Buyer's guide
Choosing a Probiotic: Six Checks, and How Sodatide Scores
Check six things on any probiotic label: a CFU count guaranteed to the end of shelf life, full strain codes, clear storage directions, research that used the same strain and dose, safety for your health, and fair refund terms. Sodatide passes on storage and offers a written 60-day refund, but prints no CFU count and no strain codes.
Written by the Sodatide editorial teamUpdated
The short list
What should I check before buying a probiotic?
Check six points before you buy: live-cell count, strain codes, storage, matching research, safety and refund terms. They take about ten minutes.
- CFU at the end of shelf life. The number of live cells you will actually get.
- Strain codes. The letters and numbers after each species name.
- Storage. Clear directions for heat, moisture and the fridge.
- Matching research. Studies that used the same strain at a similar dose.
- Safety for you. Your health, your medicines and your immune system.
- Refund terms. What happens if it does not suit you.
Sodatide gets the same checks below. Our site earns money from orders, so we show the whole scorecard.
Check 1
Why does the CFU count at the end of shelf life matter?
CFU, or colony-forming units, counts live cells, and only live cells act as probiotics. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says to look for a CFU count at the end of shelf life, not at the time of manufacture (NIH ODS Probiotics (HP)).
Many products hold 1 to 10 billion CFU per dose. Higher is not automatically better; the count should match studies of the strain (NIH ODS Probiotics (HP)).
U.S. rules only require the total weight of the microbes, and that weight includes dead cells (NIH ODS Probiotics (HP)). A milligram figure on its own tells you nothing about how many cells are alive.
How Sodatide scores: does not pass. The label lists a 36 mg probiotic blend with no CFU count. By the order on the label, B. infantis is at most 36 mg, C. butyricum at most 18 mg and Akkermansia at most 12 mg (FDA labeling guide ch. IV). Those are weight ceilings, not live-cell counts. The article on CFU labels explains the difference.
Check 2
What are probiotic strain codes, and why do they matter?
A strain code is the letters and numbers after the species name, such as Bifidobacterium infantis 35624. It matters because probiotic effects are strain-specific: two strains of one species can behave differently (NIH ODS Probiotics (HP)).
| Part | Example | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Genus | Bifidobacterium | A broad family of bacteria |
| Species | infantis | A narrower type within the family |
| Strain | 35624 | The exact bacterium a study tested |
| Dose | 100 million CFU a day | The amount that study used |
The example is real. In a trial of 362 women with IBS, B. infantis 35624 helped at 100 million CFU a day, while lower and higher doses did not (Whorwell 2006 B. infantis 35624 IBS). Strain and dose both mattered.
Safety can also depend on the strain. EFSA does not presume Clostridium butyricum safe as a species, because a minority of strains carry a botulinum toxin type E gene (ACNFP C. butyricum TO-A paper).
How Sodatide scores: does not pass. All three bacteria are named by species only. Ask the brand at [email protected] which strains it uses, including for C. butyricum.
Check 3
How should a probiotic be stored?
Follow the label. Heat, moisture and air can kill live cells, so good products say clearly whether to refrigerate and how to keep the bottle closed.
Akkermansia is often called oxygen-sensitive, though one lab study found it hardier than expected; the question is debated (Machado 2020 Akkermansia oxygen/GI survival).
How Sodatide scores: passes. The label is clear: STORAGE: Keep away from heat, light, and humidity to preserve freshness. STORE IN A COOL, DRY PLACE. Refrigerate for optimal quality. In practice, keep the closed bottle in the fridge. Brand images show both white and black bottles; check the label on yours.
Check 4
Does the research match the strain and dose in the bottle?
It should. The FTC says a study supports a product only if the product matches it in dose, formulation and ingredient mix (FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance). Research on one strain at billions of CFU says little about a different strain at an unknown count.
| Ingredient | On the label | Per serving | Amount used in research | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicory Root Inulin (Cichorium intybus)(root) | Printed | 211 mg, printed | 5-12 g a day (grams, not milligrams) (EFSA 2015 chicory inulin claim) (Reimer 2025 chicory ITF weight meta-analysis (trade report)) (Bonnema 2010 inulin GI tolerance) | Real at gram doses |
| Potato (Resistant Starch) (tuber) | Printed | 100 mg, printed | About 6-66 g a day in trials (Snelson 2019 RS2 meta-analysis) (Pugh 2023 RS glycemic meta-analysis) | Limited, at gram doses |
| Bifidobacterium infantis | 1 of 3 in the blend | In the 36 mg probiotic blend | One strain (35624) at 100 million CFU helped IBS; no strain or CFU on this label (Whorwell 2006 B. infantis 35624 IBS) (NIH ODS Probiotics (HP)) | Strain-specific, IBS only |
| Clostridium butyricum | 2 of 3 in the blend | In the 36 mg probiotic blend | Strain MIYAIRI 588 used in Japan; safety depends on the strain (Miyarisan CBM 588 novel food dossier) (ACNFP C. butyricum TO-A paper) | Strain-dependent safety |
| Akkermansia muciniphila | 3 of 3 in the blend | In the 36 mg probiotic blend | 10 billion cells a day (mostly pasteurized) in one 32-person pilot (Depommier 2019 Nat Med Akkermansia pilot) (EFSA 2021 pasteurised Akkermansia) | Early, one small pilot |
How Sodatide scores: does not pass. No trial of Sodatide has been published. Without strain codes or CFU, its probiotic blend cannot be matched to any study, and its fibers, such as chicory inulin, sit far below studied grams.
Check 5
Is a probiotic safe for everyone?
No. Most healthy adults tolerate probiotics well, but serious infections have been reported in people who are severely ill or have weakened immune systems (NIH ODS Probiotics (HP)). The FDA has warned against probiotic products for hospitalized preterm infants (FDA 2023 probiotics preterm infants).
NCCIH notes that some products contain microorganisms not listed on the label (NCCIH Probiotics).
How Sodatide scores: partly passes. The label prints a caution for pregnancy, nursing, under-18s and medical conditions, plus the distributor's name, address and phone. It does not mention weak immunity, so ask your doctor first if that applies.
Check 6
What refund terms should a probiotic offer?
Look for a written window long enough to judge results and a clear way to ask. Read the terms before you pay.
How Sodatide scores: partly passes. The sales page offers a 60-day money-back guarantee from the date of purchase, but only after at least 30 days of use. The buyer pays return shipping. The returns page mentions delivery date in one place, so ask which date applies and act early. Call +1 (302) 200-3480 with your order ID. The refund policy page has every step.
Photos and stories
Do testimonials help when choosing a probiotic?
Not much. A testimonial is one story, and the FDA lists personal testimonials among the tip-offs of health fraud (FDA 6 tip-offs health fraud). A label you can check beats a smile you cannot.
We could not confirm who the people in the Sodatide sales photos are, or whether they used it.
Scorecard
How does Sodatide score on the probiotic checklist?
Sodatide passes one check, partly passes two and fails three. Its strengths are a clear label and written terms; its weak spots are the missing CFU, strains and research.
| Check | Result | Why |
|---|---|---|
| CFU at end of shelf life | Fails | Not published |
| Strain codes | Fails | Species names only |
| Storage directions | Passes | Cool, dry place; refrigerate |
| Matching research | Fails | No product trial; fibers far below studied grams |
| Safety information | Partly | Label caution and distributor printed; weak immunity not mentioned |
| Refund terms | Partly | 60 days, after 30 days of use; buyer pays return shipping |
The full label is on the Supplement Facts page.
FAQ
Choosing a probiotic: questions
How many CFU should a good probiotic have?
Many probiotics hold 1 to 10 billion CFU per dose, but more is not automatically better. The right number is the one that matches studies of that exact strain. Look for a count guaranteed at the end of shelf life, as the NIH advises.
How does Sodatide score on the CFU check?
The Sodatide label prints no CFU count. It lists a 36 mg probiotic blend of three bacteria by weight only. Weight includes dead cells, so the number of live bacteria in each capsule cannot be worked out from the label.
Why do probiotic strains matter?
Probiotic effects depend on the exact strain, not just the species. In one IBS trial, B. infantis 35624 helped at 100 million CFU a day but not at other doses. Without a strain code, a product cannot be matched to any study.
Should probiotics be kept in the fridge?
Follow the label on your bottle, because needs differ by product. Sodatide's label says to keep it away from heat, light and humidity and to refrigerate for optimal quality, so keep the closed bottle in the fridge.
Who should not take a probiotic without asking a doctor?
People who are severely ill, have weakened immune systems, or recently had surgery or a central line should ask a doctor first. Pregnant or nursing women, children and anyone with a medical condition should also check, as the Sodatide label says.
Is a prebiotic and probiotic combo better than a probiotic alone?
Not necessarily. A combo is only as good as its doses. Prebiotic fibers were studied at grams a day, and probiotics at specific strains and CFU counts. A capsule with milligrams of fiber and no CFU cannot be compared with that research.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the bottle label, the order page and linked public health sources such as NIH, FDA and CDC.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. retail desk for Sodatide, not by the manufacturer. We are paid a commission when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
More about Sodatide
Probiotic labels and CFU
CFU vs milligrams, strain codes, end-of-shelf-life counts and storage, using Sodatide's 36 mg blend as the worked example.
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Supplement Facts
The Sodatide label read line by line, plus the CFU, strain and Akkermansia details it does not print.
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Refund policy
Every refund term in plain words, the purchase-or-delivery date question, return postage and the steps to claim.
Read moreLicensed U.S. retail desk for Sodatide
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