Daily gut routine
BioGaia Gastrus L. reuteri Chewable Tablets
Two named Lactobacillus reuteri strains in a chewable tablet, one of them with a small adult constipation trial behind it.
- Format
- Chewable tablet, once a day
- Type
- Probiotic
- Cost
- $0.80 a day
- Customer rating
- 4.6 out of 5 from 4,757 ratings from Amazon
What customers consistently report
- Bloating and digestion settling within days for many
- A chewable that needs no water or refrigeration
- Being the strain people use to culture their own yogurt at home
Those are the themes that recur across the reviews. High review confidence — 4.6 from 4,757 Amazon ratings shared across the pack sizes.
Why it might work
L. reuteri is a human-origin species that produces reuterin, an antimicrobial compound, and appears to speed gut transit in the small studies that measured it, which is the proposed route to the constipation result. BioGaia pairs the DSM 17938 strain used in the trials with a second strain selected for immune signaling. A chewable delivers both without a capsule and is taken once a day.
What the research supports
Strain-specific evidence, mostly small. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial gave L. reuteri DSM 17938 to 40 adults with functional constipation for four weeks: bowel movements rose by 2.6 a week against 1.0 on placebo (p = 0.046), with no difference in stool consistency. DSM 17938 also has a large record in infant colic. The second strain, ATCC PTA 6475, has been studied mainly outside the gut. No trial of the Gastrus tablet as sold was found.
What the label discloses
Both strains are named with designations, DSM 17938 and ATCC PTA 6475, which is the standard the site asks for. Other ingredients are isomalt, ascorbic acid and mint and mandarin flavor. The count per tablet is not shown on the Amazon listing; BioGaia states 200 million CFU per tablet on its own packaging. No third-party testing certificate is published. Shelf-stable.
Who this tends to suit
We match this product to people reporting bloating, gas, general abdominal discomfort and constipation. It fits someone whose priority is day-to-day comfort or a steady daily routine. Whether it is the best fit for you depends on the rest of your answers — what you have already tried, what format you will take, and anything that has to be ruled out.
Where it may not fit
The label supports gluten-free and dairy-free. A chewable tablet only works if you will take it once a day, every day.
Side effects and what to be aware of
The adult evidence is one four-week trial in 40 people, and it found more bowel movements without softer stools. The tablet is sweetened with isomalt, a sugar alcohol that can itself cause gas in larger amounts. Reviews split on the mint-mandarin taste and on price. Live organisms: not for anyone immune-suppressed or seriously ill without advice.
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Related reading
Background on how this type of product works, read from the trial evidence.