It was time I put together an all about Just Thrive Probiotic post + Just Thrive Probiotics reviews because I’m getting comments and questions on it now daily.
Note: There are affiliate links in this post, as I work with Just Thrive Probiotic. However, I only work with Just Thrive Probiotic because it’s the probiotic my entire family uses. Because of it, when you click HERE and purchase anything from Just Thrive, you can save 15%. Simply enter code AGUTSYGIRL at checkout and you’ll be in on the savings.
Intro
A few weeks back, my daycare texted all parents late morning saying,
My baby (not using names in this post) has thrown up 11 times in the past two hours and is now dry heaving.
This escalated and the baby ended up in the hospital, dehydrated with a Norovirus and Sapovirus diagnosis.
I asked if anyone else got it. She said, “Yes,” they all did – including every other parent and child at the daycare.
Of course I was paranoid everyone at our house would tumble like building blocks, but we escaped it. No one got it!
Fast forward to a week later when my daycare texted me again. This time, she was telling me about her doctor in a nearby town who mentioned my work (it was super random, and I have no idea who the doctor is).
The doctor asked her, “Did Sarah’s family get this sickness, too” My daycare replied, “No.”
And the doctor said, “Yep, she’s probably using a probiotic of some sort and it’s doing its job, keeping the gut working as it should!”
I about fell over – Ryan, too. A doctor who has heard of my work and had good things to say about a high-quality probiotic.
Can’t make this up, guys!
All About Just Thrive® Probiotic
Click HERE to save all about Just Thrive Probiotic for later.
Over the years, I have tried many different probiotic bacteria supplements.
I have written a lot about them, with regards to different digestive conditions.
And I have selectively taken and then not taken them.
But after Expo West 2019, I completely moved our entire family over to the Just Thrive Probiotic and furthermore, chose to only align with them from a probiotic recommendation standpoint for those who read A Gutsy Girl.
Before I share the goods, please know that while I am an affiliate partner with Just Thrive and believe they have the best probiotic, the proof is in the pudding (and the pudding was not made by me)!
Just Thrive Probiotics Reviews
From almost the first time our entire family started taking this probiotic supplement, we knew it was having a positive impact.
It might be biased (out of my deep love for Just Thrive and their dedication to probiotics), but here is the probiotic review I gave for my own probiotic page over at Just Thrive,
I have been using several of the Just Thrive products for a few years, and I swear by them. Just Thrive makes outstanding supplements, and I am grateful for the added health benefits they have brought to my life (and to my family’s as well).
But again, this is not just me saying these things.
Currently (in 2024), out of 1,264 product reviews, the Just Thrive Probiotic (what I consider their flagship product) gets 4.5+ stars.
Here are some five star reviews you’ll read on the product page:
Never thought I would say this about a product I bought because it’s a lot of probiotics out here and none of them work like Just Thrive. I didn’t see results right away but I stuck with a routine and started seeing results around the third week. Stomach wasn’t looking and feeling bloated anymore and I definitely will be keeping my subscription going.
Tiffany Greene
I suffered with diarrhea (multiple times daily) for over a decade!! Went to multiple specialists, and tried multiple OTC probiotics over the years. I’m so happy that I gave “just thrive probiotics” a try! I followed the directions for just thrive probiotics and after 3 weeks my diarrhea stopped and began having normal bowel movements. I’m enjoying a “normal” life without fear of an “accident” while away from home. Thank You “just thrive’ for making this product and changing my life!!
Carlene Soptic
A few years ago I took the Everlywell food sensitivity test and found that I was literally sensitive to just about everything. I knew I was sensitive dairy and eggs but even my ‘healthy’ substitutions were now something to be avoided. I’ve tried SO many probiotics, prebiotics, cutting everything out, drinking more lemon water, trying organic options. You name it, I’ve tried it, all to prevent my stomach from blowing up for days as if I was carrying. After hearing about these on my favorite podcast over and over I decided to invest and you guys, my stomach has not bothered me since. I went a month w/o reordering and my stomach was back to the nonsense. These really work and sometimes I can even sneak cheese without my stomach yelling at me.
Tierra
BUT — I also wanted to share some reviews that have come directly from the A Gutsy Girl community and landed in either my email Inbox or Instagram DM’s:
I just want to report that I am on my 21st day of taking the Just Thrive probiotic, and I have not had one single IBS symptom. Wow, life seems livable again! Thank you!
Lenore @lenneezz
Thrilled to see you have a Just Thrive coupon code. I’ve been looking for one!! Just Thrive unexpectedly was a life changing product that I tried to resist / tell myself other cheaper probiotics were comparable – but they just aren’t.
@mrstolargirl
Thrive® Probiotic for Gut Health
Now, let’s dive into the nitty gritty on what the Just Thrive probiotic is.
This probiotic is a 100% spore-based probiotic and antioxidant for digestive and immune health. It uses a proprietary spore-based technology which is designed to improve overall health.
A unique feature is that this potent product contains a patented strain called Bacillus Indicus HU36®, which produces antioxidants in the digestive system – where they can be best absorbed by your body. The spores in Just Thrive® have been successfully used to enhance digestive health in the progressive health and wellness space for more than 50 years!
Just Thrive Interesting Facts:
- 1000x better survivability vs. yogurt, greek yogurt & leading probiotics
- Supports immune health in the digestive system, where over 70% of it lives
- Beats bloat, gas, constipation, and diarrhea*
- Powerful digestive tract support
- Improved flora balance
- It’s been clinically-proven to address Leaky Gut in just 30 days*
- Increased digestive nutrient absorption in the intestines
- It encourages a healthy body mass*
- Powerful antioxidant and carotenoid production at the most bio-available location in your body – your own little nutrient factory!
- Ingredients matter! Their formulations are all-natural, non GMO, and made WITHOUT soy, dairy, sugar, salt, corn, tree nuts or gluten
- Vegan, Paleo and Keto Friendly
FAQ’s for the Just Thrive Probiotic
I have compiled a list of additional questions I’m commonly asked to help you determine if the Just Thrive probiotic will help aid in your own, healthy gut.
I have SIBO, how will Just Thrive help me?
One of the strains in Just Thrive has been used in Europe as a prescription for SIBO for decades. The strains in Just Thrive are gut commensal organisms, meaning that every living human and animal has a binding site for these strains.
They also have a published human clinical trial showing our probiotic is healing Leaky Gut, so there are less toxins leaking into your bloodstream.
Just Thrive has the ability to produce up to 25 specific antibiotics when they sense pathogenic organisms and also create compounds and nutrients that feed naturally occurring beneficial bacteria.
Furthermore, in a recent call I joined from Kiran Krishnan, he stated:
“If you work in the healthcare practitioner industry, like I have, what you’ll find is there’s a lot of practitioners that don’t use any (lacto-bifido) probiotics for people who are very inflammatory to begin with and certain conditions, like for example:
- SIBO (small intestinal bowel overgrowth) or
- Mast cell activation of people with histamine intolerance“
To that extent….
Can I use this probiotic if I have a histamine intolerance?
Yes. It certainly is a great probiotic option for people with histamine intolerance because the spores do not produce histamine, unlike many lactobacillus species.
Clinicians have found through experience that this kind of probiotic (lacto-bifido-based probiotic) makes these individuals worse. And science backs this up.
Reacting to histamines from foods is a fault on the part of the pattern recognition system and the Treg system (regulatory T cells that modulate the immune system and prevent autoimmune disease).
The spores modulate both to shift the body from an inflammatory Th2 response to an adaptive Thi1 response.
The strains in Just Thrive are found in the soil, but only in their dormant state. The gut is their home and they only go into their live, vegetative state when they arrive in the gut.
Can Just Thrive treat Candida in the gut?
They have seen great results with Candida as in most cases it drives out the yeast and helps replace the real estate with good bacteria.
This is an important factor in ensuring that the candida overgrowth doesn’t simply reoccur.
Additionally, candida overgrowth is a sign of an impaired immune system and/or dysbiosis and since the spores improve both, they certainly help with candida.
What are the ingredients?
A proprietary probiotic blend 500 mg, 3 billion cells of the following: Bacillus indicus HU36, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus clausii, Bacillus subtillis HU58, cellulose (hypoallergenic plant fiber prebiotic), and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose HPMC (vegetable capsule).
I have broken down these ingredients for you HERE.
You can learn more about Probiotic Strains and Species HERE.
Do I need to refrigerate this probiotic?
No. Also, a good probiotic should not need to be refrigerated!
And, in fact, I have written all about Refrigerated Probiotics vs Non Refrigerated probiotics HERE.
Will taking the Just Thrive Probiotic help when I’m on antibiotic?
Yes. According to Joanie Blaxter,
Ever been told to avoid taking an antibiotic and probiotic at the same time because the antibiotic kills the probiotic? NO LONGER TRUE. Spore bacteria, like the proprietary strains in Just Thrive, are protected by their outer spore shell from the killing effects of antibiotics.
In contrast, conventional, non-spore strains (Lacto, Bifido, Streptococccus, etc.), do not have this same protection.
I have written about this in greater detail via – what to do after a round of antibiotics; probiotics vs antibiotics and rebuilding the gut after antibiotics.
So Just Thrive Probiotic is better than MegaSporeBiotic? Did Kiran Krishnan help develop both of them? What is the difference in them?
Megaspore is Just Thrive’s sister company and it’s only available to practitioners. Just Thrive is the retail version of Megaspore. They work extremely close together. All of the research and studies are conducted with both products.
Just Thrive has the exact same 4 key strains as Megaspore in the exact same amounts.
Both products have the game changing antioxidant producing strain, Bacillus Indicus HU36.
The only difference is Megaspore has a small amount of the strain, Bacillus Lichenformis.
Bacillus Lichenformis is a strain that Kiran Krishnan felt should be taken under a doctor or trained professional’s care.
It produces the antibiotic bacitracin, as well as some digestive enzymes.
Just Thrive is available to everyone where MegaSpore can only be obtained through a practitioner and is a bit more expensive.
Will this probiotic help if I have C. Diff?
The Bacillus Strains found in Just Thrive have been clinically proven in a double blind placebo, human clinical trial to heal leaky gut, which you will likely have after battling C. Diff.
These strains are very different than most probiotics, kombucha, enzymes, etc.
They arrive 100% alive to the gut and begin healing by killing off toxins and pathogens and rebuilding healthy bacteria.
They colonize and stay in the gut for 21-27 days.
Learn more about C. Diff HERE.
I heard I should take my probiotic without food. Is this true? When is the best time to take Just Thrive?
There is no best time to take Just Thrive, but they recommend taking it with your largest meal.
Food will help the strains get into their live, vegetative cell state quicker.
By the way, this is also why it’s so easy for me to get into my children’s diets – I can just sprinkle over their food (without them even knowing) – ahem, Mac ‘n Cheese!
Does Just Thrive cause die-off symptoms? Or flu like feelings?
Although rare, some people do experience bacterial die-off reactions when starting Just Thrive – especially during the first week.
It usually happens within the first few doses, so if you experienced any symptoms right after starting then it could possibly be die-off.
What they recommend is lowering the dosage to either ¼ capsule or half a capsule a day until the effects wear off.
Although unpleasant, die-off effects are a great sign that Just Thrive is going to work eliminating your bad bacteria, while feeding the good bacteria.
Essentially, it means Just Thrive is working! The overwhelming majority of people that reduced their dosage did great and were grateful they didn’t stop taking it. Give it a full 7-10 days and you should have no problems as your gut starts healing.
HERE is more information about what to expect what starting probiotics. And HERE is more information on signs of die-off.
How long should I be on Just Thrive?
The strains in Just Thrive were strains our ancestors consumed on a daily basis in the food they ate, the water they drank and the dirt they lived in.
But they do have a 21-27 day lifecycle in the intestines so if you take the product every day for a few months, you can go to a maintenance dose where you take it every other day or every third day if you’d like.
We continuously assault our gut on a daily basis with our food, environment, habits, etc…
So we need some measure of daily protection like Just Thrive to ensure we stay healthy.
Is it just me, or does Just Thrive seem more expensive than other probiotics?
Just Thrive is a pharmaceutical grade supplement.
It is comprised of bacillus endospores which have been in the pharmaceutical market in Europe and Asia for over 60 years.
They are the first and only retail product on the market with the strain Bacillus Indicus HU36, which produces RDA levels of crucial antioxidants right in the intestines where they are immediately absorbed.
It is this strain that the researchers felt did most of the “heavy lifting,” having a significant advantage, in their published Leaky Gut study.
Getting exclusive rights to this strain was extremely costly, but also made it a revolutionary product.
They currently have 9 other human clinical trials being conducted on the product. There is no other probiotic capsule on the market that is doing anywhere near the number of human clinical trials on their product.
Most companies do petri dish or at best animal trials which are much less expensive than human clinicals.
Because they want their product in the hands of as many people as possible due to the effectiveness, they launched the product at much less of a profit margin to the company than virtually any other supplement they know of.
I cannot afford to take Just Thrive daily. Can I take it every other day and still get the same results?
They recommend taking it daily for at least 2-6 months, depending on what level of gut issues you are dealing with.
If you are basically healthy and don’t have a lot of digestive issues, you can try and take it every other day and see how you feel.
Our ancestors consumed these strains on a daily basis so they are meant to be consumed daily, but that’s when the strains were found for free abundantly in the environment.
You are better off taking it every other day or every third day rather than taking a probiotic that simply doesn’t survive the stomach acid and make it alive to the intestines.
Just Thrive colonizes and have a 21-27 day lifecycle in the intestines so if you take the product every day for at least a few months, you can go to a maintenance dose where you take it every other or every third day and keep your gut healthy.
Our guts are being attacked daily with the foods we eat, our environment, habits, etc. Just Thrive is daily protection to keep you healthy.
Does heat affect Just Thrive? Does it expire?
Just Thrive is heat stable up to 455 degrees. You can open the capsule and bake with it or put it in food or drinks. The current expiration is 4/2023. The spores are dormant in the bottle until ingested.
Once the spores get to the intestines, they come alive and have the ability to read the microbiome and directly eliminate unfavorable and overgrown organisms. They recondition the gut as they shift the balance of good and bad bacteria. Bacillus endospores are “gut police”, knocking out the bad and bringing out the good!
Is Just Thrive safe to take while pregnant and breastfeeding?
Just Thrive is super important to take while pregnant and breastfeeding.
Mothers pass their immunity and gut microbiome to their children.
The spores have the ability to modulate the microbiome to help optimize it and improve moms immune system as well. This way she avoids getting sick, she has less inflammation, she is making important antibodies that she will pass onto her child to keep him/her healthy.
Just Thrive has studies showing our strains created a 30% favorable shift in the health of the microbiome so if mom has a healthy microbiome, she will pass that healthy microbiome on to her baby.
I have an out of whack gut and have never been able to tolerate any form of probiotics? Would Just Thrive be able to help me?
The strains in Just Thrive are much different than the vast majority of commercial products on the market today.
Their strains are nature’s true probiotics and strains our ancestors consumed on a daily basis but are depleted in our sterilized, over processed environment.
The Just Thrive strains are gut commensal organisms meaning every living human and animal has a binding site for them.
They belong and only become alive in the gut.
Is Just Thrive safe for infants or children under 3?
The company encourages you to ask your doctor if it would be ok to put your baby on probiotics because as you know, we are not doctors and cannot give medical advice.
That being said, these strains are perfectly safe for healthy newborns as well.
In fact, their microbiologist who has worked with these strains for years had his newborn daughter taking the powder a few years go- he would sprinkle a bit of the powder from our capsules on his wife’s nipple while the baby was nursing so that his daughter could get some of the strains.
The minimum age of 3 that’s on the label is there for choking hazards with children.
The company has, however, listed that the contents can be opened and mixed with food. You can sprinkle the contents in any food or drinks, it is heat stable up to 455 degrees so you can even sprinkle some in a cookie, muffin or your favorite recipe.
I would start out with a quarter of a capsule for a newborn to 6 months old as long as it’s ok with your doctor. If the child is older than 6 months, a half a capsule is a good dosage. Children 3 and older, a full capsule is the ideal dosage.
I have a severe corn allergy, is Just Thrive safe for me to take?
As always, consult your doctor before starting Just Thrive. Dextrin, a derivative of NON-GMO corn is used as a carrier in the probiotic strains.
It doesn’t cause problems for most corn allergies, but if yours is severe, please use caution and consult your doctor.
Can Just Thrive help with chronic bacteria infections for example, in the vagina and UTI infections?
Yes, we see this all the time. Any chronic infection health problem in mucosal tissue like the urinary tract, vagina, sinuses, lungs, etc. can be helped and controlled by modulating the immune response in the gut mucosa. There is something called the “singular mucosal system” which shows that changes in the gut mucosa are almost instantly seen in other mucosal tissue like the vagina or upper respiratory tract.
In fact, clinical studies have shown the spores to be effective in preventing infections like chronic UTI’s and chronic upper-respiratory infections.
If, however, you are looking for a UTI-specific product, Just Thrive has one, UT123 [HERE].
Just Thrive Probiotic Coupon
If you want to try this probiotic, simply enter code AGUTSYGIRL at checkout and you’ll automatically save 15% on anything from Just Thrive (probiotics and beyond).
The company also offers free shipping for orders over $99.
You can get a 30-day supply or 90-day supply and they offer this guarantee:
If you’re not 100% satisfied with your purchase of any Just Thrive product from www.justthrivehealth.com, return it to us for a full product refund* – even if the bottle is empty!
That was massive! But even still, I’m sure someone out there has a question. Feel free to leave it in the comments below so I can add to this list.
Otherwise, go learn even more all about Just Thrive probiotic HERE.
If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
- Quick Gut Detox (21 days to less bloat and weight + increased energy levels)
- Better digestion through stress reduction
- Immune Issues Gut Health Support
Xox,
SKH
🤰 bloating be gone! weight loss through optimal gut health for women
💃ʜᴇᴀʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɢᴜᴛ. ʜᴇᴀʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪfe.
🫶🏻 founder gutbyome.com
Hello Sarah,
Can Just Thrive probiotics help with perioral dermatitis and gastritis?
Thank you!
Rita
Hi! Here is some information from PaleoMom’s blog: “Gastritis, is the inflammation of the stomach lining and Just Thrive definitely helps with all sorts of inflammation. Bacillus Coagulans is a well studied strain that has shown profound effects on inflammatory conditions and then Bacillus Indicus produces anti-oxidants such as astaxanthin and zeaxanthin that are very well knows as fighters of inflammation.” And on On Jan 16 in an email to her readership PaleoMom said: “I have been taking Just Thrive Probiotic (https://www.thepaleomom.com/go/just-thrive/) for about 9 months now and I am very happy with the results. Not only did I notice improved digestion, but the mild hormonal acne that I have always had has disappeared! I was impressed enough to get my now 12-year old taking Just Thrive too, which also helped her acne as well!” Hope that helps!
Thank you so much for your feedback!
Anytime! Xox
I just bought this but wondering if it will effect my GERD symptoms at all but I was sold once I read about the skin improvements (I have Melasma) and the chronic UTI help so worth a shot!
Hi Ashley – Hope you are loving it!
Hi… thanks for all the work you do…
Ehmmm… I was just wondering, what can some of the negative side effects of Just Thrive be?
Have you any experience with JT and eczema on kids (+5 yrs.)?
again thank you…
Best wishes
Geraldine
Hi there,
Has anyone else you know had similar results with this probiotic? As in, avoiding sickness bugs. School is a nightmare for things circulating and we could use the support!
Thanks,
Elli
People are loving the probiotic 🙂
Bacillus HU36®, being a spore, offers advantages of better colonization and survival through the digestive track when compared to non-spore probiotic organisms; it also offers claims related to the most bioavailable form of antioxidants and carotenoids.
More details:
https://www.synergialifesciences.com/bacillus-indicus-strain-spore-probiotic-HU36.html
I gave it a chance and started taking it, but after a few days I realized they weren’t helping :(. I had the same problem as with other probiotics. I started feeling more bloated, heavier, constipated and my skin were smoother and my mood very depressive. I cried for anything.
Does anyone knows why?? I feel like my body has had enough probiotics and hate all of them x)
‘ve been suffering from candida from long time ago although my immune system works fine. I also eat always real food, no sugars, etc. I don’t know yet if I have SIBO. But I’m 24/7 bloated.
I’ve taken Thrive now for a few months but still having digestive issues- I thought I read that I could take 2 during times of severe digestive distress… have you heard that?
If I were you, I’d reach out to them and ask – or ask your doctor. I never took 2.
Hi there, enjoying your posts so much! I wanted to ask; do you consider antibiotics necessary for sibo/sifo? My doc wants me to take paramomycin and grisefungine… what do you think of that?
Xx
Hi Johanna – It really depends. I think if it’s bad enough, antibiotics can be life changing. They were for me, but I took Rifaximin and Neomycin. Keep me posted!
Hi Sarah, how do we purchase just thrive, do you have a link that benefits you, a coupon or discount that you can share? Ready to try this now! ☺️
Hi Katie – You’re so sweet. Yeah, just click on any link in this post and then at checkout enter in code AGUTSYGIRL and you’ll actually even save 15%!
Can it help with joint inflammation?
Overall inflammation, yes. It won’t “cure” that, though.
It definitely can!
Does Thrive Probiotic also contain Probiotics?
I think you mean to ask if it contains PREbiotics? The answer is “no.” They have a separate prebiotic, if you are interested in that.
Hi, Sarah
I bought Just Thrive in order to help treat SIBO but was surprised to see that hypoallergenic plant fiber prebiotic was one of the ingredients. I know I am being overly finesse but I thought that prebiotics have to be avoided during SIBO treatment. Thanks, Travis
Yes, there is. It contains Acacia fiber. The issue with most prebiotics is that they feed both bad and good bacteria. The Just Thrive Probiotic includes a precision prebiotic that will only feed the good.
I thought SIBO was believed to be an overgrowth of good bacteria, ie. too much of a good thing , so why provide more good bacteria?
Not necessarily. SIBO is an overgrowth of bacteria in disproportionate amounts – i.e. too much bacteria in places where there should not be so much.
I have histamine intolerance and im pleased to hear the strains in just thrive dont produce histamine. I wondered thou if it would be okay to continue taking histamine degrading strains that im taking at present. Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium lactis and Bifidobacterium breve. Could i use just thrive alongside the probiotic im already taking?
Hi Larina! I’d encourage you to either ask your doctor on this one OR reach out to Just Thrive – they are incredibly helpful and are likely to know the answer.
Hi Larina. Did you try Just Thrive? I have histamine intolerance too.
I have Diverticulitis, will this Just Thrive help.
Hi Edith – It’s a probiotic so it’s helpful in rebuilding good bacteria. Ask your doctor, but I don’t see why you could not take it.
Hey Sarah
I have shown my DO this probiotic and while she said it was good she said it wasn’t enough diversity for my gut considering I have ulcerative colitis. What is your opinion on that? To me it feels like when I take thrive it does help but then sometimes I don’t notice anything. It could be because I don’t take it consistently enough but I think that’s because I have been worried it’s not enough for me.
Hi! Above all else, listen to your doctor. But when it comes to listening to your doctor and how YOUR body is responding, definitely question your doctor and have a conversation about it.
Hi- I am on Xifaxan (2 pills/day) for the next few weeks and wasn’t sure if I should take a probiotic or not during the treatment. If I start taking Thrive, when would be the best time of day? Away from Xifaxan? Also I have perioral dermatitis flaring right now…haven’t had a flare up in over 5 years
Hi Lindsey – you should absolutely work with your doctor on this one. While ON Rifaximin, I personally did NOT use any probiotics. But you might need to. If so, just start slow and go (like 1/2 capsule at a time).
Thanks! Did you have any skin issues while on Rifaximin? My PD is really flaring and I haven’t had any issues for years.
hello! would this probiotic help with laryngopharyngeal reflux (silent reflux)? I have been having very extreme flare ups recently and am desperate for a solution (while also trying to avoid acidic foods and other things I can do at home). Thanks!
Check with your doctor to verify 🙂
Hi Sarah 🙂
I’m just wondering if these Probiotics alone might get rid of sibo… though I have extreme bloating (and constipation) my sibo test results came back only slightly elevated. Do you think something like this may balance my bacteria?
I don’t believe that a probiotic all on its own is a SIBO cure. For sure I believe this can help, though.
I’m trying to wean myself off of PPIs (long-term use), but I’m not there yet. Can I take Just Thrive probiotics while on PPIs?
I’m not certain. Definitely check with your doctor on that 🙂