VSL#3 High Potency Probiotic Review: Does It Work?


Expert Rating: 3.9/5

Customer Rating:

286 voted

VSL #3 is a probiotic supplement used to manage both irritable bowel syndrome and the more serious condition ulcerative colitis.

What makes it stand out is the supposed high concentration of live bacteria which is said to be the best in the world. To achieve a good understanding on what probiotics work best, review the top 10 list.

Pros:

  • Contains a rich amount of bacteria cultures per sachet. Also has FDA approved medical food status.

Cons:

  • Priced much higher than the average comparable probiotic supplement. Company makes it hard to review this as they fail to mention the ingredients in a convenient way.

The product comes in pills and in individual sachets which have 45 million live cultures at the time of production. They've achieved medical food status by the FDA which essentially means this is meant to be taken under the supervision of a physician, due to its unique ability to satisfy nutritional needs.

Prices can vary but on average you'll see a 30 sachet box sold for $65.90 on the official company website. No returns are offered however.

Lactic Acid Bacteria: A well-tolerated and easy to process bacteria strain which is highly important for proper carbohydrate metabolism. It's fairly common in fermented milk products and you'll naturally find it in decaying plants.

This strain can help improve digestion, control the spread of dangerous bacteria, and it is used for overall health. There's a good amount of researched performed in this ingredient since it's very widespread.

The human body uses it to regulate bacteria, to prevent inflammation, to counteract allergies, and some even use it for weight loss.

Lactobacillus Casei: Common bacteria stain which is added to fermented foods like yogurt. Helpful in aiding immune health, digestion, and in regulating allergies. Generally well-tolerated and backed by many studies which show its effectiveness.

Bifidobacterium Infantis: Found in the intestinal tract and sometimes used to control blood sugar, prevent allergies, control headaches, and to reduce lactic acid. Essential to good health which is why the body will naturally have stores of it. This can also be used to help improve the immune system and many studies show it is a healthy bacteria strain.

Bifidobacterium Longum: Healthy bacteria strain that can alleviate mood, support digestion, and which is found naturally in the human body. Useful at breaking down carbohydrates so they are metabolized easier. Very common to fermented foods.

Streptococcus Thermophilus: Basic bacteria that are most often added to fermented foods. This can help make it easier to metabolize nutrients and it can prevent the spread of unhealthy bacteria strains.

Cornstarch: A filler ingredient which is generally well-tolerated and unlikely to cause allergies, unless the person is allergic. Because corn is a common GMO crop. Unless stated, this is likely genetically modified.


Probiotic Strains

The support offered b the 8 different strains makes it a fairly well-rounded probiotic. The only major consideration is that this is meant mainly to target IBS and ulcerative colitis, and isn't marketed as a general probiotic.

All the stains used have the same kind of intended benefit, which greatly reduces its impact on overall immune, digestive, and long-term health. Much of this is common to fermented foods and for the price, really isn't worth it. There are countless other similar probiotic formulas which carry the exact same formula at a reduced cost.

  • Probiotic Diversity (8 strains):   4.1/5
  • Ingredients Quality:   4.4/5
  • Return Policy:   4.3/5
  • Customer Rating:   3.8/5
  • Value for Money ($65.90*):   4.0/5
  • Overall Rating   3.9/5

Business

The owners are AlfaSigma, a US based company which got its start in 1957. They are now owned by Nestle Health Science and they produce many kinds of medical foods for people in the US.

Direct sales are offered on the official website though they make it clear a healthcare provider should be the person making a decision on whether or not this would work for the user.

They were sued due to their sales tactics of claiming their products were the only safe and reliable brands to choose from, which was clearly false. Though not finalized, the ongoing suit makes it clear that they were willing to misrepresent their products to turn a profit.

Consumer Reviews

The consumer reviews can be best summarized by the most common issue, it failed to provide general health improvement. On a positive note many said it actually helped provide relief from both ulcerative colitis and IBS, which is what this supplement is meant to manage but not cure.

Side effects were a major unfortunate consequence from regular use. This was seen in the form of gas, constipation, and other digestive issues people didn't care to mention. Even with long-term use people said it failed to provide any noticeable improvements in their digestion or health.

More unfortunate side effects were seen in allergies and diarrhea which lasted for days.


Conclusion:

Probac 7 has a high amount of healthy bacteria but it's unfortunately too expensive for long-term use and customers had mixed experiences.

It's not as comprehensive as other probiotics which make well-rounded formulas according to customers. There are far too many negative reviews from consumers who experienced no noticeable changes.





Customer rating: 2.8 / 5 - 286 voted

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*Results are individual and may vary. We cannot guarantee the same experience for every consumer.

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