Walk down any supplement aisle and you’ll notice something curious about probiotics: the numbers. One label promises 1 billion, another 10 billion, some 30 billion, and then there are the heavy hitters—50 or even 60 billion CFU. It’s easy to wonder: what’s with all the billions?

Let’s dive into the science behind why our formula delivers 60 billion CFU, and why that’s good news for your gut.

What CFU Really Means

CFU stands for Colony Forming Units. Think of it as a headcount for microbes. Each CFU represents one live microorganism that’s capable of growing and forming a colony.

So, when a probiotic supplement says “60 billion CFU,” it means that per capsule, there are 60 billion living, active bacteria and yeasts, ready to head into your gut ecosystem.

In the image, the blue and pink dot are the individual colonies and to put it vaguely, they are counted to get the CUF count. 

Why use such a big number? Because unlike vitamins or minerals, probiotics are alive and getting them safely to your intestines isn’t easy.

Why Probiotics Are Counted in Billions

Your digestive system is a bit of a battlefield. Stomach acid, bile, and digestive enzymes are designed to kill bacteria after all, they’re your first line of defence against harmful germs. The problem is, your friendly probiotics must pass through the same gauntlet.

That’s why we measure probiotics in billions. If you send in too few troops, most of them won’t survive. But when you send in reinforcements tens of billions, you ensure that enough beneficial microbes make it alive to the intestines, where they can actually do their work.

Think of it like planting seeds in a garden. You wouldn’t plant one seed and hope for the best you scatter many, knowing that not every seed will sprout. The same logic applies to probiotics: billions go in, but only a portion colonize effectively.

Does More Always Mean Better?

This is where nuance matters. “More” isn’t always better if the wrong strains are used. A trillion of the wrong bacteria won’t help. What counts is the right combination of strains, delivered at the right potency, in a form that ensures survival.

But for many well-researched probiotic strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, studies show that higher doses often lead to stronger benefits. For example:

• Clinical research has found improvements in digestion, immunity, and even mood when people consumed probiotics in the 10–50 billion CFU range, sometimes higher.

• Multi-strain products at higher CFU levels have been shown to reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), lower the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and support better immune responses.

So, while strain choice is critical, potency matters too.

The Benefits of High-Potency Probiotics

So, what do all those billions do? Research has shown that high-potency, multi-strain probiotics can:

• Support digestive balance by replenishing beneficial bacteria and crowding out harmful microbes.

• Improve bowel regularity and reduce common discomforts like bloating or irregular stools.

• Boost immune defences, since much of your immune system lives in the gut.

• Protect against antibiotic-associated diarrhea, by restoring balance after antibiotics disrupt your microbiome.

• Strengthen the gut barrier, reducing “leaky gut” and supporting overall wellness.

• Influence mood and mental well-being, through the gut–brain axis and the production of neurotransmitter-like molecules.

That’s a lot of heavy liftingbut it makes sense when you remember there are trillions of microbes in your gut. To make an impact in that vast ecosystem, you need billions, not millions.

Why We Chose 60 Billion CFU

B’spoke Probiotic &Prebiotic blend is formulated with a simple goal, to give your gut both strength and diversity.

Each capsule contains:

• 11 clinically studied strains, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and even the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii.

• A total count of 60 billion CFU per serving, which ensures that billions survive the stomach and reach the intestines.

• Prebiotic fibers to act as food for the microbes once they arrive, turning the formula into a true synbiotic (probiotic + prebiotic working together).

This isn’t just about a big number on a label. It’s about making sure your probiotics survive the journey, thrive once they arrive, and work in harmony with your native gut microbes.

When it comes to probiotics, the number isn’t everything, but it matters. Our 60 billion CFU formula was designed to give you both the potency and diversity your gut needs to thrive. By delivering clinically studied strains in a high enough dose to survive, colonize, and work together, we’re helping you support digestion, immunity, and overall well-being billions of microbes at a time.

So the next time you see that number on our label, you’ll know: it’s not just a statistic. It’s science, survival, and support for your microbiome, packed into every capsule.

References

1. Ouwehand AC, Tiihonen K, Saarinen M, Putaala H, Rautonen N. Influence of a probiotic blend on gastrointestinal transit time in healthy volunteers. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2002;16(3):445–450.

2. West NP, Horn PL, Pyne DB, et al. Probiotic supplementation for respiratory and gastrointestinal illness symptoms in healthy physically active individuals. Clin Nutr. 2014;33(4):581–587.

3. Sánchez M, Darimont C, Panahi S, et al. Effects of multi-strain probiotics on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. World J Gastroenterol. 2013;19(34):5579–5586.

4. Goldenberg JZ, Mertz D, Johnston BC. Probiotics to prevent Clostridium difficile infection in patients receiving antibiotics: systematic review and meta-analysis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;2015(12):CD006095.

5. Ouwehand AC, Salminen S, Isolauri E. Probiotics: an overview of beneficial effects. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 2002;82(1-4):279–289.