Unhealthy food habits and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to the cause of health problems in the modern world. The processed food full of antibiotics and other chemicals is destroying the delicate ecosystem of the digestive tract.1 Overuse of antibiotics, painkillers, and other chemicals kill off the beneficial bacteria in the gut that are responsible for the proper functioning of the digestive and immune system.
One of the ways to restore the beneficial bacteria in the gut is by supplementing your diet with probiotics. The live bacterial strains in probiotics can colonize in the digestive system and reset the balance.
It is crucial that you choose probiotic supplements with care. It is vital that the probiotic supplement has the correct number of clinically proven strains in sufficient concentrations to be effective. There are a ton of brands on the market that claim to be effective but really aren't. In this article, we will take a closer look at one of the best-selling probiotic supplement- MegaFood MegaFlora Probiotic Supplement.
It is a very highly rated and well-reviewed brand of probiotic supplements on the market and is trusted by millions throughout the country. Let’s see if lives up to the hype and expectation.
Formula & Ingredients
The choice of bacterial strains used in a probiotic is crucial for both efficacy and safety. MegaFood MegaFlora Probiotic Supplement contains 14 carefully selected strains of bacteria that have been shown to enhance gut health and the immune system. All the strains chosen in this supplement are naturally found in the digestive system, so the supplement is expected to have fewer side effects than most (if any).
The formula contains eight strains of Lactobacillus including casei, acidophilus, brevis and gassari. The Lactobacillus are known to be safe and efficient in promoting digestive health and immunity. Many studies have shown that the Lactobacillus strains are useful in managing conditions such as Crohn's disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The inclusion of these strains is a definite plus for this supplement.2
Other ingredients include four strains of Bifidobacterium. These strains are unique as they produce acetic acid instead of the lactic acid produced by the Lactobacillus. Acetic acid is more effective in curbing the growth of opportunistic bacteria and yeast compared to lactic acid.2
Other ingredients of the capsule include cellulose, silica, and L-Leucine. All of these ingredients are natural and completely safe to use. One issue with this product is the fact that the capsule does very little to protect the bacteria from the harsh environment of the stomach. The capsule shell is made from cellulose and has no coating to delay the release of the contents. It can be an issue as almost 96% of the probiotics ingested by mouth are destroyed by the stomach acid before they reach the intestine, where they can colonize.
MegaFood MegaFlora Probiotic Supplement contains 20 billion Colony-Forming Units of bacteria per capsule. That is 20 billion viable bacterial cells every capsule.
However, the package does not specify the concentration of the individual strains. The serving size is in line with the clinical recommendation of between 1-50 billion CFUs of probiotics per serving.
The capsules do not contain any prebiotic mixtures, which is definitely a downside. Prebiotics can help the bacterial cells with colony formation in the harsh conditions of the gastrointestinal environment.3 The capsules themselves do little to protect cells and there is no prebiotic mix in the formula, indicating a low colonizing ability.
The capsules are 100% vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO. If you have allergies to any of those things, you can use these supplements without a problem.
All of the strains used in the formula are safe to use and backed by clinical scientific evidence. Most customers don’t seem to have any significant side effects or adverse reactions to the supplements, which is a good thing, in general.
One issue with this supplement is the fact that the capsules are not stable at room temperature. The recommended storage is either in a freezer or a refrigerator. It is a significant issue when it comes to efficacy and potency. If the storage conditions are not met, the product can lose viability rapidly.
The recommended serving size is one capsule per day, taken with meals, for maintenance and complete health of the digestive and immune systems.
brand Guarantee
MegaFood is a reputed, multinational brand known for their quality vitamins and nutrient supplements. They have been manufacturing quality products since 1972.
Unfortunately, we could not find any brand guarantee associated with the probiotic supplements. As a matter of fact, they don’t even have a specified return policy on their website. That said, MegaFood products are available from some retailers such as ‘The Vitamin Shoppe' and ‘Amazon.' These retailers all have return and exchange policies of their own that can help you out if you have a customer service request.
The company does a fantastic job at both customer service and customer response. There are several ways to get in touch if you have any questions. They also have a live feed of their manufacturing plant on their website, which is pretty unique.
product Value
MegaFood MegaFlora Probiotic Supplement is a premium product. The daily cost of the supplement comes to about $0.50. Although the price is a little steep, people have trust in the brand and customers seem to come back to buy more product.
One of the issues with the product, however, is the fact that it needs to be fully refrigerated. At these premium prices, you would want a shelf-stable supplement, especially as there are competitors out there at this price point that are shelf-stable.
Product Effectiveness
The efficacy of any probiotic supplement is hard to gauge. However, based on the strains of the bacteria used in this supplement and customer reviews, it appears that it may take a couple of weeks before you see any benefits or results.
Most of the customers seem to observe a decrease in gas and bloating within the first few weeks of regular usage. People also see regularity in their bowel movements within a couple of weeks, which bodes well for the product.
Customer Satisfaction
MegaFood MegaFlora Probiotic Supplement is a very well-received probiotic supplement. Many people experience noticeable benefits from using the product.
As the product is available from a variety of retailers, the customer reviews are a bit scattered. However, there seems to be a consensus among the reviews that the product is generally considered useful.
Some people do experience mild side effects such as diarrhea and bloating. However, like most of the probiotic supplements, the effects are not long lasting and tend to resolve themselves in a few days.
Final conclusion
MegaFood MegaFlora Probiotic Supplement ticks most of the right boxes. It has 14 strains that are shown to provide significant benefits for gastrointestinal health. The concentration is also right, and the capsules are allergen-free and completely vegan.
However, there is no added prebiotic to the formula, which isn't great, and the capsule does very little to protect the organisms from stomach acid. Furthermore, the need to be refrigerated works against the advantages of the product.
Although MegaFood MegaFlora Probiotic Supplement is certainly a solid probiotic supplement, there are some issues regarding stability and storage. That said, the quality of the product is excellent, with thousands of satisfied customers behind it.
Citations
- http://www.clinicalmicrobiologyandinfection.com/article/S1198-743X(15)00902-7/abstract
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000333
- http://search.proquest.com/openview/167e807be5fa34c0998ec434abbe70dd/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=34400
