Home Ingredients Progestive® (Bacillus coagulans Probiotic — Nutraceuticals International Group)
Gut Health

Progestive® (Bacillus coagulans Probiotic — Nutraceuticals International Group)

Bacillus coagulans
Evidence Level
Limited
0 Clinical Trials
2 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

Progestive® is a probiotic ingredient from Nutraceuticals International Group based on Bacillus coagulans, a spore-forming, lactic acid-producing bacterium. No strain designation for Progestive was found in published sources, and no published trial of Progestive itself was found. Because probiotic results depend on the strain, the trials cited on this page tested other B. coagulans strains in people with IBS: they show what the species has done in studies, not what this product will do. Those trials reported improvements in bloating, abdominal pain and stool consistency, though in one of them the diet alone helped about as much on most measures.

Studied Dose No Progestive trial has set a dose. The cited trials of other B. coagulans strains used about 1 billion, 2 billion or 6 billion CFU a day.
Active Compound Bacillus coagulans (reclassified in 2020 as Weizmannia coagulans), a spore-forming probiotic bacterium.

Benefits

Bowel comfort in trials of other B. coagulans strains

Two placebo-controlled trials in adults with IBS, using different B. coagulans strains, reported less bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea and better stool consistency than placebo. A third added a B. coagulans and inulin capsule to a low-FODMAP diet and improved only the overall severity score beyond diet alone. None tested the Progestive strain.

Spore-forming species

Bacillus coagulans forms dormant spores. None of the cited trials measured how many cells of any strain reach the intestine, and nothing has been published on the survival of Progestive's spores.

Mechanism of action

1

Lactic acid production

Bacillus coagulans is a lactic acid-producing bacterium. The proposed mechanism is that lactic acid made in the gut may favor beneficial bacteria. This was not measured in the cited trials and has not been studied for the Progestive strain.

2

Spore form

The dormant spore form is thought to help the bacteria get through stomach acid and storage before germinating in the intestine. This has not been tested for Progestive.

Clinical trials

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well tolerated in the cited trials of other strains; mild gas or bloating can occur at first.
Choose a product listing the specific strain and CFU count.
Immunocompromised individuals should consult a doctor.

Important Drug interactions

No major drug interactions are established.
Separate from antibiotics by a couple of hours.
Tell your doctor if you are immunocompromised.

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Frequently asked questions about Progestive® (Bacillus coagulans Probiotic — Nutraceuticals International Group)

What is Progestive?

Progestive® is a probiotic ingredient from Nutraceuticals International Group based on Bacillus coagulans, a spore-forming, lactic acid-producing bacterium. No strain designation for Progestive was found in published sources, and no published trial of Progestive itself was found.

What is Progestive used for?

Progestive is researched primarily for Gut Health. Two placebo-controlled trials in adults with IBS, using different B. coagulans strains, reported less bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea and better stool consistency than placebo. A third added a B.

What is the recommended dosage of Progestive?

No Progestive trial has set a dose. The cited trials of other B. coagulans strains used about 1 billion, 2 billion or 6 billion CFU a day. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Progestive safe, and does it have side effects?

Side effects and cautions reported for Progestive include: Generally well tolerated in the cited trials of other strains; mild gas or bloating can occur at first. Choose a product listing the specific strain and CFU count. It may also interact with some medications. Progestive is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Progestive interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: No major drug interactions are established. Separate from antibiotics by a couple of hours. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Progestive?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Progestive as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 3 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(3 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Gupta AK, Maity C. Efficacy and safety of Bacillus coagulans LBSC in irritable bowel syndrome: A prospective, interventional, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study [CONSORT Compliant]. Medicine (Baltimore). 2021;100(3):e23641. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000023641.PubMedUsed to support: RCT in 40 adults with IBS: 6 billion B. coagulans LBSC (DSM17654) a day for 80 days improved bloating, cramping, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation and stool consistency more than placebo, with no serious adverse events. Both authors work at the probiotics laboratory of Advanced Enzyme Technologies. A different strain from Progestive.
  2. Majeed M, Nagabhushanam K, Natarajan S, Sivakumar A, Ali F, Pande A, Majeed S, Karri SK. Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856 supplementation in the management of diarrhea predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome: a double blind randomized placebo controlled pilot clinical study. Nutr J. 2016;15:21. doi: 10.1186/s12937-016-0140-6.PubMedUsed to support: Pilot RCT in 36 people with diarrhea-predominant IBS on standard care: 2 billion CFU a day of B. coagulans MTCC 5856 for 90 days reduced bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea and stool frequency more than placebo. Run by the strain's maker, Sabinsa. A different strain from Progestive.
  3. Abhari K, Saadati S, Hosseini-Oskouiee F, Yari Z, Hosseini H, Sohrab G, Hejazi E, Agah S, Sadeghi A, Hekmatdoost A. Is Bacillus coagulans supplementation plus low FODMAP diet superior to low FODMAP diet in irritable bowel syndrome management? Eur J Nutr. 2020;59(5):2111-2117. doi: 10.1007/s00394-019-02060-y.PubMedUsed to support: Human RCT: a Bacillus coagulans spore capsule (about 1 billion CFU) plus 400 mg inulin was added to a low-FODMAP diet for 8 weeks in 50 IBS patients. Abdominal pain, distension, quality of life and stool consistency improved significantly in both the probiotic and placebo groups; only the IBS symptom severity score improved significantly more with the probiotic than with diet alone. Because the active capsule also contained the prebiotic inulin, the effect cannot be attributed to the bacterium alone, and the strain used is not the Progestive strain (Progestive's strain is undisclosed).