Everything we recommend

The capsule is the point, not the CFU number. Probiotic sits inside an inner capsule, prebiotic fibre in the outer one, so they release at different stages. Both ingredients are named and patented rather than hidden in a blend.

Start here if you have never taken one. Optibac publishes full strain codes, which is what lets you check a strain against published trials. "Lactobacillus blend" tells you nothing.

Worth it mainly if you already buy a separate B12 — it uses methylcobalamin rather than the cheaper cyanocobalamin. If you do not need B12 you are paying for an ingredient you will not use.

The gentlest of the common fibres. Ferments slowly along the colon rather than all at once near the start, which is why it causes less wind than inulin at the same dose. Dissolves clear, so it disappears into anything.

The cheapest way to add real fibre, and the one most likely to make you uncomfortable in week one. Ferments fast and early. Start at a third of the scoop and build up over a fortnight — most people who say fibre disagrees with them took a full dose on day one.

The one to reach for if other fibres have gone badly. PHGG is low-FODMAP certified, which matters if you are the person who reacts to inulin. Thickens slightly in water, so it suits porridge and soup better than a cold drink.

Single-strain products are easier to judge than blends: one organism, one body of research, one thing to check. The dose here matches what trials used, which is more than most bloating-branded products can say. Give it four weeks.

Different job from a probiotic. Enzymes work on the meal in front of you, so they help if your bloating is tied to specific foods rather than present all the time. No point taking them on an empty stomach.

The cheapest thing on this page and the one with the longest track record for cramping and distension. The enteric coating matters — uncoated peppermint releases in the stomach and gives you reflux instead.

The one that makes sense to take while you are still on the course. It's a yeast, not a bacterium, so the antibiotic doesn't kill it — which is why spacing doses is less of a worry than with bacterial products.

Breadth is the point here rather than any one strain. Start it once the course finishes and keep going for a couple of months — the microbiome takes longer to settle than the prescription lasts.

Almost everyone buys the probiotic and skips this. Introducing bacteria without feeding them is half the job — fibre is what they live on. Cheaper than the probiotic, and arguably does more.