BioGaia Products

Even though it colonizes the entire GI tract, L. reuteri temporarily binds to the epithelium that covers the GI tract.

As the epithelium replaces itself every four days, most of the L. reuteri cells are washed away within a week or two. Since L. reuteri colonization is transient, maintaining adequate and stable levels of the bacteria in the GI tract requires daily intake.

If antibiotics are used, we recommend taking BioGaia probiotics at least 2 hours in between the antibiotic.

BioGaia products can be taken with or without food, at any time of the day. However, it’s recommended not to mix with hot food or drink, or acidic foods. The important thing is they take probiotics daily.

No, probiotics are not like a pharmaceutical drug. Probiotics are live organisms, and they can thrive, colonize and exert their effect as long as they have food and space. The intestine in an adult is much larger than in a baby of course, meaning that there will be more food and space available for the bacteria to eat and colonize. That’s why the dose can be the same.  

No, it is not possible. It’s no harm if a child eats a whole jar with tablets. He/she might experience some flatulence due to the content of sweetener but it’s not dangerous.

 No, you cannot develop resistance to a probiotic, and you don’t need to take a break. BioGaia probiotics can be taken from birth and for life. A true, clinically proven probiotic will not compete with other bacteria. Instead, they create a good environment for other good bacteria.

How long it takes to notice an effect from taking a probiotic may vary. Not all humans are the same, and the gastrointestinal tract may react differently when a true probiotic is added to the diet. Clinical studies have shown that L. reuteri DSM 17938 can affect occasional diarrhea within 48 hours and reduce colicky symptoms within one week, while the effect on constipation sometimes takes several weeks.*

No, not necessarily. The only way to know if the dose (i.e. the number of Colony Forming Units -CFU) is good enough is to check whether the product is backed up by science. If a product hasn’t been tested in a clinical trial, with a specific dose, with a specific population, and for a specific indication, it is not possible to say if a product is effective. As an example – a product with 100 million CFU (BioGaia Protectis baby drops) has shown to be the most effective in infant colic. It is therefore important to evaluate the scientific evidence for a probiotic before recommending it to your patients.

No, not necessarily. The only way to know if the probiotic strain is effective is to test it in clinical trials. A single-strain product can be more effective than a multi-strain probiotic product. We can use BioGaia Baby drops as an example again. It is a single-strain product and has been shown in clinical trials to be more effective to alleviate infant colic than any other probiotic products, multi-strain or single-strain. Evaluating the scientific evidence for a probiotic for a specific indication is therefore important.

No, it’s not necessary. Most of  BioGaia products have a shelf-life of 24 months when stored below 25°C. However, it’s always OK to store BioGaia Probiotic products in the fridge.

3 months when storing below 25°C.