Loading…
We use essential cookies (authentication, your saved goals/stack) by default. With your permission we’ll also enable privacy-respecting analytics (Vercel Web Analytics, anonymous load-time metrics) and error-replay diagnostics (Sentry — DOM snapshots only when an error fires) so we can fix bugs faster. Learn more about cookies
Head-to-head evidence comparison — which supplement is right for you?
VSL#3 / Visbiome vs Whey Protein: Whey Protein has the stronger overall evidence (9 vs 6.5/10); the best pick depends on your goals. Take the 60-second quiz for a pick tailored to your goals.
Whey Protein wins 2 of 3 categories. Both are solid choices — the best pick depends on your specific goals.
Verdict
Too few graded studies
Top outcomes
Verdict
Likely helps
11 of 12 studies with measurable effects showed benefit.
Top outcomes
Prevention and maintenance are DIFFERENT doses and are often conflated. Preventing the first onset of acute pouchitis used 900 billion CFU/day (1 sachet). Maintaining remission in established chronic or refractory pouchitis — where the effect size is largest — used 6 g/day, which at 5 x 10^11 viable bacteria per gram is about 3 trillion CFU/day, in both maintenance trials. As a ulcerative colitis add-on, 3.6 trillion CFU daily; the active-UC induction trial went highest at 3.6 trillion CFU TWICE daily (7.2 trillion/day), and the paediatric trial lowest at 450 billion/day weight-based
Any time of day
Refrigerated sachet of the De Simone Formulation
20-40g per serving
Before or after training, Morning, Between meals
Whey Protein Isolate
and 1 more not shown
9-12 months
12 months
8-12 weeks
n/a
4-8 weeks
24-48 hours post-workout
Immediate
Within hours of consumption
Treatment and prevention of pouchitis after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for chronic ulcerative colitis.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2019) · Meta analysis
Chronic pouchitis maintenance: 85% (34/40) maintained remission at 9-12 months vs 3% (1/36) placebo — RR 20.24 (95% CI 4.28-95.81), low certainty
Oral bacteriotherapy as maintenance treatment in patients with chronic pouchitis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Gastroenterology (2000) · Rct · n=40
Relapse in 3/20 (15%) on the probiotic vs 20/20 (100%) on placebo, P<0.001
Once daily high dose probiotic therapy (VSL#3) for maintaining remission in recurrent or refractory pouchitis.
Gut (2004) · Rct · n=36
Remission maintained at 1 year in 17/20 (85%) vs 1/16 (6%) placebo, p<0.0001
Comparative Efficacy of Different Protein Supplements on Muscle Mass, Strength, and Physical Indices of Sarcopenia among Community-Dwelling, Hospitalized or Institutionalized Older Adults Undergoing Resistance Training: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Nutrients (2024) · Meta analysis · n=5272
We finally included 78 RCTs (5272 participants) for analyses.
Effects of Whey Protein, Leucine, and Vitamin D Supplementation in Patients with Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Nutrients (2023) · Meta analysis · n=637
Three RCTs, 637 patients with sarcopenia, of combined whey protein, leucine and vitamin D.
A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength
British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) · Meta analysis · n=1863
49 RCTs, 1863 participants: protein supplementation increased 1RM strength (2.49 kg), fat-free mass (0.30 kg) and muscle fibre cross-sectional area during prolonged resistance training.
The points come from one dose-comparison RCT in 48 resistance-trained young men, who took 0, 10, 20 or 40 g of whey protein isolate straight after leg exercise, three hours after a high-protein breakfast (PMID 24257722). Over the next four hours myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis rose 49% above 0 g with 20 g and 56% with 40 g, and 10 g gave no added stimulation. The authors conclude 20 g is enough for the maximal response in about 80 kg men, and 40 g mainly raised amino acid oxidation and urea production. This is an acute measure of protein synthesis, not muscle growth over weeks of training, and the trial did not report tolerability, so no ceiling dose is set.
AI-estimated from published studies. Interpret as directional guidance.
Whey Protein has a higher evidence score (9/10 vs 6.5/10) and wins in 2 of 3 categories.
No documented interaction was found in the data searched. This does not establish that this exact combination is safe.
Probiotics vs prebiotics vs synbiotics, the CFU myth, and what actually helps bloating.
The honest tier list — proven staples vs situational vs mostly marketing. The hub the other guides feed into.
On Ozempic/Wegovy/Mounjaro? What actually helps — muscle preservation, GI relief, nutrient gaps (no upsell).
The transition years (40s): cycle changes, mood, sleep, brain fog — foundations, vitex, and starting muscle work early.
The right pick depends on your goals. Answer a few quick questions for a personalised recommendation — or dig into the full evidence on each.