Bio Complete 3 is a dietary supplement that reportedly improves digestive health, energy, and weight.The use of these ingredients is a matter of opinion. There’s not enough evidence to prove their effectiveness. However, the combination of these ingredients has not been proven to be optimal for many claims.
What Is Bio Complete 3?
Gundry MD Bio-Complete 3 is a supplement designed to promote optimal digestive health.
It contains a blend of prebiotics, probiotics and post-biotics, which claim to help you restore or balance your gut bacteria, support the mucus lining in the gut and promote a strong immune system.
A company claims that by taking these supplements, users will have an easier time losing weight and will experience less fatigue, discomfort in the digestive system and increased cravings for junk food.
The person who created this product is a well-known and respected physician. Dr. Steven Gundry is both a cardiologist and an author of “The Plant Paradox” .
He has created an entire lineup of products around his philosophy of “Holobiotics” which is a word he invented for his thoughts about the human microbiome. This consists of trillions of bacteria living in and on our bodies.
According to Dr. Gundry, good health is only possible when the right balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria is present in your body. This will allow you to have a healthy lifestyle that has “good results”.
Doctor Gundry acknowledges the role of pathogens and an unhealthy diet in a gut dysbiosis or unbalanced colony of intestinal bacteria, but warns against lectins.
Lectins are a type of protein that bind to carbohydrates found in many plant-based foods. Dr. Gundry believes lectin-containing foods can do harm to the gut microbiome and contribute to the development of many digestive disorders, including leaky gut.
This is a trademark theory of Dr. Gundry’s and it has not yet been proved by scientific evidence. Bio Complete 3 seems to be one of the many products he sells that is designed to restore gut health as the cornerstone for good overall health.
What Is the Gut Microbiome?
Bio Complete 3 is an “all-in-one” supplement that contains prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics to promote a healthy gut microbiome. The gut microbiome refers to the bacteria that naturally reside within the human gut.
Bacteria are responsible for the breakdown of carbohydrates, the creation of some vitamins and amino acids, and other features that ensure we are protected from harmful pathogens.
Lifestyle factors, such as stress and unhealthy eating habits, can negatively affect the diversity of the bacterial colonies in your gut which can lead to various health problems, including digestive issues, obesity and other diseases.
There is a saying “you are what you eat” and it’s true – 70% of your immune system resides in the small intestine, so if your gut bacteria isn’t healthy, then your immunity can suffer.
Adding healthy bacteria can help balance your diet and relieve symptoms of digestive problems. Probiotics are also a lot easier to ingest than some other supplements.
There have been studies that indicate that a probiotic supplement can help improve your gut health by increasing the beneficial bacteria in it and relieving symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. They can also improve the efficient function of your immune system.
Prebiotics are a kind of fiber that support the growth of good bacteria in your gut. The theory is that by feeding them, they’ll grow and fight off other harmful strains.
Several studies show that the microbiome changes when prebiotics are taken over time.
Postbiotics are a form of new gut microbiome research that needs additional exploration. It has the potential to be another important development in the field.
Postbiotics could play a role in the formation of your gut microbiome and immune system health.
People firstly need to consume right type of food to get what their body needs.
Probiotics are in some fermented foods like yogurt, pickles, sauerkraut, kefir, and kombucha.
Bananas, apples and oats are all good sources of prebiotics. But the postbiotics theory suggests that their fermentation process creates more colonies. This means that certain fermented foods may also offer a decent dose of these compounds.
Many people report that when they regularly take a probiotic supplement in addition to eating a healthy diet, they experience better digestive health.
One of the things that we would like to point out is that Gundry’s “all-in-one” marketing is a bit concerning.
We think this type of language and labeling may lead people to rely on a supplement instead of actual food to obtain the prebiotics and probiotics needed to support digestive health and the microbiome.
It is confusing to hear Dr Gundry say that lectin-containing plants such as tomatoes, potatoes and other beans are harmful for gut health. This gives people the idea that you should eat fewer plant-based foods, which could really be a bad thing.
Evaluation of Ingredients
Bio Complete 3 only lists three ingredients, all of which are labelled as proprietary blends owned by other companies
It’s hard to know what you are actually taking from these products, as it is not mentioned on the packets. We looked at a few and here’s what happened:
Tributyrin (1000 mg, as CoreBiome)
Tributyrin makes up the postbiotic portion of Bio Complete 3. It’s sourced as CoreBiome from a company called Compound Solutions, Inc.
Tributyrin is a triglyceride that supplies the short-chain fatty acid butyrate to the body.
Butyrate, together with other SCFAs, can be produced by gut bacteria as they ferment certain types of food. The SCFAs then become energy for the cells that line our digestive tract.
There are no studies as of now that show a positive effect from tributyrin on the human gut microbiome or gut lining. Most such studies have been conducted in animal and lab settings.
It seems that tributyrin reduces oxidative stress in rodents with high ethanol intake. More research is needed in humans to say if this dosage of tributyrin has benefits or not.
Sunfiber (200 mg)
Our fiber product, Sunfiber, is a prebiotic manufactured by Taiyo International. It’s a soluble fiber powder that has been shown to have many beneficial properties including improving gut health and having antioxidant benefits.
The product in question is certified as organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, kosher, and low FODMAP. Though what it’s composed of isn’t clear from the information provided on the website, these certificates are worth mentioning.
In a randomized controlled trial, participants with irritable bowel syndrome who supplemented with Sunfiber reported less bloating and gas.
However, they were taking 6 grams of Sunfiber per day, and Bio Complete 3 contains only 200 milligrams, or 0.2 grams, per serving – so it may not be enough to generate the same results.
There still needs to be more research done in humans before we can determine the best dosage of Sunfiber, but preliminary results are very promising.
Bacillus Coagulans (16 mg, as ProDURA)
Bacillus coagulans is the Probiotic in Bio Complete 3. It’s sourced as ProDURA, made by UAS Labs.
Bacillus coagulans has been proven to be effective in the management of diarrhea associated with irritable bowel syndrome.
However, in the article mentioned, participants were supplemented with 2 billion CFW, or the number of bacteria in a probiotic.
Bio Complete 3 states that it has a minimum of 36,000 billion Bacillus coagulans per serving. However, this does not account for the weight of the bacteria. In effect, Bio Complete 3 only provides the weight of the entire strain versus how many billion are in an individual serving.
Most other probiotics on the market contain several bacterial strains and are designed to restore a balanced diversity of bacteria.
We find it unusual that this “all-in-one” probiotic blend only contains one strain of bacteria.
Unless you know your gut will benefit from bacillus coagulans, it seems unlikely that the one strain can do much to rebalance your microbiome.
Safety, Side Effects, and Dosage
The recommended serving on Bio Complete 3 is 4 capsules per day. It’s best to take 2 capsules twice a day before eating.
Taking a supplement two times a day can be challenging, especially when you have multiple other items on your schedule.
There is no reason to worry about safety. Probiotics and Prebiotics are generally safe for most healthy people.
However, if you experience bloating, gas, or other digestive discomfort after starting a probiotic supplement-restarting your microbiome might not be for you.
Some people can suffer mild to severe side effects from taking probiotics supplements, such as infections or diarrhea, so please check with your physician before adding probiotics to your diet.
Those who are at risk of infection are children, the elderly, people with serious illness, and pregnant women.
Cost and Where to Buy
Bio-Complete 3 is not sold at retailers and must be purchased directly from Dr. Gundry’s online store.
A bottle of 120 capsules will cost you $69.95 and keep you going for 30 days.
Compared to $20–25 30-day supplies of other gut health supplements, this supplement is on the expensive end.
A blend of probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics typically ranges from $25–$50 for a 30-day supply.
The product is available in packages of 3, 6, or 12. This saves money on each package and brings the cost of a 30-day supply down to $62.95 or $58.95 respectively.
It might not be the most affordable product, but ordering in bulk can help you save a lot of money and gives you an opportunity to stock up for several months if this is something that really interests you.
They often provide first time customers with bargains, so keep an eye out for their specials which will save you even more money.
You can buy our single bottle of Bio Complete 3 for $49.95 on your first order and our bulk packages are also discounted!
It would also be a good idea to lock in an even lower price by joining the Subscribe & Save program.
The company has a hassle-free return policy – if you don’t like their supplement and haven’t used it for more than 90-days, they will gladly issue a refund, no questions asked.
Comparison to Alternatives
Other supplements that also contain probiotics and digestive enzymes strive to help restore a healthy microbiome and digestion.
Bio Complete 3 is safe for those with food allergies and doesn’t contain any GMO ingredients, unlike probiotics in the supermarket that are considered to be faux health foods.
Dr. Gundry says that Bio Complete 3 is designed so all three main ingredients work together, but there is no evidence to suggest that these ingredients work better than others.
Dr. Gundry explicitly stated his product has been tested in an independent facility. There’s no third-party verification seal on the product label but this is ONLY for FOR safety checks.
The Bottom Line
There are plenty of claims which say that your gut health can be improved with the use of probiotics, prebiotics or postbiotics.
However, there is no evidence to indicate that Bio Complete 3 has any benefits over other products.
The Bio Complete 3 supplement is marketed as a “3-in-1” product that contains Omega 3s, Omega 6s and probiotics. And while this may seem like an impressive combo, the truth is that there is no evidence to indicate that this product has any benefits over other products.
This product may work for some people, but there are better products out there.
Capsules are expensive and not very transparent. There are only usually a few strains of probiotics in them and they lack controlled trials.
Our Current #1:
Performance Lab Prebiotic
Performance Lab Prebiotic is currently the best supplement on the market that we’ve seen for digestive health.
Being a completely fibrous supplement, Performance Lab Prebiotic removes all the risk of bacteria being dead on arrival – and feeds the bacteria you already in have in your gut.
It’s ideal for giving you a stronger gut in a friendly, more natural way.
You can read our full review, and why we like it so much below:
Performance Lab Prebiotic Review
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Hi, I’m Pablo Garduno. I am a biohacking enthusiast, and Head Writer of SanDiegoHealth.org. I write the majority of the content on this site, and appreciate you taking the time to read my work.