ingredients.

Yes. All GoLive® products are manufactured in the United States.

All GoLive® products are free of tree nuts and peanuts and are manufactured in nut free facilities.

Please reference our policies here. If you still have questions, you may contact us here.

Currently, GoLive® is only available for purchase within the US. However, we are rapidly expanding our distribution and intend to expand our distribution internationally in the not so distant future ☺. Join our mailing list to receive updates on product availability!

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