Frequently asked questions

We have answered the most frequently asked questions about Multibionta for you. If your individual question is not listed here, then just send us an e-mail!

• What is Multibionta? 
• What is Multibionta needed for? 
• How does Multibionta differ from other probiotic products? 
• What are probiotic cultures? 
• How do the probiotic cultures in Multibionta reach the gut alive? 
• Are probiotic cultures a discovery of modern times? 
• What do probiotic cultures do? 
• Probiotic cultures, vitamins, minerals/trace elements – all in a triple-layer tablet? Why? 
• Who benefits from Multibionta? 
• How many Multibionta tablets should one take a day? Is there a time limit to their use? 
• Can the Multibionta tablets also be divided or dissolved? 
• Where is Multibionta available? 
• Is Multibionta suitable for diabetics? 
• When and how often is Multibionta good for me? 
• Can patients taking Marcumar use Multibionta? 
• Is Multibionta gluten-free? Suitable in coeliac disease/sprue? 
• Is Multibionta gelatine-free?

Multibionta is an innovation of Merck Research.  It supplies micronutrients and special probiotic cultures. As a food supplement, Multibionta provides the body with 12 essential vitamins, important minerals/trace elements and 3 probiotic cultures.

Multibionta boosts the immune system and maintains physical performance and vitality: Multibionta supplies the body with three activating, selective strains of live probiotic cultures that promote the health of the intestine and via the gut – the largest immune system in the body – strengthen its defences. Multibionta also meets the daily needs for 12 vitamins essential for life and supplements the diet with important minerals and trace elements.

For the first time it has proved possible, with a patented technique, to combine 3 probiotic cultures with vitamins, minerals and trace elements in the specially coated, Multibionta triple-layer tablet. The unique manufacturing process enables large numbers of live probiotic cultures to reach the gut.  The regular supply of the specially selected probiotic cultures contained in Multibionta stabilises the microbial equilibrium of the gut flora, boosts the immune system and thereby the resistance of the entire body.

The term "probiotic" is derived from the Greek "pro bios" and literally means "pro-life". It is used nowadays to describe the health-promoting action of certain live microorganisms, the lactic acid bacteria. These bacteria are important constituents of a healthy gut flora. During their passage through our digestive tract, above all else, probiotic lactic acid bacteria have to withstand stomach and bile acid, because this is the only way that adequate numbers of them can survive to reach the intestine where they can exert their positive effect.

That is what's special about Merck's unique, patented, innovative manufacturing technique. Before "packing" into the triple-layer tablet, the probiotic cultures are very carefully dried and embedded in a carrier material that promotes stability.

Through this technique, they still remain active and are thus preserved in a living state. A final protective film around the triple-layer tablet offers additional protection against stomach and bile acid. In this way, large numbers of live probiotic cultures reach the intestine where they can then actively exert their full, health-promoting effects.

Not at all! Probiotic cultures have a long history! As long ago as the start of the last century, the Russian biologist Ilja Metschnikov discovered that it is the probiotic cultures in the form of lactic acid bacteria that make fermented foods such as yoghourt, pickled cabbage or leaven bread so healthy for us.

The gut is the largest defence organ in our body. An intact and well-balanced gut flora is therefore important for health and for strong defences. Probiotic cultures provide long-term support to the equilibrium of the gut flora by promoting the natural balance between "good" and "bad" bacteria in the gut. A healthy gut flora thus forms a good protective barrier against undesirable, health-endangering germs. External invaders can be better repelled.

Multibionta, with its three probiotic cultures Lactobacillus gasseri PA16/8, Bifidobacterium bifidum MF 20/5 and Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3 ensures that the gut's own immune system is activated. Studies by nutritional scientists have demonstrated that on regular ingestion of these probiotic bacterial strains, the body's resistance is increased through an activation of various specific defence cells. One tablet of Multibionta per day thus encourages a healthy, well-balanced gut flora, helps to weaken everyday onslaughts and in this way boosts our body's defences.

In the triple-layer tablet of Multibionta, 12 essential vitamins, minerals/trace elements and 3 live probiotic cultures are brought together in the optimum way.

Why? Vitamins and minerals/trace elements are micronutrients essential for life that enable the body's metabolism to run smoothly and actively support the body's own defences. Probiotic cultures promote the natural balance of the gut flora and in this way boost our defence. A balanced, proper diet would naturally be the best guarantee for an adequate supply of nutrients. Sadly, today's way of life – eating habits, fast food, stress, a hectic lifestyle - often makes it impossible to cover our needs of vitamins, minerals/trace elements and probiotic cultures through the food we eat. In addition, behaviour such as smoking, intensive sport and the ingestion of medicines, also increase our needs.

The risk of not ingesting sufficient of the important micronutrients through the daily diet is therefore high! That is why Multibionta has been developed by Merck.

Many of the ingredients contained in Multibionta are closely connected with each other: for example, vitamin C promotes the absorption of calcium, vitamin C supports the absorption of iron, folic acid is of greater benefit to us if vitamin C is available at the same time. In addition, the vitamins and minerals/trace elements contained in Multibionta encourage the growth and survival of the probiotic cultures in the gut. Furthermore, an intact gut flora is also capable of improving the absorption of certain minerals, and of producing specific vitamins.

So, thanks to its special composition and the carefully matched combination of ingredients, one tablet of Multibionta strengthens our body's defences, regulates the gut flora and thereby maintains physical performance.

Everyone who wants to do something active for their powers of defence. That applies particularly

• in times of physical and psychological strain 
• in chronic stress 
• with unbalanced nutrition (diets, fast food etc.) 
• after recovering from illness 
• to sportsmen and women 
• to smokers 
• to the elderly 
• Multibionta is also recommended to everyone who has to take antibiotics and wants to do something active to protect or regenerate their gut flora and boost their immune system.

As a food supplement with the special combination of micronutrients and the selected probiotic cultures, Multibionta is suitable for taking with and after antibiotics.

As a food supplement, Multibionta can be used for permanent and unrestricted support of the immune system throughout the year – no pauses in taking it are necessary. All the ingredients in one Multibionta tablet are contained in amounts that also occur in a healthy diet (vegetables, fruit, milk and whole wheat products), so that even on permanent use, no side effects or overdosage need be feared. We recommend that one tablet daily be taken. This is already sufficient to cover the daily needs for 12 essential vitamins, to supplement your diet with important minerals and trace elements as well as to supply the body with 3 probiotic cultures. As a logical accompaniment to antibiotic therapy, for stabilising and/or regenerating the physiological gut flora, and to boost the body's defences, we recommend one tablet of Multibionta daily (about 2 hours before or after taking the antibiotic) during the period the antibiotic is taken and for 4-6 weeks afterwards.

Dividing or dissolving the Multibionta tablet is not recommended because this would damage the protective layer around the tablet – one of the special features of  Multibionta. This layer provides an additional protection for the probiotic bacterial cultures from stomach and bile acid during their passage through the stomach and intestine, without which the activity of the probiotic cultures would be reduced. Because of the special coating around the tablets, only if the Multibionta tablet is swallowed intact do large numbers of the living probiotic cultures contained in Multibionta reach the gut where they can exert their many positive, health-promoting effects.

We want you to be advised about your health and important micronutrients by qualified people. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to be given detailed advice in general retail outlets. Therefore you can only obtain Multibionta from your pharmacy. Use the opportunity to get your pharmacist to tell you all about  Multibionta.

Yes. Multibionta contains virtually no carbohydrates, so it is not necessary to include it in any calculations.

For regular dietary supplementation, swallow whole (do not chew) 1 tablet daily with plenty of liquid (1 glass). The amounts of all the ingredients of the food supplement Multibionta are within the recommended intake, so that you can supplement your diet with Multibionta day-in, day-out, all the year round.  Multibionta is not however a complete replacement for a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. The recommended daily intake should not be exceeded.  Pregnant women should ask their doctor before beginning to take Multibionta. 
 
One tablet taken per day (unchewed and not divided) with plenty of fluid (1 glass)

• covers the need for 12 essential vitamins 
• supplements the diet with important minerals/trace elements 
• supplies the body with selected probiotic cultures.

Since, as a food supplement, Multibionta contains all the ingredients in amounts that are also present in a healthy diet, you can use Multibionta without any restriction throughout the year.

Yes, Multibionta does not contain any vitamin K and can therefore be recommended for patients on anticoagulants.

Multibionta is gluten-free and thus also suitable for patients with coeliac disease/sprue.

Yes.