When we think of a healthy gut, one word that may come to mind is probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria that help to maintain a healthy balance in the body. It does this by supporting the immune system, controlling inflammation, aiding in the digestion of food, stopping “bad” bacteria from running rapid in the body, and helping support the “good” bacteria in your body.
Keep in mind, probiotics are not the same as prebiotics. Probiotics are live, yes live, microorganisms that need to be active when ingested to be able to provide these health benefits. There are many probiotic supplements out there, but for this review we are going to focus on one specific option called One A Day TruBiotics.
Does it have the right ingredients? Provide the benefits you need? What does it cost? In this TruBiotics review, we’ll answer all of those questions and more so you can find out if this probiotic is right for you.
Let’s get started!
What is TruBiotics?
TruBiotics is a probiotic supplement that contains the two most clinically studied types of good bacteria; Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and Bifidobacterium animalis BB-12. If you are reading this and thinking, what do those words even mean, no worries! Those are the 2 probiotics that are in this supplement that help to refill the good bacteria in your body. More details about those to come later.
TruBiotics also helps to support digestive and immune health. This supplement comes in capsules that are easy to swallow and are taken once a day with a meal. The packages may vary between 30, 45, and 60 capsules.
TruBiotics Benefits
Probiotics provide numerous health benefits, a lot of them involving gut health. TruBiotics offers 2 main benefits, which we will discuss below.
Maintain Digestive/Immune Health
Maintaining good digestive health is important for overall health. No one likes to constantly be burdened with constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, abdominal pain, etc. TruBiotic helps to maintain this balance in the digestive tract by helping to replenish the good bacteria in the gut. We need these good bacteria to help fight the bad bacteria that get in the gut and cause some of these problems. Another way that TruBiotics helps to maintain digestive and immune health is by providing adequate CFUs (Colony Forming Units) amounts. 2 billion CFUs is what this product offers and is backed by research to support why they chose this number. This may seem like a lot, but the dose needs to be high enough to provide the benefits. Probiotics can also stimulate and regulate immune response in the gut. They do this by activating specific genes of the host cells in the gut.3 Think of it as probiotics being the ones who call for emergency services. After the call is made, the patrol in that particular area become alerted, and the immune response kicks in.
Maintain a Healthy Metabolism
TruBiotics states that it can help to maintain a healthy metabolism by supporting carbohydrate metabolism. Probiotics have been shown to increase carbohydrate absorption and oxidation.4,5 In other words, carbohydrates are absorbed and broken down for the body to use as energy. In a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study that involved trained male cyclists showed that there was a small, but significant increase in total carbohydrate oxidation.4 Don’t worry; you don’t have to be a trained athlete for the probiotics to break down the carbohydrates in your body. Your body does this on its own, but the probiotics can help increase the rate at which this happens. Specifically, Bifidobacterium converts monosaccharides (carbohydrates) into short-chain fatty acids that can be converted into energy and beneficial to the individual.
So, if many probiotics can have the same effects on digestive health, what makes TruBiotic the go-to supplement? The key is in the ingredients.
TruBiotics Ingredients
If you stuck with me, then you have made it to the keys that open the door to unlock the secret behind TruBiotics. TruBiotics have 2 main ingredients: Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5, and Bifidobacterium animalis BB-12.
As I mentioned above, there are 2 keys to this probiotic supplement. Let’s begin with the first key.
Key #1: Bifidobacterium animalis BB-12
This Bifidobacterium has been used since 1986 and alone is associated with immune and digestive system support. It has been tested in clinical trials for over 25 years and is the world’s most documented probiotic. One reason that this strain is so effective is because it can survive in the human gastrointestinal tract. This allows it to stay in the body and replenish the good bacteria. An in vitro study assessed 5 strains of Bifidobacterium on the growth effects on various carbohydrates and gastric acid and bile tolerance. The BB-12 strain showed very good survival rates at all pH values and even had the best survival rate compared to the other strains. BB-12 can also improve stool frequency and softens the stool. Another randomized, placebo-controlled study on healthy men and women showed a significant effect on the frequency of stools with those taking BB-12.6 This is a win-win for both ends of the spectrum from diarrhea to constipation. In another study that looked at antibiotic associated diarrhea, BB-12 reduced the duration and severity that occurred from the antibiotic. When it comes to abdominal pain and bloating, BB-12 has the potential to decrease those effects as well. This was noted in a randomized placebo-controlled study. Most studies use doses between 1 and10 billion CFUs. TruBiotics provide a combination of 2 strains for a total of 2 billion CFUs. In some cases, a higher dose was not indicative of increased efficacy. In other words, sometimes less is more.
Key #2: Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5
What makes this probiotic strain special from the others out there, besides the name sounding like it could come straight out of a Dr. Seuss book? This strain of probiotics comes from dairy cultures at Chr.Hansen and has been well researched and used since 1979. This is a probiotic strain that has been proven to promote digestive health when consumed with the second main ingredient, Bifidobacterium. BB-12.2 LA-5 can also survive the acidic environments of the stomach and bile. This also allows the strain to maintain the good bacteria in the gut. According to the Probiotics Institute, LA-5 can improve irregular bowel movements, reduce the incidence of diarrhea that is caused by radiation, reduce the duration of diarrhea that is caused by antibiotics, and balance the bacteria in the digestive system after taking antibiotics. A randomized placebo-controlled study showed that the duration of diarrhea was significantly reduced in a group of individuals who were prescribed an antibiotic. This key ingredient works better when combined with the first key, and an optimal dose is unknown at this time.
Other Ingredients
It is important to note that this product does contain milk. This would not make it an appropriate supplement for vegans or those who are allergic to milk/milk products. If that’s the case for you, dairy-free options like Vitamin Bounty Pro-50 or PROBIO-50 may be more suitable.
Does TruBiotics Work? For Who?
Now that we know the keys that make TruBiotics what it is, the real question is; Does it work? The answer is simply yes, TruBiotics does work. This supplement contains 2 strains of probiotics that are well researched and have been around for a while.
The real question is whether or not it will work for you. There are many lifestyle factors that can affect the balance of the gut, including; diet, age, stress, sleep, and travel. TruBiotics mentions this on their label, and I believe that they don’t want to target specific groups of individuals because it would decrease the validity of their claim. This is smart on their part. A lot of people are stressed and don’t follow a healthy diet, so by advertising that TruBiotics can help maintain a balance during those times, it allows them to increase their clientele. A lot of studies have been done on individuals with either acute or chronic diseases and not healthy individuals. Those studies that were done on healthy individuals did provide some statistical significance, but it was indicated that more research is needed on this group of individuals.
TruBiotics is a product that will work for the general population, but there is no guarantee for how long it will work to maintain the balance in the gut.
Claims vs. Reality
TruBiotics claims that it naturally helps to support digestive and immune health. It also has a disclaimer on it that says that statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and the product is not there to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Okay, so why state that it can help with digestive and immune health? One reason why is because they can. Since this is a supplement and not a medication, it does not have to be approved by the FDA, and they can sell the product and make those claims. Makes sense, right?
Even with the numerous amounts of research that has been done on the 2 strains of probiotics that are included in the supplement that show how beneficial they are to the digestive tract; it still does not mean that there is a guarantee that it will work for everyone. Is it worth a shot to try this product? Yes, this is a natural supplement that has the potential to be very beneficial to your body.
One thing that I did notice on the TruBiotics website is that they say there are five things to look for when choosing a probiotic, but they only list four. I am not sure why it only lists four, but it does make you wonder what the last criteria is to consider when choosing a probiotic.
Is TruBiotics Safe?
The two strains of probiotics used in this supplement have been deemed safe for human consumption and are both on the Qualified Presumption of Safety from the EFSA in Europe. BB-12 is also generally recognized as safe from the Food and Drug Administration. Even though this is a natural supplement, there is still the potential for side effects which include:
- Increase in stomach gas or bloating
- Incidence of infection
- Allergic reactions9
It is also important to note that certain drugs can interact with certain probiotics and increase the risk of side effects. Some of these interactions include antibiotics, and antifungals.9
Individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding should contact their healthcare provider before beginning this supplement.
One thing that I think is important to mention with TruBiotics is the packaging. Probiotics need to be live when taking them, and TruBiotics uses TruPreserve to keep them live. TruPreserve protects the probiotics from outside elements such as light, moisture, air, and heat. When the probiotics are protected from these elements, they stay stable until the expiration date.
Where to Buy TruBiotics
TruBiotics can be purchased at traditional health food stores, pharmacies, supermarkets, and online. For a detailed list of where to purchase go to: https://www.trubiotics.com/where-to-buy/
Prices will vary depending on the store and the amount of capsules. The range seems to be from $15 for 30 capsules to $26 for 60 capsules.
FAQ: TruBiotics Review
When is the best time to take TruBiotics?
Take once a day at any time of the day with food. It is important to take it at the same time each day to make it part of your daily health routine.
Is TruBiotics a multivitamin?
No, TruBiotics is a probiotic and not a multivitamin. You should continue to take a multivitamin along with TruBiotics. Some multivitamin options worth considering include Feel Multivitamins, Smarter Multivitamin, and Klean Multivitamin.
Is TruBiotics vegetarian?
Yes, these capsules are vegetarian. They do contain a milk powder, though. So, if you are vegan, you would want to stay away from this probiotic supplement.
Is TruBioicts made in the US?
No, TruBiotics is made in Denmark.
