Darcy McDonough

Image by Darcy Tesone / mbg creative September 18, 2024 If it’s not broken, don’t fix it: Right? That’s how I feel about my breakfast. It took me ages to find a delicious, filling, high-protein morning meal (that doesn’t include eggs). After many experiments, I finally perfected my go-to smoothie recipe that puts breakfast on autopilot.

Why strains matter You don't want to just take a broad mix of different strains at a high dosage. "I call that the sledgehammer approach," explains renowned integrative physician Robert Rountree, M.D. "More doesn't necessarily equal better. They have to be targeted; every bacterium does different things. They've each got an assigned job." Scientists have identified over 8,000 unique strains of gut bacteria1, all with different characteristics, functions, and health implications.

mbg Associate Health Editor By Darcy McDonough, M.S. Our editors have independently chosen the products listed on this page. If you purchase something mentioned in this article, we may earn a small commission.