In this review we take a look at the popular brand Gaia to see what their gas and bloating product has to offer. Gaia is a good brand with a trustworthy reputation and generally garners positive reviews. This particular product claims to quickly reduce occasional gas and bloating, providing immediate relief as and when you need it. We analyzed the ingredients, manufacturer and reviews to gain a better understanding of what this product has to offer.
There are certain ingredients we immediately look for in a high-quality gas and bloating product, some of which are included in this formula. One such ingredient is Fennel, which we were pleased to see is a main feature of this product’s ingredient list. In fact, the Fennel is included twice in this formula, once as a stand-alone ingredient with 146 mg per serving, and then again as part of a proprietary blend.
However, proprietary blends are a red flag for us. Oftentimes, manufacturers create proprietary blends so that competitors cannot copy their formula, unfortunately it also means that as a consumer, you have no idea what the dosage is of each ingredient nor how safe or potent they are. The proprietary blend featured in this product boasts ingredients that have been shown to be effective for relieving gas, such as Peppermint, Caraway, Fennel and Chamomile. The inclusion of both Peppermint and Caraway is especially paramount as this combination is highly valuable at supporting intestinal function as well as preventing further gas formation. Unfortunately we don’t know how much of each of these ingredients is included so we don’t know how effective it really is.
It would be remiss of us not to mention the other main ingredient in this formula, which is Activated Charcoal. This ingredient has been reputed to be effective at trapping gas bubbles and eliminating them, making it highly effective at relieving gas. It’s also important to note that this ingredient should not be taken for long-term use so caution is recommended. This renders this product unhelpful for use as a preventative measure since Activated Charcoal may interfere with other medications.
That said, these ingredients are a good starting point for an effective gas and bloating supplement, however we feel it needs a few small tweaks. They would have earned extra points if they had included additional ingredients that have been clinically proven to alleviate gas and bloating such as Artichoke, Ginger and BioPerine® which aids bioavailability and speeds up results.
Is Gaia Herbs Gas & Bloating Effective?
Purely based on the reviews we found for this product, it appears that this supplement is effective for relieving gas and bloating. However, it seems that it is mainly used as a reactant as opposed to being a preventative measure. Instructions suggest that this supplement is to be used if you are suffering from bloating or gas post mealtimes.
We were also pleased to see that there is a satisfaction guarantee offered on the manufacturer’s website. This is something that definitely wins us over, however it is unclear how one would go about implementing the refund as it is not 100% clear. When we tried to dig up more information we came up empty-handed. We also found this was only offered on the manufacturer’s website, and doesn’t appear to apply when purchasing from Amazon or other 3rd party sites. This left us somewhat disappointed.
Is Gaia Herbs Gas & Bloating Safe?
The directions for this product are quite specific, suggesting to take 2 capsules as needed. It is emphasized that this supplement is for occasional use only and not to be taken for long periods of time. The manufacturer also writes as a warning that “vegetable Charcoal may interfere with the absorption of drugs,” therefore it is not recommended to take while consuming other vitamins or medications.
As with all supplements, it is important to consult your health care provider about any other health conditions you have and/or other medications you’re taking before starting a new supplement.
Summary
Gaia Herbs had the right idea by creating a product filled with herbs that are shown to be effective at reducing gas symptoms and providing immediate relief, such as Fennel, Caraway, Chamomile and Peppermint. However, most of these are part of a proprietary blend so we don’t know the dosage of each nor how effective it should be.
We also found that this formula was missing some crucial ingredients like Artichoke and Ginger, which we believe are an integral part of a high-quality gas and bloating product. Given the main ingredient is Activated Charcoal, it is clear to us that this product is not intended for long-term use, but rather as a need-to-take basis. It was not formulated to act as a preventative measure to combat gas and bloating, but rather as a reactive formula. To us, it seems a bit of a missed opportunity given the remaining ingredients show strong potential for long-term use as a preventative measure. This is probably also the reason that there are only 25 servings per bottle, instead of a month’s worth, since it is intended to only be used occasionally. You should take into consideration that if you use this product more often than not, it could become quite expensive.
In addition, there was absolutely no mention of a guarantee on the third party websites. This left us disappointed, although we were glad to see many positive reviews claiming that this product is effective and reliable.
