Reviewed product: Healthy Directions WholeBiotic

General score: 2/5 stars

Form of presentation: capsules

Serving dimensions: 7mm x 18mm

Cost: $14.99

Recommended dosage: 1 capsule/ day

Packaging content: 30 capsules

Daily cost: $0.49

Viability: through/at expiration date

CFUs count: not available

Ingredients: WholeBiotic culture matrix of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (375mg)

Customer satisfaction: guaranteed

Product category: daily usage probiotic

Purchasing: via the manufacturer’s official website

General review

With a general ranking of 2/5 stars, it quickly becomes obvious that Healthy Directions WholeBiotic places slightly below the average probiotic threshold. This position is owed both to its advantageous aspects and unfortunate drawbacks, as you will see further on.

Firstly, Healthy Directions WholeBiotic impresses through its format: with a blister pack designed especially for this product, you don’t have to worry about refrigeration or otherwise very restrictive storing conditions. As we all know, the whole point of using probiotic supplements is to get the ‘good’ bacteria colonies inside the gut alive and ‘kicking’, which is why keeping the microorganisms away from the influence of light and heat becomes so important. As a result, it’s nice to see a stable enhancer like WholeBiotic that combines this feature with practicality and lets you take it around while travelling or simply when you’re on the go during a busy day, for instance.

In addition, WholeBiotic is really easy to administer, since you only have to take 1 capsule each day, either before breakfast or before lunch. An extra capsule could be added to this regular dosage for an enhanced gastrointestinal action, but only if you feel like you need an extra boost of digestive ‘help’.

Speaking of usage recommendations, you should also know that the label of WholeBiotic classifies this probiotic as being safe to give even to children as young as 4 years old or older. Since the vast majority of other similar probiotic supplements strongly advise in favour of being at least 18 years of age before starting administration, it’s clearly to the probiotic’s advantage to have such a lowered threshold. It implies that WholeBiotic is both mild and effective, which is exactly what you would want from a quality product.

On the other hand, there are some clear drawbacks to using WholeBiotic, the first of which being its lack of CFUs specification. CFUs stands for ‘colony-forming units’ and it basically shows a probiotic supplement’s potency. For the presently reviewed product, the only specification regarding the live bacteria is ‘LCR35 WholeBiotic Culture Matrix 375mg’, which doesn’t help that much in determining the supplement’s overall influence on intestinal wellbeing.

To make matters worse, this supplement also specifically contains milk. In the world of allergens, milk and lactose-based ingredients can cause a wide range of unwanted reactions like abdominal pain, cramping, gas and bloating, etc. In fact, many people resort to probiotic enhancers exactly because they cannot get their beneficial bacteria from dairy products. Hence, WholeBiotic should be taken with caution by people who suffer from lactose sensibility and altogether avoided by those who experience severe allergenic reactions to products containing even trace amounts of milk and its derivates.

Another negative point related to WholeBiotic is that it contains a substantial amount of chemicals and fillers that ultimately take away from the product’s overall quality. As the label lists under ‘other ingredients’, we have fructooligosaccharides, potato starch, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, ascorbic acid, lactose, maltodextrin, magnesium stearate, and caramel (colour) to accompany the sole strain of ‘friendly’ bacteria (namely Lactobacillus rhamnosus). It is thus very clear that the balance inclines towards the ‘unhealthy’ side of this enhancer and majorly detracts from its appeal as a beneficial supplement.

All in all, WholeBiotic manages to gather only 2/5 stars owing to its lack of CFUs specification, highly allergenic ingredients (in particular, lactose and milk), alongside its excessive employment of ‘filler’ ingredients inside the pill’s composition. Nevertheless, the probiotic supplement does score good points in which regards the age range it can be used for (4 years and older), as well as its refrigeration-free status and facilitated portability (due to the individual blister format).

Detailed description

Ingredient list

The main active ingredient in Healthy Directions WholeBiotic is Lactobacillus rhamnosus, a ‘friendly’ bacterium known to naturally inhabit the intestinal, urinary, and vaginal systems alike. It is in these environments where the bacteria thrive and develop resistant colonies that help maintain regular bowel motility, improved nutrient absorption, and accelerated immunity protection over time. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is already a natural component of the body’s probiotic makeup, meaning that any external supplementation will ultimately be well received and gradually integrated within the ‘good’ bacteria count.

As research has proven, Lactobacillus rhamnosus constitutes a highly beneficial strain of probiotics for the body as a whole, so it comes as no surprise that it can actively protect gastrointestinal microflora against harmful pathogens and improve its functionality on a constant basis. For example, this ‘good’ bacterium can significantly reduce the incidence of paediatric peanut allergies and also prevent both the incidence and episode duration of diarrhea in the same age group (in particular, that caused by lengthier antibiotic-based treatments and diarrhea caused by travelling, which often implies drastic dietary changes).  

In addition, it can also inhibit the development of fungi infections in the urinary and vaginal tracts, protect against the installation of respiratory tract infections, and lower the occurrence of eczemas or dermatitis. With approximately 70% of a person’s immune defence residing in the gut, it is plain to see why having ‘watchmen’ such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus can aid in inhibiting the further growth of various pathogens.

One other key advantage of Lactobacillus rhamnosus is that – like all Lactobacillus family members – it constitutes an ‘acid-loving’ microorganism which assists the organism in breaking down tough sugars into lactic acid. In turn, this substance is much easier processed by the stomach and intestines alike, leading to improved digestive patterns, better nutrient assimilation, and even increased weight control (through regulated bowel movements and meliorated cravings signals). People who struggle with lactose intolerance can greatly benefit from probiotics such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus because its contribution can really improve otherwise negative symptoms like gas, bloating, constipation and/or diarrhea, abdominal cramping, etc.

As previously mentioned, Lactobacillus rhamnosus is equally a highly pH, bile, and heat resistant probiotic, which translates into a longer period of growth inside the human body. Consequently, one supplementation of this ‘friendly’ organism can go a long way in terms of overall health. Moreover, some research concluded that this type of probiotic is actually motile, meaning that it can ‘travel’ within and even between its mediums of choice – that is, gut, urinary, and vaginal tract – hence leading to more numerous colonies that help both the digestive process and immune screening all throughout the body.

But you might be wondering by now: how do probiotics actually improve a person’s general wellness levels? It’s quite simple: as beneficial bacteria, probiotics regulate the ‘good’−‘bad’ microorganism balance within the gastrointestinal system, strains like Lactobacillus rhamnosus making sure both food decomposition and immunity screenings remain within normal readings at all times. As such, a normal person’s gut might encompass anything between 1 billion and 100 billion CFUs of beneficial bacteria at any given moment, so it’s important to know how much you can contribute to this number either via fermented foods and dairy products or through commercially distributed probiotics of good quality origins.

In which concerns the usage of this specific strain in WholeBiotic, it is worth specifying that the company does not explicitly mention a CFUs count, but rather gives the content in milligrams (375 mg). As a general rule, you should expect a good probiotic to give you this number so as for you to determine if it works for your lifestyle regime or not – let’s say, whether you can eat other sources of probiotics like dairy and fermented vegetables. Needless to say, WholeBiotic does lose a bit of ground here in this sense because it does not provide its customers with a complete description of its Lactobacillus rhamnosus composition.

Allergenic potential

When purchasing any sort of dietary enhancer, one of the main issues to be taken into consideration is that of its allergenic potential. Among the most highly ‘flagged’ ingredients that produce unwanted side effects in sensitive persons are eggs, fish and shellfish, milk and/ or lactose, soy, nuts and tree nuts, etc.

Unfortunately, WholeBiotic does contain both lactose and milk, which spells trouble for those who cannot process these substances with ease. This represents an obvious drawback for the product’s global quality in light of the fact that it does not remain suitable for a wider range of administration. As a consequence, you should be careful when taking WholeBiotic if you are either particularly sensitive or intolerant to either of these substances and even consider looking for a suitable alternative in the case of extreme allergenic reactions.

Other ingredients included in WholeBiotic are fructooligosaccharides, potato starch, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, ascorbic acid, lactose, maltodextrin, magnesium stearate, and caramel (for colour purposes). As mentioned before, these are on the heavy side of fillers and additives, so also take that into consideration if you prefer a more natural probiotic.

Overall cost

Each packaging format of WholeBiotic contains 30 capsules and costs a total of $14.99. This means that an individual serving will bring you around the $0.49 for every day of administration. If you compare it to the average price of most probiotic supplements – namely 70 cents – you can see that it is a very good deal money-wise.

Even so, WholeBiotic contains only one main strain of beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus rhamnosus), does not specify the CFUs count, and encompasses a bit too many artificial ingredients, which are pertinent reasons for this cost not to also signify a good quality-price ratio. If you look around the market closely, you are bound to find a better option for your budget and health benefits alike.

Side effects

One advantageous thing about WholeBiotic is that is does not cause any significant side effects during usage. With many similar probiotics, the first days of administration can turn out to be tricky because the extra amount of ‘good’ bacteria has to first adapt to the new gastrointestinal environment. This assimilation within the organism’s own microflora usually starts with an imbalance of said microorganisms that generally leads to visceral cramping, irregular bowel motility, and overall discomfort.

Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about these side effects with WholeBiotic – that is, if you don’t exhibit any sensitiveness regarding the milk and lactose components previously discussed. Allergies are known to enhance otherwise mild reactions to ‘troublesome’ ingredients, so be careful if that is your case in particular. If not, then WholeBiotic can be utilized even by children aged 4 or older, so it shouldn’t cause any major side effects to its recommended age range whatsoever.

Manufacturer guarantee

Healthy Directions caters to its customers’ needs by offering a 100% money-back policy for the WholeBiotic supplement. In the case that you become unsatisfied with your personal experience regarding this dietary enhancer, then you can return the remaining dosages within 90 days of purchasing and receive your investment back in full.

While the extended return period allows you to really test WholeBiotic and see whether it improves your quality of life or not, the manufacturer guarantee can also act as an incentive to buy the probiotic in the first place – more so because many other similar products don’t come with the same guarantee upon purchasing. It is precisely because WholeBiotic comes with such an advantageous manufacturer guarantee that you, as a potential buyer, should try out the probiotic supplement and assess its contribution to your general state of being.

Purchasing

You can acquire Healthy Directions WholeBiotic through the manufacturer’s official website.

Healthy Directions WholeBiotic – general view

Category	Healthy Directions WholeBiotic
General rating	2/5 stars
Recommended usage	Daily usage probiotic
Ingredients	1 probiotic strain (Lactobacillus rhamnosus 375mg)
Allergenic potential	The product contains milk and lactose
Cost	$14.99 for 30 capsules (1 month’s worth of administration)
Side effects	No noticeable side effects
Manufacturer guarantee(s)	a 90-day 100% money-back policy
Purchasing	Through the manufacturer’s main website