Questions and answers

What types of products with L. reuteri are available?

• BioGaia Probiotic chewable tablets for gut health / immune health, BioGaia Probiotic drops and BioGaia Probiotic ORS (oral rehydration solution) for child health, BioGaia Probiotic straw for gut health / immune health and BioGaia Probiotic lozenges for oral health.

• Partners to BioGaia also use BioGaia L. reuteri Culture as a functional ingredient in different kinds of foods: dairy products (yoghurt, drinking yoghurt, hard cheese, cottage cheese, ice cream, margarine), fruit juices and fruit drinks. L. reuteri Culture is also used in infant formula and in capsules.

What distinguishes BioGaia products from other probiotics on the market?

• L. reuteri is one of very few probiotic species whose natural habitat is the digestive tract and it is therefore especially well adapted to thrive in this kind of environment. It is among the first bacterial species to become naturally established in the normal microflora of the newborn. Most other probiotic strains are only temporary or transient inhabitants of the GI tract, derived from the intake of food.

• L. reuteri is one of the most scientifically well-documented probiotics with regard to both efficacy and safety.

• L. reuteri produces the antimicrobial substance reuterin, which inhibits the growth of several pathogenic microorganisms. At the same time, L. reuteri supports the populations of other bacteria, which are part of the normal intestinal microflora.

• BioGaia Probiotics is a guarantee of quality probiotic products formulated and packaged to ensure convenient administration and a stable shelf life of live bacteria cells for many months, also at ambient temperature.

What is the recommended dosage of L. reuteri?

• The recommended daily dose is 100 million CFU (Colony Forming Units), or 10⁸ CFU, of L. reuteri. You get this dose by consuming:

      1 BioGaia probiotic chewable tablet

      1 BioGaia Probiotic straw

      5 drops of BioGaia Probiotic drops

• The recommended volume of food containing BioGaia Probiotics, according to the manufacturer (e.g. 200-250 ml of drinking yoghurt)

• The BioGaia Probiotic oral health products (lozenge and chewing gum) contain 200 million CFU each (2 x 10⁸ CFU), which is the recommended dose of these products.

Shouldn't BioGaia Probiotic products contain a larger number of bacteria in a daily dose in order to be efficient?

• No, based on the results of clinical studies, the dose level of 100 million CFU/day has been chosen as a safe and efficient dose for L. reuteri in humans.

• L. reuteri has proven to possess all the necessary qualities regarding efficacy and product shelf-life, without being combined with any other probiotic species.

Why is the dose of L. reuteri the same in adults and children? Shouldn’t it be higher in adults?

• No, L. reuteri is a living bacterium that grows in the digestive tract. The larger the tract, the more it grows to effectively colonize. It is not like a pharmaceutical where the distribution of the chemical substance depends on the body size since the substance cannot reproduce itself.

How long does it take to feel the effects of taking L. reuteri?

• Normally you should notice the effects within a few days. While people who are already perfectly healthy may not experience any difference, those taking L. reuteri because of some digestive tract disturbance may notice an effect after 2-4 days. In some cases it may take longer if the person for instance is taking a medication affecting the digestive tract function. Oral health products such as lozenge and chewing gum with L. reuteri Prodentis have shown effect on bleeding gums after 2 weeks.

Do I need to take L. reuteri every day? 

• Yes, since the intestinal levels are depleted within about a week after discontinuing use. The resident microflora of an individual is relatively fixed and thereby highly resistant to the establishment of “newcomers”. Even an indigenous bacterium like L. reuteri should be taken on a regular basis, since most people of modern society does not get colonized by L. reuteri during infancy. By taking BioGaia Probiotics you maintain a beneficial total daily supply of lactobacilli.

Should BioGaia Probiotic products be taken with or without food for maximum benefits?

• The conditions under which L. reuteri is taken are not critical. Hypothetically, the elevated pH shortly after the intake of food might have a positive impact on the survival of L. reuteri, but it is more important that L. reuteri is taken on a regular daily basis and at a time of the day that is suitable for the patient/consumer.

Should I refrain from combining BioGaia Probiotic products with any specific medicines or drugs?

• No, these products are considered to be food and are comparable to yoghurt when it comes to safety. On the contrary, BioGaia Probiotic products are very useful in combination with for example antibiotics. It helps reduce side effects of the antibiotics.

Is L. reuteri growing in the product?

• No, it is in a dormant state (freeze-dried) and becomes activated / fully metabolically active when it comes in contact with the saliva. How quickly? Very quickly, by the time it reaches the stomach, it can attach and start colony growth.

What are Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis and Lactobacillus reuteri Prodentis?

• L. reuteri Protectis is the culture with an effect on human gut health and immune system, and it is used in most products such as drops, tablets, yoghurts and drinks. Its scientific designation is DSM 17938 and it was formerly known as ATCC 55730.

• L. reuteri Prodentis is the culture used in oral health products such as lozenges and chewing gum. It contains a blend of two strains: L. reuteri DSM 17938 and L. reuteri ATCC PTA 5289.