Provitalize Review Summary
I would not recommend Provitalize probiotic to anybody, regardless of whether your goal was weight loss or better gut health. Please read our full Provitalize review below before buying. Provitalize uses obscure bacteria strains found in the infant gut but not in the adult human gut. It also contains a bunch of ingredients more common in curry recipes than in weight loss supplements! Provitalize’s ingredients do absolutely nothing for gut health or for weight loss; they’re just cheap filler ingredients. For optimal gut health and faster weight loss, use a combined probiotic and prebiotic supplement that doesn’t cost as much as Provitalize!
What is Provitalize?
Provitalize is a probiotic supplement made by the Better Body Company (or Better Body Co. as they are most commonly known). Despite having quie a mixed bag of reviews online (Provitalize reviews range from positive to extremely negative), Provialize remains one of the most popular probiotics on the market today. Like others probiotics such as Bio X4, Provitalize promises to do a lot more than merely fixing gut microbiome imbalances; it claims to be a “weight management probiotic”, assisting with weight loss. Furthermore, Provitalize claims to be specially formulated to help women struggling with weight gain associated with menopause.
This makes Provitalize practically unique as a probiotic. To my knowledge, there are no other probiotics out there claiming to be ideal for menopausal women struggling with weight management!
According to the Better Body Co., Provitalize has some distinct benefits that separate it from the competition:
- Clinically researched ingredients
- Helps with weight management
- Supports overall gut health
Now, if you know anything about how probiotics work, you’ll know that this isn’t a very interesting claim. Any supplement which improves gut microbiome health can b said to support weight management, as the gut largely controls blood sugar, nutrient breakdown and absorption, apptite, and energy levels.
But unlike many probiotics, Provitalize contains more ingredients than just probiotic bacteria. It boasts a number of “clinically researcher ingredients” which promise to really stimulate weight loss. So the question is, does Provitalize really work as advertised?
Is Provitalize effective for weight loss? Is it safe? Is it worth the money? Are there better probiotics out there than Provitalize for weight loss and overall gut health? Read my detailed Provitalize review below and find out!
Provitalize Ingredients
What is in Provitalize? Let’s take a look at the ingredients and find out!
Here is the Provitalize ingredients list as it appears on the bottle:
In case that isn’t clear, here is a list of the ingredients in Provitlize:
- Probiotic Blend – 68.2 Billion CFU
- Bifidobacterium breve
- Lactobacillus gasseri
- Bifidobacterium lactis
- Turmeric Root Extract – 350mg
- Moringa Leaf -350mg
- Curry Leaf – 150mg
- Lecithin (from Sunflower) – 50mg
- Black Pepper Fruit Extract (BioPerine) – 3mg
I’ll now go through the Provitalize ingredients one by one and explain what they are, what they do, and what they can do for you (if anything). I will ten give you my opinion on the Provitalize formula as a whole.
Probiotic Blend – 68.2 Billion CFU
The Provitalize probiotic blend contains three bacteria strains: B. breve, L. grasseri, and B. lactis. These are all excellent probiotic bacteria strains to include in a probiotic supplement. The ideally healty human gut microbiome is dominated by Bifidobacterium strains of bacteria. However, these strains are not the best possible strains to include.
B. breve is found mainly in the infant human gut; breast fed children have guts full of B. breve, but adults have far less of this bacteria. Introducing large quantities of this bacteria to the adult gut is likely to cause some side effects.
Likewise, L. grasseri is isolated from human breast milk; while this bacteria may be great or young babies, adult eating habits and gut microbiome composition make this probiotic less healty in grown adults.
Turmeric Root Extract – 350mg
Turmeric is held up as a “superfood” these days. It is said to have all kinds of incredible health-promoting properties, from reducing inflammation to helping with heavy metal removal from the body.
While some of the claims made about turmeric may be true, the idea that 350mg of an undisclosed turmeric root extract is going to heal the gut or promote weight loss is ridiculous. We have no idea what is in the root extract in Provitalize, and turmeric is not associated with better weight management.
Moringa Leaf – 350mg
Liek every substance used in “traditional medicine”, moringa leaf is said to have multiple benficial effects when consumed by humans; anti-depressant, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-viral, the list goes on! However, just like other “traditional medicine” panaceas, it seems there is no evidence that moringa leaf does anything beneficial at all in humans! I am yet to find a single robust clinical trial showing significant benefits from the consumption of moringa leaf. There is certainly no evidence that Moringa Leaf provides any of the benefits claimed by Provitalize, such as weight loss or menopause support. This is another Provialize ingredient which does nothing for weight management or gut health!
Curry Leaf – 150mg
The Provitalize ingredients list is starting to look more like a curry recipe than a high-spec probiotic supplement designed for stimulating weight loss! Curry leaf makes for a delicious meal, but not nuch else. As far as I can tell there is no clinical evidence indicaing that the consumption of curry leaf promotes gut health or supports healthy weight management.
Of course, there are studies out there showing that curry leaf may have antioxidant properties, and that it is generally beneficial for overall health. However, these studies are few in number, the size of the effects are small, and they always use specific compounds obtained from curry leaf; we have no idea if those compouds are in Provitalize!
Lecithin – 50mg
Lecithin is a general term we give to fats which are amphiphilic; that is, they attract both fat and water. Lecithin is a vital substance in the human body; it is a central component of cell membranes, where is acts as structural scaffholding. It is found in every cell in the body.
While lecithin (and related fats) is often supplemented for cognitive enhancement (as it is used to creat enew brain cells), I don’t see any reason to include it in a supplement designed to promote weigth loss or gut health.
Black Pepper Extract – 3mg
Black pepper is a very effective, safe, and reliable way to promote healthy digestion. Black pepper has been used as a digstive aid for as long as humans have known of its existence. Modern supplements tend to use a specific black pepper extract called piperine; we get a branded for of piperine (BioPerine) in Provitalize. This compound significantly improves nutrient absorption and supports healthy digstion, reduces bloating, and eases cramping.
Provitalize Formula Review: Pros & Cons
On the whole, I can’t say that I’m overly impressed with Provitalize by Better Body Co. As far as “weight loss probiotics” go, this isn’t exactly a standout in terms fo quality or value for money.
For starters, most supplements described as “weight loss probiotics” are just probiotics.
A good probiotic will encourage weight loss due to the better appetite control, blood sugar regulation, and nutrient processing that comes with a healthier gut nmicrobiome. The same goes for a good prebiotic; the best prebiotics are often more effective at stimulating weight loss than weight loss pills and fat burners!
So a “weight loss probiotic” should be judged according to how good a probiotic it is, period. And Provitalize is far from a perfect probiotic.
The exact bacteria strains in Provitalize strike me as strange choices. These strains are prevalent in the gut of infants, but they are not found in large amounts in th adult gut. Introducing them in large quantities is unlikely to bring about significant positive changes in gut microflora. In fact, it may cause side effects, as the adult gut microbiome is not supposed to be dominated by these strains.
As for the added Provitalize ingredients, they just make matters worse.
Turmeric does not improve gut health or promote weight loss.
Moringa root is an unproven, ineffective herb which has never been used outside of “traditional medicine”.
Lecithin is often used in nootropics, but it has no place in a probiotic; it does not encourage gut microbiome health, and it has no known effect on body composition, appetite, digestion, or anything else related ot fat loss.
All-in-all, Provitalize is a pretty poor probiotic supplement. It conains a limited number of probiotic bacteria strains; strains which are usually found in infants, not adults. The added ingredients in provitalize have no known effect on gut health or weight loss.
If you ant to lose weight, a good probiotic or prebiotic can help enormously; more so than your average diet pill. But Provitalize is not the best option by any means. Far better probiotics are available.
Provitalize Reviews: User experiences and compaints
It is worth looking at some Provitalize reviews from actual users before deciding whether or not to buy this weight loss probiotic. While users experiences and complaints are not always 100% reliable, looking at what other people are saying about Provitalize can give you a good idea as to whether or not we’re dealing with a scam or a good supplement!
Here is a selection of user experiences and reviews of Provitalize taken from various places online, including Amazon, Walmart, and Boots (the UK drug store chain):
As I said, you need to take Provitalize reviews posted anonymously (or potentially under fake names) online with a hefty pinch of salt. But Provitalize complaints and experiences posted by real users can give you an idea of what yo expect from this probiotic.
Provitalize and Menopause: Is it really good for menopausal women?
Provitalize claims to be the ideal supplement for meniopausal women, especially those struggling with associated weight gain. However, we see no reason why provitalize would be especially good for women with menopausal symptoms.
Provitalize is extremely unusual among probiotics in that it claims to be specifically designed to help women struggling with the symptoms of menopause. Specifically, Provitalize promises to help menopausal women better control weight gain, and even to promote fat loss while also supporting healthy digestion.
So does Provitalize really help menopausal women?
After reviewing the Provitalize ingredients list, I have serious doubts about Provitalize’s ability to help women going through the menopause in any way whatsoever. The probiotic blend will provide some digestive support and help rebalance your gut microbiome. But the blend contains just three bacteria strains and none of them are especially effective for promoting weight loss or preventing weight gain. Provitalize doesn’t contain any of the standard probiotic strains we see in all the best gut health supplements, nor any that have bene proven to promote fat loss in clinical trials.
As for the other ingredients in Provitalize – the herbs that together make a delicious curry recipe – there is no reason to think that they can help you with any symptoms of menopause or with improving gut microbiome health.
How To Use Provitalize
When is the best time to take Provitalize?
Most people take Provitalize in the morning, as it is often better to take probiotics on an empty stomach. But generally, Provitalize can be taken any time of the day as the delayed-release capsule allows your body to absorb it effectively throughout the day.
Can I take Provitalize at night?
You can take Provitalize at night, although it is recommended to take two capsules spread evenly throughout the day. Taking Provitalize at night may disturb sleep and hinder absorption, which is why many people recommend taking it first thing in the morning.
How many times a day should I take Provitalize?
Two capsules of Provitalize are required daily. The capsules are not small nor huge. They are easy to swallow. You are advised to take Provitalize twice per day; one capsule first thing in the morning, and one later on in the day.
Provitalize Side Effects
Is Provitalize safe? Will it cause side effects? Can you take Provitalize daily?
On the whole, I can’t say that Provitalize is completely safe and side effect free. While most probiotics are generally safe for regular (although not long-term) use, Provitalize contains some ingredients which give me cause for concern.
The main side effect worry with Provitalize is the fact that it contains prbiotic bacteria which are not normally found in the adult human gut. Things like B. breve and L. Grasseri are found i breast milk; they are prevalent in a baby’s gut, but not in an adult’s gut.
Introducing large quantities of unusual bacteria to the gut can cause quie severe adverse reactions.
Remember that Provitalize contains over 60 billion colony forming units (CFUs). That is 2-3 times the normal amount of bacteria per serving. Introducing this mnuch of any bacteria is likely to cause issues, bu bacteria not normally found in the adult gut is definitely going to cause problems.
Likely side effects of Provitalize therefore include:
- Nausea
- Stomach cramping
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Gas
- Bloating
These side effects should dissipate after you stop taking Provitalize.
Provitalize Review Conclusion: Is this a good probiotic for weight loss?
Is Provitalize a good probiotic?
Not really.
Provitalize uses strange bacteria species not typically found in large quantities in the healthy adult gut. To make matters worse, it contains an enormous quantity of these bacteria, making the risk of side effects very high.
The added ingredients in Provitalize – the turmeric, moringa, etc. – add absoluely nothing to the supplement. None of these ingredients are efficacious as gut health supplements or as weight management supplements. They hve been added to Provitalize purely because they sound vaguely healthy and they are cheap for Better Body Co. to purchase.
When it comes to weight loss, probiotics and prebiotics can be immensely helpful. Really, the added ingredients to weight loss probiotics do not bring the most benefits; a high quality probiotic will help with weight loss more than most fat burners! This is certainly the case with Provitalize!
If you want help losing weight, or even just help managing weight better, then a good probiotic can help. But stick to a probiotic with sensible doses of bacteria, and one which uses bacteria strains known to improve gut health in adult humans.
Provitalize contains lots of useless ingredients which do nothing for gut health or for weight loss. You’re getting terrible value for money in buying Provitalize. Better probitoics are available for sure.
So What Is The Best Supplement For Digestive Health?
If your goal is to optimize overall digestive health and enjoy all of the benefits that come with it, then the best supplement for you is always going to be a combined prebiotic/probiotic stack which uses a range of probiotic bacteria and a high quality prebiotic fiber such as FOS or Inulin.
Ideally, the probiotic supplement you use will exclusively contain bacteria species that have been proven to improve digestive health, promote immunity, control appetite and improve skin quality in several clinical trials. Bacteria strains you want to look out for include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Lactobacillus plantarum. These bacteria species are highly beneficial to health and performance.
The type of prebiotic fiber is also important. Not all fibers are the same; some are better than others at feeding healthy bacteria. So it is vital that the best gut health uses prebiotic fiber that is most effective at selectively feeding the healthy bacteria it is introducing to your gut in the first place. This brings us to the most important aspect of a good probiotic - without some prebiotic fiber, taking a probiotic is practically pointless!
After reviewing dozens of popular probiotics and prebiotics, we think there is one clear winner: YourBiology Gut+.
The benefits of taking YourBiology on a daily basis include:
- Lasting changes to gut microbiome
- Promotes weight loss and inhibits weight gain
- Regulates hormones levels (including testosterone and estrogen)
- Better digestion, less bloating, no cramps
- Improved ability to digest dairy
- Enhance immune system function
- Higher energy levels all day long
- Bealthier skin, hair and nails
Johan Theorin is an author, editor, and competitive cyclist. He is the author of most of the content on this website, and he is the site editor. Johan has spent years researching joint health, sports performance and recovery. He is a leading biohacking expert and an experienced physiotherapist.
Leave a Reply