Omni-Biotic, Europe’s leading probiotic brand and one of the most trusted, reliable probiotic brands worldwide, is developed by an Austrian company that takes science very seriously. Each probiotic strain they work with is deeply researched; they then combine the most promising ones in formulas that address specific concerns, completing human clinical trials on these formulas with results that are awe-inspiring. To add to that, Omni-Biotic's delivery mechanism ensures that the probiotic bacteria make it into the intestines alive and metabolically active.

Read on to learn about their latest offering, Omni-Biotic Power — our favorite supplement for athletes and nursing mothers.

Dara: Omni-Biotic Power is the formula you suggest for oxidative stress. Can you tell us what oxidative stress is, and how you can figure out whether or not it's affecting you?

HANNAH: Oxidative stress happens when there’s an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells, and when they build up too much—due to things like poor diet, pollution, stress, or intense exercise—your body can’t neutralize them fast enough. This cell damage contributes to aging, inflammation, and even chronic diseases.

Oxidative stress negatively impacts our gut as well. When cells become damaged or broken due to oxidative stress in our gut lining, this can lead to a damaged or leaky gut. Unfortunately, leaky gut starts a vicious cycle of immune system dysregulation and systemic inflammation.

So, how do you know if oxidative stress is affecting you? Signs can be subtle at first—things like fatigue, brain fog, premature aging, or slow recovery after workouts. Over time, oxidative stress can contribute to more serious health issues, including gut problems, weakened immunity, and skin concerns. You can also check for oxidative stress in blood tests, such as Malondialdehyde or carbonyl protein.

Dara: Omni-Biotic Power is also the formula you suggest for people undergoing serious athletic training or high-performance lifestyles. Can you explain how it differs from Hetox, where "high-performance" is concerned?

HANNAH: Great question! Both Omni-Biotic Power and Hetox are designed to support high-performing individuals, but they focus on different needs.

- Omni-Biotic Power is specifically designed to combat oxidative stress and inflammation caused by intense physical activity or during times when your body is under intense physical demands. Interestingly, nursing mothers fall into this category.

Omni-Biotic Power helps enhance recovery, improve energy levels, and strengthen the gut barrier—all of which are critical for endurance and peak performance.

- Hetox, on the other hand, is focused on liver health and detoxification. It’s ideal for people exposed to toxins (like alcohol, medications, or environmental pollutants) and helps the body eliminate waste more efficiently while supporting gut-liver balance.

If you’re in doubt about which of these two options might be best for you, I would recommend trying one month of each, and then see which one you feel best with.

Dara: Leaky gut is another situation that you suggest Omni-Biotic Power for. Would you say that it's the best Omni-Biotic formula for leaky gut? How do you know whether or not you have leaky gut?

HANNAH: Our gut barrier acts like a gatekeeper in our intestines. It separates the contents in our intestines from our bloodstream. You can imagine a healthy gut barrier like a row of tightly stacked dominos (i.e., intestinal cells) that only allows nutrients and other helpful compounds to enter the bloodstream while keeping unwanted compounds like toxins, bacteria and larger food molecules out.

Factors like stress, diet and medications can disrupt the balance of good bacteria in our gut, which increases inflammation. When the gut barrier becomes inflamed, the tightly stacked wall of dominos begins to crack and break apart. As a result, unwanted compounds like environmental toxins, larger food molecules and bacteria can pass into your bloodstream. This can trigger inflammation, digestive issues, and even autoimmune reactions.

Since leaky gut is such a common problem, several of our probiotic formulations help address it. If you believe you have leaky gut, I would recommend assessing what else might be going on in your life.

- If you’re living this high-performance lifestyle I’ve been talking about, then I’d suggest Omni-Biotic Power.

- However, if you are experiencing more emotional stress, then I would recommend Omni-Biotic Stress Release.

- You can also combine these two probiotics for an extra boost for your stress levels and to support your gut barrier.

Signs of leaky gut can include bloating, food sensitivities, fatigue, joint pain, skin issues, and brain fog. If you’re dealing with multiple unexplained symptoms, your gut lining might need support. You can also test for leaky gut with a stool tests.

Dara: I love your suggestion of Omni-Biotic Power for nursing mothers—I remember how much that took out of me! Why is it so helpful for nursing?

HANNAH: Yes! Nursing is an incredibly demanding phase of life—your body is working hard to provide nutrients, energy, and immune support for your baby while also recovering from pregnancy and birth. That’s where Omni-Biotic Power comes in.

- It reduces oxidative stress, which can be elevated due to lack of sleep, hormonal shifts, and the demands of breastfeeding.

- It supports gut health and digestion, which in turn influences immunity, mood, and overall well-being.

- Emerging research suggests that a mother’s gut microbiome impacts her baby’s microbiome, so by nurturing her gut health, a nursing mom is also giving her baby a great microbial foundation for life.

It’s an easy, effective way to replenish your body and keep energy levels up during this exhausting yet beautiful time.

Dara: One of the aspects that sets Omni-Biotic apart is that you have clinical studies for each of your probiotic formulations. Can you speak a little more about some of these study findings?

HANNAH: Yes, absolutely. Clinical studies are my favorite part! As we discussed earlier, Omni-Biotic Power was formulated to support athletes during times of high physical stress. Since these high physical demands impact our gut, immune function and oxidative stress levels, these were all areas of interest for our researchers.

In one clinical study, researchers looked at the incidence of upper respiratory infections in athletes. They found that the group taking Omni-Biotic Power (vs a placebo) had a 2.2x reduction in Upper Respiratory Infections and improvements in immune function.

 In a separate study, researchers looked at how Omni-Biotic Power can improve gut barrier function (i.e., leaky gut) and oxidative stress levels in high-performance athletes. The study showed a significant improvement in leaky gut (measured as zonulin levels), oxidative stress levels (measured as carbonyl proteins), and an improvement in TNF-α, a measure for inflammation in the body.

These findings reinforce why this formula is so effective for individuals facing high levels of oxidative stress, and those dealing with leaky gut. By supporting the gut microbiome, these specifically selected probiotic strains balance the body's response to intense physical exertion and bolster the immune system, ensuring more power (pun intended) and resilience.

Dara: Is there anything else that we should know about this formula?

HANNAH: Yes. So far, we’ve mostly spoken about oxidative stress, and how Omni-Biotic Power can help manage oxidative stress levels. What’s not to forget, however, is that many athletes also struggle with acute digestive issues.

While it is very clear that moderate exercise has many important health benefits, it’s important to also realize that intense physical performance over long periods of time can take a toll on our gut health, immune system, and overall health. When we push our bodies to the limit consistently and without sufficient recovery, blood flow is directed away from the intestines, which can trigger GI issues such as diarrhea and bloating.

Since 70-80% of the body's immune cells are located in the gut, changes in blood flow also negatively impact immune function. Athletes know this vicious cycle well, and often struggle with digestive issues, getting sick a lot, and feeling overall depleted.

When we focus on nurturing the gut via nutrition and targeted supplements like Omni-Biotic Power, this can have a profoundly positive effect on the body’s stress response and immune function.

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