Reviewed product: BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic

General score: 3/5 stars

Form of presentation: chewable tablets

Serving dimensions: 10mm x 5mm

Cost: $29.99

Recommended dosage: 1 tablet/ day

Package content: 30 capsules

Daily cost: $0.99

Viability: through end of shelf life

CFUs count: 100 million

Ingredients: one notable strain – Lactobacillus Reuteri DSM 17938, also known as Lactobacillus Reuteri Protectis

Customer satisfaction: not explicitly guaranteed

Product category: Probiotic

Where to buy: Click here!

BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic General review

All things considered, BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic ranks at a level of 3 stars out of 5, making it an above average probiotic supplement in overall terms. This implies that is has its advantages, as well as its disadvantages, as we will see further on.

One particular aspect of BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic is that the tablets are designed to be chewed before ingestion. These days, the majority of dietary supplements – regardless of their health purpose – are either tablets or capsules which you take with water, powders which you mix with various liquids or drops which you take as they are recommended by the manufacturer.

With BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic, the approach is that of chewable tablets, which (in theory) can be a very convenient and even pleasant way of supplementing your probiotic count. For example, people who are not very fond of swallowing big pills – especially children, for that matter – can highly benefit from this aspect on the long term (since probiotic supplements should be used regularly in order to give the expected results).

What is more, the recommended dose is that of one tablet a day, meaning that you will hardly forget to take your supplement and it will only be ‘half’ the effort when compared to other similar supplements from today’s market.

Secondly, the cell count viability of BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic is guaranteed by the manufacturer to be through the end of the supplement’s shelf life (namely the expiration date printed on the bottle). In simpler terms, this signifies that the first and the last tablet you will be talking from that bottle should have the same 100 million CFUs (colony forming units) of live bacteria.

This automatically brings us to storing conditions: as most of you might already know, probiotics need special conditions so as to remain active, which often requires refrigeration. Not with BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic: apparently, its manufacturing technology allows for the tablets to be stored at room temperature (25oC/ 77oF), hence permitting travelling or carrying them around with you during the day.

Now for the negative side of this supplement: to begin with, the practicality of the tablets is rather lessened by their taste. Although the label states that there is a lemon flavor included, its presumed strength does not come through and you are left chewing on a chalky tablet that will remind you of cheap candies. It might just be a ‘once a day’ affair, but this is not an experience you will most likely be inclined to get excited about.

To make matters worse, the label also states that BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic can potentially contain traces of milk. For a dietary supplement, this is a big disadvantage and ‘red light’ because dairy allergies are pretty common nowadays and people who are not careful with their conditions might end up with serious medical issues after consuming even the smallest amount of these harmful substances.

The other issue is the lack of customer guarantees – while a phone number is indeed included on the packaging, it is more or less suggested to be used in extreme cases (for instance, side effects), not for questions or inquires. Additionally, there is no specification of money-back policies on the product or manufacturer’s main website either.

As a general view, we could conclude that BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic offers you the innovative format of chewable tablets, alongside a safe packaging which doesn’t require refrigeration and a viable culture assurance by the company. On the other hand, it fails to deliver the promised taste and can be potentially dangerous for those who are sensitive to milk-based allergies.

BioGaia ProTectis Probiotics Ingredient list

As is normal for a probiotic supplement, BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic heavily relies on its ‘good’ bacteria count in terms of main ingredients. Thus, this product’s main component is the probiotic called Lactobacillus Reuteri DSM 17938 or, more commonly, Lactobacillus reuteri protectis.

First of all, it should be pointed out that the last decades have really shown an increase in the medical community’s interest for these types of ‘good’ bacteria and what they can do not only inside the gastrointestinal system, but also for other functions of our organism. Consequently, research and intensive testing have grown in number, revealing a series of very interesting and useful things that probiotics naturally have the potential to promote inside the human body.

The Lactobacillus reuteri probiotic is even more special because it was amongst the first such type of bacteria to be intensely studied beginning with as early as the 1960s, when this field of probiotics was still itself in its infancy stages. Nevertheless, specialists have discovered over time that Lactobacillus reuteri displays a variety of positive attributes which make it very indicated for external supplementation of the prolonged type.

An organic part of the mammal and bird intestinal system, Lactobacillus reuteri is considered as the major Lactobacillus branch present in the stomach flora with respect to presence and importance as well. Clinical studies have also revealed that daily supplementation for patients with this ‘friendly’ bacteria resulted in rapid assimilation (new colonies forming just a few days after starting the administration), even though these probiotic readings will eventually lower if the treatment is interrupted or ceased altogether.

One major way in which Lactobacillus reuteri benefits the human body is by offering a complete protection of the gut. Hence, it can be very efficiently employed to treat various intestinal disorders such as gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea, since Lactobacillus reuteri has been demonstrated to slow down motor complexes at the intestinal level, thus reducing motility (movement) and letting the organism ‘recover’ from this type of imbalance. It can also effectively prevent infant colic, (or decrease its symptom intensity), ward off Salmonella infections, and eliminate the Streptococcus mutans bacterium (which causes tooth decay, mouth ulcers, gingivitis, etc.).

In addition to treating illnesses, Lactobacillus reuteri can also help prevent them by boosting immune system responses and creating a barrier between the body and harmful pathogens. In fact, some recent studies concluded that adults and children who consume this probiotic on a regular basis are half as least likely to become ill than others. This aspect can be attributed to the fact that this probiotic produces reutericin, reuterin, and reutericyclin during its glycerol processing, all of which are very potent antimicrobial substances.

Moreover, this strain of probiotics can be safely used by adults and children alike, since researches have determined that children could also benefit from the positive influence of this ‘good’ bacterium. Admittedly, most commercial supplements warn against consumption by children under the age of 18 years, since the probiotic CFUs count is generally too high for younger individuals. Luckily, the 100 million CFUs contained by BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic makes it ideal for all age categories. But, as is expected, any change in your child’s or your own dietary routine should be first given the ‘green light’ by the family doctor or by a certified nutritionist.

Alongside the clearly predominant probiotic component, BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic also contains isomalt, a sugar substitute utilized nowadays for its small impact on blood sugar levels and its tooth-friendly properties. Other ingredients include palm oil, lemon-lime flavouring, citric acid, and xylitol (a sweetener which also reduces cavity formation and promotes remineralisation).

BioGaia ProTectis Probiotics Allergenic potential

BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic presents an almost full content of Lactobacillus reuteri – aside from the tablet composition, of course. In theory, this should make it practically foolproof regarding allergenic reactions, but, unfortunately, this is not the case here. As it turns out, the manufacturers producing this dietary supplement mention below the ingredients list that BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic ‘may contain traces of milk’.

Although it doesn’t sound like much, the fact that there is no specific mentioning of the milk protein dosage which can be contained by this probiotic enhancer might cause numerous health problems for those who suffer from severe allergies related to dairy products of all kinds. For these individuals, it is advised that they seek out other products which are specifically milk-free in their composition, so as to avoid any medical complications along the way.

Overall cost

As previously mentioned, one bottle of BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic costs $29.99. It contains 30 chewable capsules and, at a recommended dosage of 1 tablet/ day, you can rely on this serving container to last you approximately one month (30 days).

Dividing the price by the number of tablets, we can see that your probiotic ‘investment’ of one day will bring you to a total of $0.99. You should also know that nutritionists agree upon the fact that anything above $1 for a probiotic dosage daily is to be considered rather expensive, which puts BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic at a slightly above average price range, but nevertheless affordable.

BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic Side effects

When administering BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic, there were no notable side effects to be mentioned here. While other probiotics might cause intense abdominal pain and bowel movement imbalances, this probiotic did not produce any of these symptoms.

The main reason behind this would be its significantly lowered CFUs count. If, for instance, other commercially distributed probiotic supplements contain between 20-40 billion CFUs, then BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic comes at a much lowered 100 million CFUs. This ends up making handling the transition much easier by your gastrointestinal system. Moreover, other probiotic enhancers usually recommend a 2 capsule/ day usage, while BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic employs only one chewable tablet per day, which again considerably helps your gut adjust better to this nutritional change.

On the other hand, as with any other supplement currently available on the market, caution is required. As such, this product is intended to be used as either as prescribed by your doctor or by following the recommended dosage on the package (meaning 1 chewable tablet daily), with excessive administration generally having a laxative effect. Also make sure to store your BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic at room temperature (25oC or 77oF), as well as keeping it away from children’s reach. If you are to experience any sort of prolonged discomfort or pain, then seek medical attention immediately.

Customer guarantee

As a rule of thumb, product manufacturers offer some kind of guarantee to their customers in the unfortunate case that they are not satisfied with their purchase. This generally takes the form of a ‘money-back’ policy within a specified timeframe. For example, the majority of supplement manufacturers will advertise a 30-day return guarantee, which allows you to test out their items, decide whether it is the right thing for you or not, then send it back if it turns out to be the latter instance.

On the other hand, we do not encounter the same stratagem with BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic, where there is no mentioning – neither on the official website or the product itself – of this sort of policy being in use. While they do provide a telephone number on the product’s label, it is solely instructed to be used ‘to report a serious adverse event’. This qualifies as a negative aspect of this probiotic, since customer rights require such companies to put the needs of their clients first and meet their expectations as well, in terms of product quality and services alike.

Purchasing

BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic can be easily purchased via the manufacturer’s main website.

BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic – general view  

Product	BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic
General rating	3/5 stars
Recommended usage	Daily usage probiotic
Ingredients	1 probiotic strain, 100 million CFUs
Allergenic potential	The product can contain traces of milk
Cost	$29.99 for one month’s worth of product (1 bottle/ 60 capsules)
Side effects	No noteworthy side effects were observed while using this product
Manufacturer guarantee(s)	No customer satisfaction guarantee is explicitly offered
Purchasing	Click Here to Buy BioGaia ProTectis Probiotic