VSL#3 Capsules
by VSL Pharmaceuticals · capsule · 60 capsules
- Off the market since June 2024 (NIH)
- UPC 7 45749 01781 9
- DSLD label 73496
- Serving 2 to 8 capsules (containing 225 billion bacteria); amounts per 2 capsules
VSL#3 Capsules by VSL Pharmaceuticals lists 13 ingredients; 13 sit inside a blend without their own amounts. Its current label entered the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database on May 24, 2017.
What is in VSL#3 Capsules?
Each row as the label prints it, per serving of 2 capsules. The capsule beside an amount places it among every product in the NIH database that lists the same ingredient: the bar is the middle half of their amounts, the line in it the median, the whiskers the 10th and 90th percentiles; the green tick is the FDA Daily Value and the red dashed tick the adult upper limit (IOM).
| Ingredient | Amount | % DV | Among products listing it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eight Strains Of Lactic Acid Bacteria | no amount given | ||
| Streptococcus thermophilus | in the blend, no amount given | ||
| Bifidobacterium breve | in the blend, no amount given | ||
| Bifidobacterium longumBifidobacterium longum Genus: Bifidobacterium Species: longum Note: Recently reclassified as B lactis. | in the blend, no amount given | ||
| Bifidobacterium infantisBifidobacterium infantis Genus: bifidobacterium Species: infantis Note: Recently reclassified as B lactis. | in the blend, no amount given | ||
| Lactobacillus acidophilus | in the blend, no amount given | ||
| Lactobacillus plantarum | in the blend, no amount given | ||
| Lactobacillus paracasei | in the blend, no amount given | ||
| Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus | in the blend, no amount given | ||
| Microcrystalline Cellulose | no amount given | ||
| Stearic Acid | no amount given | ||
| Magnesium Stearate | no amount given | ||
| Vegetable Capsuleas Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose | no amount given | ||
| Silicon Dioxide | no amount given |
Source: NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database, label 73496 (entered May 24, 2017), version 9.4.0. See the label on DSLD. Amounts are what the maker printed; DSLD does not test products. Daily Values: the FDA's Daily Value page.
Is that a lot?
Every amount on this label with a position sits within the middle 80% of the products that list the same ingredient; 13 ingredients sit inside a blend, so their amounts cannot be compared.
The NIH database records one serving a day from the label's directions; its % Daily Values are for adults and children 4 or more years of age. The directions as printed are further down this page.
The Tolerable Upper Intake Level is the most of a nutrient per day, from food, water and supplements together, that is likely to pose no risk for almost all adults (Institute of Medicine, 2011). It does not apply under medical supervision. This page compares labels; it is not medical advice.
Sources: amounts from the DSLD label; Daily Values from 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv); adult upper limits from the Institute of Medicine's DRI summary tables (2011). How positions are computed.
Which products have the closest formulas?
The products whose ingredient lists overlap most with VSL#3 Capsules's, rare ingredients counting for more.
- Digesta Guard Forte 10 CapsulesPerque 7 shared, 35% alike
- Digesta Guard Forte 10 Probiotic CapsulesPerque 7 shared, 35% alike
Source: ingredient lists of every product's current label in DSLD (version 9.4.0); similarity weights each shared ingredient by how rare it is.
What does the label say about taking it?
Quoted from the label as DSLD transcribed it: the maker's words, including any claim about what the product does, which the FDA has not evaluated and PlainVitamins does not endorse.
- Directions
- Directions: Consume 2-8 capsules daily or as directed by your physician.
- Recommended Daily Intake 1 serving = 2 capsules containing 225 billion bacteria For Dietary Management Of Capsules Per Day Irritable Bowel Syndrome1,2 2-4 (225-450 billion) Ulcerative Colitis3-5 4-8 (450-900 billion)
- Warnings
- Do not use if bottle seal is broken or damaged.
- Adjustment of the intestinal flora can take a few days or weeks; it may take up to one month for the colonization of the gut to become optimally stable.
- Some dairy ingredients are used in the culture medium but are removed during manufacturing. Product may contain trace amounts of dairy ingredients at very low levels.
- Drug Interactions Avoid taking with antibiotics. Some antibiotics may inactivate certain strains of bacterium in VSL#3.
- Side Effects Mild abdominal bloating has been reported in the first few days of consuming VSL#3.
- Precautions Please keep this product out of reach of children.
- Pregnant or lactating women should consult with a physician or healthcare professional before using this or any other medical food product.
- Dairy Status Some dairy ingredients are used in the culture medium but are removed during manufacturing. There might be trace amounts at very low levels. For this reason VSL#3 is not defined as a dairy-free product but as a non-dairy product.
- Allergens and what it does not contain
- Gluten Status VSL#3 is gluten-free
- Storage
- Storage VSL#3 Capsules should be refrigerated (39-46(0)F, 4-8(0)C). If stored under refrigeration, the product is guaranteed through “Best if used by” date. VSL#3 Capsules can be stored at room temperature for up to one week without adversely affecting potency of bacteria.
Source: label statements in DSLD label 73496.
How many labels does VSL#3 Capsules have?
One label is on file, entered on May 24, 2017.
- Label 73496 (current) Entered May 24, 2017 · off the market June 24, 2024 · 60 capsules · UPC 7 45749 01781 9
DSLD also links this label to: VSL#3 Capsules (image difference, same product).
Source: DSLD label entry and market events, version 9.4.0 (labels entered through September 25, 2025).
Who makes it?
The label names Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals (distributor), Gaithersburg, MD. All VSL Pharmaceuticals products.