A Doctor Reviews: Bio Complete 3

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Bio Complete 3 is marketed as an all-in-one gut health supplement that combines a prebiotic, probiotic, and postbiotic. But what exactly does that mean, and is it really beneficial to have all three in one product?

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are a type of fiber that serves as food for the good bacteria, or probiotics, in your gut. When these beneficial bacteria get the nutrients they need, they can thrive and keep your gut healthy. The idea behind including prebiotics in Bio Complete 3 is to give probiotics a boost by providing them with nutrients to help them grow.

The prebiotics in Bio Complete 3 include guar fiber and acacia gum (gum arabic), which are common ingredients in many supplements. While they work fine as basic prebiotics, more nutrient-dense options like chia seeds or flax seeds might offer greater benefits.

That said, it’s not always necessary to have prebiotics in a probiotic supplement. You can simply eat probiotics with a meal, as the fiber in your food naturally acts as a prebiotic. In fact, the fiber from whole foods is often more effective than what’s found in supplements.

Do You Really Need Prebiotics in Your Supplement?

Food generally stays in your digestive system for hours, if not days, so even if you take probiotics on an empty stomach, there’s likely still some fiber left for them to feed on. Unless you’ve been fasting for over 24 hours, your body probably still has enough nutrients to support the probiotics.

This doesn’t mean prebiotics aren’t useful—dietary fiber is essential for good gut health. But the small amount of prebiotic included in a supplement like Bio Complete 3 may not make a significant difference.

In summary, while having prebiotics in a probiotic supplement sounds beneficial, in reality, the impact is limited. You can easily support your probiotics by eating a fiber-rich diet.

Postbiotics might be a little harder to define compared to prebiotics or probiotics. Unlike probiotics, which contain live microorganisms, postbiotics generally don’t. Instead, they are made up of organic compounds that may have health benefits.

What Exactly Are Postbiotics?

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) defines postbiotics as safe preparations of non-living microorganisms and their components, including cell parts or metabolic byproducts. Essentially, they are created from dead bacteria or their useful byproducts.

Bio Complete 3 claims that one of its key ingredients, tributyrin, is a postbiotic. However, tributyrin is actually a short-chain fatty acid found in butter, not a part of any probiotic. In fact, ISAPP specifically states that purified organic acids like tributyrin don’t qualify as postbiotics.

Does Bio Complete 3 Contain Real Postbiotics?

Based on ISAPP’s guidelines, Bio Complete 3 technically doesn’t include a postbiotic. The term “post” refers to something that comes after, and “biotic” means living organisms. So, postbiotics should be byproducts of once-living microorganisms. Substances like tributyrin, while beneficial, were never living organisms, so they don’t fit the definition of a postbiotic.

Tributyrin itself is produced in the gut when bacteria break down fiber through fermentation. While it may support gut barrier function and have some anti-inflammatory benefits, these are theoretical and not proven by human studies. So, while tributyrin may offer some health perks, it’s not classified as a postbiotic.

Ingredients

Now that we’ve cleared up the confusion around postbiotics, let’s shift our focus to the real star of Bio Complete 3—the live probiotics. Are these bacteria truly effective for improving digestive health?

Bacillus Coagulans

Studies suggest Bacillus coagulans can ease constipation. In one study, participants with mild constipation who took 1 billion CFUs (colony-forming units) daily experienced better bowel movements and less discomfort compared to those who took a placebo. Another study found that people with functional constipation who took 2 billion CFUs a day had more frequent bowel movements and less abdominal pain during bowel movements.

Bacillus coagulans may also be helpful for diarrhea, especially in those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). One study showed that patients with IBS who took 2 billion CFUs daily saw a reduction in diarrhea symptoms, along with less pain and bloating. Higher doses—around 6 billion CFUs per day—have also been linked to improvements in other IBS-related symptoms like headaches and anxiety.

Bio Complete 3 uses a strain of Bacillus coagulans called ProDURA, which has been researched for its digestive benefits. While there is evidence that Bacillus coagulans may support gut health, many of the positive effects have been observed when combined with other probiotics, rather than being used on its own.

Bifidobacterium bifidum

The second key probiotic in Bio Complete 3 is Bifidobacterium bifidum, a strain that shows promise for easing digestive issues, especially in people with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

Research indicates that taking 1 billion CFUs (colony-forming units) of Bifidobacterium bifidum daily can help reduce IBS symptoms like pain, bloating, and discomfort. Interestingly, even a heat-killed version of this probiotic—essentially a postbiotic—has been shown to offer some relief for IBS sufferers.

Bifidobacterium bifidum may also support your immune system. In one study, participants who took a higher dose (3 billion CFUs daily) had a lower risk of getting respiratory infections, like the common cold or flu, compared to those taking a placebo. This suggests it might have benefits beyond just gut health.

The specific strain used in Bio Complete 3 is called UAbb-10. While this is a fairly common strain, it hasn’t been researched as much for digestive health. In fact, one study showed that UAbb-10 didn’t provide much improvement in constipation symptoms when compared to a placebo.

Is Bio Complete 3 Effective for Gut Health?

Bio Complete 3 does include probiotic strains that have some evidence supporting their ability to ease digestive issues, particularly for those experiencing IBS, mild constipation, or diarrhea. There’s also some weak evidence that it might slightly lower the risk of catching a cold or flu.

However, when compared to other probiotic supplements, Bio Complete 3 isn’t particularly impressive. Many generic probiotics offer similar digestive health benefits. While it may provide general gut support, the strains used in Bio Complete 3 aren’t unique or well-researched for specific digestive conditions. In contrast, other products like Culturelle and Align use strains that are backed by extensive clinical studies.

For instance, Culturelle contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, a strain known for its ability to alleviate diarrhea, reduce IBS symptoms, and improve gut barrier function. These probiotics are better supported by research and are more effective at treating gut issues like IBS.

On the other hand, Bio Complete 3 uses strains that lack the same level of research. The product itself has never undergone clinical trials, and the specific strains it uses aren’t particularly special or proven to be superior.

Issues with Bio Complete 3

One of the main concerns with Bio Complete 3 isn’t just the choice of probiotic strains—it’s how they’re measured. Most probiotic supplements list their contents in Colony Forming Units (CFUs), which tell you the number of live organisms in the product. Generally, the higher the CFU count, the more potent the probiotic.

However, Bio Complete 3 lists its probiotics in milligrams, which only tells you the weight of the bacteria, not the number of live, active cells. This can be misleading because a higher milligram amount doesn’t necessarily mean the supplement contains enough live bacteria to offer health benefits. In fact, listing probiotics in milligrams could be a way to mask low CFU counts or indicate that many of the cells are inactive or dead—meaning they won’t be helpful for digestion.

When choosing a probiotic supplement, it’s important to look for products that list CFU counts in the billions to ensure potency and effectiveness.

Overall rating

Rating Bio Complete 3 by effectiveness for improving digestive problems, I’m giving it a C. There is some evidence it may help with IBS and mild constipation or diarrhea.

Rating it by cost, I’m giving it a D. There’s nothing special about this generic probiotic yet it’s much more expensive than the others.

Rating it for safety, I’m giving it a B. The strains used are unlikely to be of much cause for concern.

Overall rating, I’m giving a D. I would not recommend it at all.

Top alternatives to Bio Complete 3

• Chia seed – 1 to 3 tsp w/ meals
• Flaxseed (ground) – 1 to 3 tsp w/ meals
• Flaxseed (whole) – 1 to 3 tsp w/ meals
• Probiotic (Align) – 1 cap / day
• Probiotic (Culturelle) – 1 cap / day
• Probiotic (generic) – 1 cap / day

Learn more about

• Which Probiotics are BEST for Weight Loss?
• Akkermansia Muciniphila for Weight Loss
• Chia Seeds for Weight Loss
• What Causes Bloating and Gas on a Diet?
• Dealing With Constipation On A Diet
• Supplement reviews

See also

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  Doctor Reviews: Nello Supercalm
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  A Doctor Reviews: Bio Complete 3
  Bio Complete 3 is essentially a pricey version of a generic standard probiotic, offering some basic benefits for digestive health.
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  Doctor Reviews: Lemme GLP-1 Daily Capsules
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