I need to confess: I was obsessed with researching Align. We conducted an in-depth review, closely investigating the ingredients, side effects, customer-service quality and clinical studies. Plus we analyzed hundreds of user reviews and comments from around the web. At last, we summarized and condensed the information we collected to give you the bottom line.
Align can be purchased through their Official Site.
What is Align?
Align Probiotic is a natural supplement designed to support digestive health as well as possibly promote weight loss. Naturally, the human digestive system contains good and not-so-good bacteria that mix, but the good ones keep the bad ones at bay. However, sometimes, there is a need for an external agent to overpower the maleficent bacteria when they start to outnumber the beneficial ones. Align is a probiotic which serves as a balancing agent in the gut so that issues like bloating and acid refluxes are not prevalent. These abnormalities in the gut system are because when varying diets, exercise routines, lifestyle changes, and stress collide into one’s life.
Align serves to keep a user going, eliminating the chances of an imbalance in the digestive system. Well, at least, that is the claim, but what does science say about probiotics and health.
- Advances in Nutrition – “Probiotics are living microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts; however, dead bacteria and their components can also exhibit probiotic properties. Bifidobacterium and strains of lactic acid bacteria are the most widely used bacteria that exhibit probiotic properties and are included in many functional foods and dietary supplements.”
- British Nutrition Foundation – “Probiotics have become a popular approach for managing digestive and immune health and are being recommended more frequently as effective therapeutic interventions by medical professionals.”
- Journal of Food and Drug Analysis – Right now, one of the focuses of clinical research into probiotics is as an adjunct therapy, partnered with lifestyle changes, for weight loss.
Align Competitors
| Product |
Review
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|---|---|---|
| Peptiva | read | |
| Chobani Complete | read | |
| Activia | read | |
| Kevita | read | |
| Noom | read |
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are living microorganisms that are highly beneficial to the host’s health when they are taken in healthy doses. It can also be said to be introducing ‘good’ bacteria into a living body for beneficial purposes.
Just as antibiotics fight pathogenic or harmful bacteria in the body, probiotics bring in healthy bacteria into a system to replace the harmful ones, promoting good health and long life.
Scroll below for one of the best products we’ve seen over the last year.
Benefits of Probiotics
When the gut system of a person is unhealthy, it could lead to countless sicknesses. But when it is healthy, there are many benefits to be gained from it.
There is usually filtering of the digestive system of all things harmful, like toxins, chemicals, and waste products, when probiotics are introduced.
The maintenance of the gut barrier function and gastrointestinal motility is regulated correctly when there is a proper balance of healthy bacteria.
Remember that the human system is made of natural healthy bacteria that fight pathogenic bacteria when they come, which is inevitable because we eat and get stressed.
And do not forget that probiotics are live microorganisms (bacteria) that are healthy, according to NCCIH.
Probiotics also serve to fight off antibiotics-induced diarrhea, abdominal pain, infectious diarrhea, and bloating.
In addition to these, probiotics help with the immune system. The immune system is one of the most critical systems in the human body because it is the body’s protection. When it does not function fully, the body ultimately shuts down because it is thrown open to all manner risks.
If all the researchers are correct, then this is probably the most critical function of probiotics. According to Tropical Life Sciences Research, researchers in their preliminary stages have equally linked probiotics to a healthy oral cavity, skin, and lungs.
Probiotics Side Effects
According to the Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology, the following list is a compilation of possible side effects that could be experienced by users of probiotics (Align is marketed as a probiotic):
Chills
This has been reported by some users of probiotics, even though it is a small percentage.
Such people have equally reported feeling nauseous, having diarrhea, and sweating more than usual. So this could be dependent on a body system.
Brain Fog
For intelligent and self-aware people who happen to use any probiotic, some fogginess is notable.
It appears as if bacteria in the digestive system can affect the generation of neuroactive molecules, which are theorized to have the ability to alter brain activities. This could be the cause of the fogginess.
Constipation
This is one of the most typical side effects of taking probiotics, and this may come with some stomach ache caused by indigestion.
A possible cause for constipation may be that the harmful bacteria are replaced due to its good introduction.
Your body may take a little while to get used to this change; for some people, this change could stretch to several weeks.
Cramping
Some people have reported experiencing cramping around the stomach and chest area as a result of taking probiotics.
For others, they experience aches all over the body when they start taking probiotics.
Fatigue
A small percentage of individuals experience fatigue when they start supplementing with probiotics.
This may be due to the body working extra hard to fight off the harmful bacteria when the good ones come into the system.
How Did Align Probiotic Supplement Start?
There is no sensational story behind the genesis of Align. Just like every other invention, the need for a trustworthy probiotic has driven countless researchers in this area.
Align was developed by a team of gastroenterologists, with ten years of scientific research. The unique component of Align is Bifidobacterium Longum Subsp. Longum 35624 (formerly known as Bifidobacterium infantis or Bifantis).
This particular strain is similar to the good bacteria found naturally in the human digestive system; this aids in digestion while ensuring the host remains healthy. Other ingredients that contribute to the work of Align are:
- Microcrystalline Cellulose
- Hypromellose
- Propyl Gallate
- Magnesium Stearate
- Sodium Caseinate
- Trisodium Citrate Dihydrate
Align Ingredients
Bifidobacterium Infantis 35624
According to Reviews in Gastroenterological Disorders, Bifidobacterium Infantis 35624 (B. Infantis 35624) is a patented probiotic strain that is well-known for its unique ability to aid digestion and reduce intestinal inflammation.
It has also been proven to be safe and without an increase in the negative effects which are already there.
Therefore, B. infantis 35624 is a special kind of live strain of bacteria, unique in its delivery. It takes care of digestive and intestinal abnormalities; the human gut contains beneficial and non-beneficial microorganisms (bacteria, to be precise) but B. infantis serves to add strength to the good bacteria which would in turn help with digestion.
Recent reports show that the beneficial properties of probiotic strains are dependent on the types of strains, themselves.
According to Microbiology Letters, the possible probiotic advantages “can only be attributed to the strain or strains tested, and not to the species or the whole group of lactic acid bacteria or other probiotics.”
Microcrystalline Cellulose
Microcrystalline cellulose is a name for refined wood pulp that can be used for a number of things, including an anti-caking agent, an emulsifier, and a fat substitute.
A fat substitute is a type of food that acts like fat, with the same functions, chemical and physical characteristics, and stability of normal, everyday fat but with fewer calories per gram.
This ingredient serves to help eliminate fat by replacing it with a fat substitute so that your body would still have fat to work with but with less of the danger that comes with regular fat.
Hypromellose
Hypromellose is short for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and is a partly synthetic, inert polymer which can be used as eye drops or an excipient in oral medications.
An excipient is a bulking agent, used as a backup for more active ingredients in drugs whose amounts are too small. It can also help drug absorption and solubility. It serves to help the supplement dissolve in your system in order to work faster.
Propyl Gallate
This is an ester formed from ethanol and gallic acid. It acts as an antioxidant, which serves to eliminate the effect of oxidation in the system.
Oxidation produces free radicals which lead to chain reactions that may damage cells in the human body. It has beneficial health effects. The introduction of this into the system has advantages that cannot be overlooked.
Magnesium Stearate
Magnesium Stearate is a compound made up of two stearic acids and magnesium.
It also works as an excipient, meaning that it enhances the therapeutic effects of the most active ingredient(s) in the drug, as well as aiding the swallowing of drugs and its easy movement down the intestinal tract.
Sodium Caseinate
It is a complex name for casein, a type of protein found in the milk of mammals. It represents 80% of the protein in cow milk and 60% of the protein in human milk.
Trisodium Citrate Dihydrate
This can be used to resist changes in the pH levels as an acidity regulator or a buffering agent. It can also be used as a preservative, flavor, or food additive.
Does Align Work?
The patented B. Infantis 35624 strain is a proven effective microorganism. According to Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, because of this, it is believed that any probiotic which contains it is excellent and reliable.
From the dozens of reviews from customers from various locations all over the United States, there is a rave about it; the positive acclaim is glaring.
In addition to this, Align is gluten-free so that there is no barrier for possible users, just in the event a gluten-sensitive person decides to try it.
Would we recommend it based on these? Probably, but considering that there is never a 100% efficacy to anything so bear that in mind.
However, from this standpoint, it would not be unsafe to refer someone to it.
Align is available on the official website or Amazon for approximately $15 for 14 capsules.
How to Use Align
You may take a capsule once a day, every day.
If you are already taking an antibiotic and require a probiotic, give a few hours before and after the antibiotic because it may get in the way of the probiotic working well.
Align Results
Yes, you probably have some other probiotic which you use but are not entirely comfortable with.
So why should you try this? What makes it stand out from the rest? There is nothing better than the public, different people, with different perceptions and orientations, saying practically the same thing about something.
Do not get it wrong; we are not putting our money where our mouth is on this yet, but the claims are notable. Some of the results which users claim to have got from Align are:
- Restoration of stomach balance
- Quick action, giving fast relief and response
- Total reliability
- Affordable
- Works better on the stomach than dairy products
- Can be preserved at room temperature, unlike many others that need refrigeration
- Takes care of flatulence
Know that in almost everything, the good comes with the bad. Hardly anything is 100% fool-proof but sometimes, the good trumps the bad.
Align Side Effects
There are several wrong turns which may occur from the continuous use of the supplement.
Align is a probiotic. Therefore, any negative or adverse effect generally associated with probiotics could be equally associated with the supplement.
The side effects listed are from the few users who had not-so-good reactions to the supplement. These include:
- High fever
- Bloating
- Cough
- Rash
- Swelling of the throat and tongue
Like we have said before, you cannot have it all. Just know how your body works and go with the flow.
One thing to be aware of is that it contains milk, making it an allergy concern for lactose intolerant ones.
If it doesn’t work, don’t force it. There are other side effects, so if you notice any adverse change in your system while taking it, you know what to do.
Align Claims
Align has claims to be different from other probiotics because it has the patented B. infantis 35624 strain, even though there are no clinical proofs yet to back up its claim of being beneficial to digestive health.
Furthermore, it claims to be the top choice of probiotics brands that are recommended by gastroenterologists in the United States for as long as nine years.
Align and Weight Loss
Align does not blatantly claim to be a fat burner. Two groups of good micro bacteria are found in the digestive system: firmicutes and bacteroidetes.
Bodyweight is dependent on which of these two groups of bacteria is more in a person’s system.
If a person has more of the firmicutes, then such a person tends to be overweight, and if a person has more of the bacteroidetes, then such a person has an average weight.
With the balancing ability of probiotics, Align can help a user shed extra fat by creating a workable balance between the firmicutes and the bacteroidetes.
Should you trust it to lose weight? Not entirely. No particular supplement, no matter the reviews, works without proper exercise and dieting. So, don’t put all your ‘weight’ on one tiny capsule.
Align Lawsuits
According to Law360, there have been lawsuits connected to Align probiotics. The case, detailed at AlignSettlement.com, agreed to pay up to $49.26 to people who purchased the supplement between March 1, 2009, and June 6, 2016. The lawsuit pertained to advertising and marketing.
Align Alternatives
Just in case you find yourself too comfortable with this probiotic, as funny as that sounds, you could try Culturelle.
It is an equally good one with a different strain called Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG, the number one selling probiotic strand in the United States.
According to Drugs.com, filed for a patent in April of 1985 by Sherwood Gorbach and Barry Goldin, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG was isolated in 1983 from the digestive tract of a healthy person, meaning that it is a good bacterium and advantageous to the digestive system.
The claim is that the strain is bile-and acid-stable, generates lactic acid, and is likely in the human intestinal mucosal cells.
This strain is the world’s most studied probiotic strain, with over 800 studies to its name.
The patented B. Infantis 35624 strain is a proven effective microorganism. According to Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, because of this, it is believed that any probiotic which contains it is excellent and reliable.
From the dozens of reviews from customers from various locations all over the United States, there is a rave about it; the positive acclaim is glaring.
In addition to this, Align is gluten-free so that there is no barrier for possible users, just in the event a gluten-sensitive person decides to try it.
Would we recommend it based on these? Probably, but considering that there is never a 100% efficacy to anything so bear that in mind.
However, from this standpoint, it would not be unsafe to refer someone to it.
Align is not available on their website but you can use the buy now option to find a store near you. Amazon is frequently listed as an option.
What Users Are Saying
“These taste good and seem to be working – not only am I regular now – and this part I didn’t expect: I really do feel better. I don’t understand it but I wake up with more pep, feel like getting things done (even working out!) and so I’ll stay with Align for a while. PLEASE NOTE: It took me 2.5 weeks of crazy gut bloating and weird pain to get used to them – but that’s gone now and I feel good!”
“I am extremely sensitive to probiotics. Most of them have both positive and negative effects, but the negative effects usually outweigh the positive. This strain was constipating for me, gave me sleep issues, and gave me hip pain I never had before. The positive effect is that I noticed more mental alertness. Everything went back to normal a couple days after I stopped taking them.”
“I had terrible issues with acid reflux and frequent heartburn. I also used to get colds very often. Since taking Align (along with Omeprazole for reflux), my GI inflammation issues have really improved, and I swear my immunity has improved too!”
The Bottom Line on Align
Still, considering Align for weight-loss? Well, we like that it promotes digestive health and that we found some positive user reviews, but we’re skeptical about this one because there’s no direct connection between the formula and weight-loss. We’re also concerned because customers are talking about negative side effects and how they’re not seeing results.
Losing weight is a journey that you don’t have to travel alone. So, we suggest going with a program that promotes weight loss with a support system to see you through the tough times and successes.
Among the best programs we’ve seen this year is one called Noom. The weight-loss app is centered around personalized solutions, like human coaching and customized meal plans – but it’s much more than that. Expert articles, food tracking, exercise tracking and more are included with the app.
The makers of Noom are offering customers a free trial offer; this is an exceptional sign of confidence in their weight-loss app.
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Align Questions & Answers
Align is a natural supplement designed to support digestive health and potentially promote weight loss by balancing the gut microbiome with probiotics.
Taking probiotics can help filter out toxins, chemicals, and waste products from the digestive system, promote good health and long life, fight pathogenic bacteria, regulate gastrointestinal motility and gut barrier function, prevent antibiotics-induced diarrhea and other related issues, support the immune system, and possibly aid in oral cavity, skin and lung health.
Some potential side effects of taking probiotics include chills, nausea, diarrhea, brain fog, constipation, cramping, and fatigue. These side effects are generally mild and vary from person to person.
The ingredients in Align include Bifidobacterium Longum Subsp. Longum 35624, microcrystalline cellulose, hypromellose, sucrose, magnesium stearate, sodium caseinate, titanium dioxide, trisodium citrate dihydrate, propyl gallate and gellan gum.
The patented B. Infantis 35624 strain in Align is a proven effective microorganism. There are positive reviews from customers, and Align is gluten-free, making it accessible to gluten-sensitive people.
A healthy digestive system is essential to losing weight, so you should consider combining Align with a supplement like Dietsupplement Burn, which contains some clinically-tested ingredients and has been shown to accelerate metabolism and ignite fat loss.
Align can be purchased using their Official Site.
Align Probiotic is generally considered safe to take. However, as with any supplement or medication, it’s essential to follow the recommended dosage and consult with a healthcare professional if you have any underlying health conditions.
You may take one capsule of Align once a day, every day. If you are already taking an antibiotic and require a probiotic, give a few hours before and after the antibiotic.
Align may cause side effects such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. These side effects are typically mild and go away on their own within a few days.
Align is generally safe for most people. However, it is always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you have underlying medical conditions or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The cost of Align ranges from $15 for 14 capsules to $59.99 for 56 pills. One bottle lasts between 14 and 56 days.
You should take one Align capsule per day at the same time.
No, Align Probiotic is not intended to be used as a laxative. While it may have a soothing effect on the digestive system, it is not designed to induce bowel movements.
Align is not specifically designed for weight loss, but some studies suggest that probiotics may help with weight management by improving gut health and reducing inflammation.
Align contains sodium caseinate, which is a milk protein, so it is not vegan.
Yes, you do not need a prescription for Align Probiotics.
Align is a probiotic supplement designed to improve digestive and immune health. It typically takes about one to two weeks for the effects of Align to start working, but in some cases it can take up to four weeks. It is important to remember that everyone’s body responds differently, so results may vary.
Probiotics can interact with some medications, including antibiotics and immunosuppressants. It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider before taking probiotics if you are taking any other medications.
Align’s competitors include Peptiva, Chobani Complete, Activia, and Kevita.
Align was developed by a team of gastroenterologists with ten years of scientific research. The unique component of Align is Bifidobacterium Longum Subsp. Longum 35624, which is similar to the good bacteria found naturally in the human digestive system.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are beneficial to the host’s health when taken in healthy doses. They introduce “good” bacteria into the body for beneficial purposes, such as fighting off pathogenic bacteria.
Probiotics filter harmful toxins, chemicals, and waste products from the digestive system. They regulate the gut barrier function and gastrointestinal motility, fight antibiotics-induced diarrhea, abdominal pain, infectious diarrhea, and bloating, and help with the immune system.
Article Sources
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