Nature's Way Fortify Optima Probiotic for Adults, 35 Billion Live Cultures, 15 Strains, Supports Digestive Balance and Immune Health*, No Refrigeration Required, 60 Capsules (Packaging May Vary)

I was taking Sustenex, which, though pretty good, seemed to be hit or miss.I began looking for a broader spectrum probiotic, and found this one. I like several of Nature's Way products, and decided to give theirs a try. I noticed a difference within a few days of starting 2x/day usage (figured I'd double up to start with). My digestion seems to have improved, and I have much less bloating during the day. It will likely take a few months to see if I feel differently overall, but for now, I'm pleased and sticking with this probiotic.On the refrigeration during shipping issue that seems to crop up all over the Internet - According to the manufacturer, it does not require refrigerated or cooled shipping. Here's the response I received directly from Nature's Way:"Thank you for taking the time to contact Nature's Way®, a Schwabe North America(tm) (SNA) company, with your question about our product Primadophilus ® Optima.Your question was regarding if the product ships refrigerated. No, these are not shipped refrigerated.While many environmental factors can impact product quality, we take special care to formulate products that remain safe and effective from the time of manufacture, during shipping, and throughout product shelf-life.In order to assess the impact of temperature on product quality, a temperature study was conducted during the summer of 2009 on one of our refrigerated probiotic brands - a worst case scenario. Shipments were sent via ground service to various destinations with an average transit time varying from 5-10 days, including weekends.Testing determined that the claimed potency of the products was not compromised during the few days of transit, even in the elevated heat and humidity of the summer months.I hope this information is helpful for you. Feel free to contact me again with any other questions or concerns that you may have. Please visit our website at [...] or [...] for more valuable information.SherryCustomer service specialist"I hope this is helpful to others.

This product (previously called primadophilus optima, now called fortify optima) was recommended to me by my doctor, and I have been happy with it. I tried other probiotics, which were somewhat helpful, but I sincerely think this one is noticeably better than most. I have been using it daily for a number of years. The main benefit I have found is that I used to find that certain foods were difficult to digest, or did not sit well with me, and this product has allowed me to eat many of those foods again without the digestive difficulties. So, though it is a bit pricey, for me it has been worth it. I would probably say to try it for a few weeks or maybe a month, before deciding whether it makes a difference for you, as you don't necessarily notice the benefits for at least a few days.

I'm no doctor, and I don't know if the claims about this working better because of how it makes it further into your digestive system and whatnot are true. I just know that I keep it in my fridge, take it every day, and am experiencing a lot less digestive issues than I had been. Yes, I also try to eat more carefully, but for the price and how highly recommended this type came, I gave it a shot and I am never without it now.

update: Jan 12, 2010 I got an email from amazon.com that my subscribe and save on Primadophilius Optima is canceled because they will not carry it anymore :-(. Called Nature's Way, the manufacture, and they plan to continue making the product. Highly recommend those who love this product to contact amazon.com on your opinion. Amazon has the lowest price and highest quality.--------------------------------Decided to get probiotics to help my digestion, and choose Primadophilus Optima because it has 14 different strains and 35 billion CFU, more variety and quantity than most yogurt (danon (2-3), stoneyfield (6)...etc). Lifeway's Kefir has 12 strains 7-10 billion CFU, but I don't like the kefir taste. There are a lot of overlap of probiotic types between Lifeway and Primadophilus Optima.Bought "Primadophilus Optima" 60 vcaps on Jan 2011 from amazon, arrived promply, with expiration date of Jun 2012. Verify that probiotic is good by breaking open capsule, and stiring the power into a cup of milk. Curd after 8 hours at 70F room temperature. Very satify. Will buy again :-)Lifeway's Kefier (7-10 billion CFU) from their website:* Lactobacillius Lactis* Lactobacillus Rhamnosus* Streptococcus Diacetylactis* Lactobacillus Plantarum* Lactobacillius Casei* Saccharomyces Florentinus* Leuconostoc Cremoris* Bifidobacterium Longum* Bifidobacterium Breve* Lactobacillus Acidophilus* Bifidobacterium lactis HN019* Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFMStoneyfield yogurt, from their website:* Lactobacillus bulgaricus* Streptococcus thermophilus* Lactobacillus acidophilus* Bifidus* Lactobacillus casei* Lactobacillus rhamnosusDanon Activa* Bifidus Regularis® Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010 (Patented)* 2-3 others...Primadophilus® OptimaL. casei-108; B. longum-135; L. acidophilus-122; L. plantarum-119; L. rhamnosus-111; L. rhamnosus-114; B. breve-129; B. bifidum-132; L. lactis-136; S. thermophilus-110; B. infantis-116; L. bulgaricus-137; L. salivarius-118; L. helveticus-128

It works great!