Epetome: A Dietitian’s review

If you have come across the supplement Epetōme and want to find out whether it can benefit your gut health, you are in the right place!

With so many unregulated gut health supplements on the market, it is a struggle trying to figure out which ones are research-backed and worth spending your money on.

In this article, we explain what Epetōme is and what it contains. We will also take a look at the research behind its ingredients.

What is Epetome?

Epetōme is a synbiotic supplement. 

A synbiotic is a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics – the idea being that the prebiotic will feed the live bacteria in the supplement and help it survive in large amounts to reach the area in your body it needs to work on (1).

Prebiotics are fiber-rich foods that feed our good gut bacteria, such as artichokes, onions and garlic (2).

Probiotics are live bacteria that provide a health benefit to the host (3).

As a probiotic needs to show that it provides a health benefit to the host, Epetōme cannot be called a probiotic as it has not been studied. 

Does Epetōme reach the gut alive?

One issue with some probiotics on the market is that the bacteria do not reach the gut alive as digestive processes destroy it.

Epetōme claims to have a ‘duo cap’, which is 30 times more effective than a standard capsule at ensuring the bacterial strains reach the gut alive.

This claim is based on a simulated human GI tract, rather than an actual human GI tract, so we do not know if the same results are replicated in real life (4). 

The ingredients in Epetōme include: 

• 11 bacterial strains 
• Fructo-oligosaccharide (prebiotic)
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Biotin

Below we discuss the ingredients of Epetōme and their effect on gut health. 

Bacterial strains

Eleven bacterial strains are in Epetōme.

At the time of writing, there are no clinical trials looking at the effect of Epetōme on humans so we do not know if this product provides any health benefits. 

Also, research shows that when some bacterial strains interact, they ‘cancel’ out the benefits of one another (5, 6).

So we really do need a clinical trial of Epetōme to see if it provides positive outcomes for human health. 

Epetōme claims over 450 studies support their strain selection, but some strains are included at lower doses than those shown to be beneficial (7). 

For instance, L. rhamnosus HN001 is effective at improving cognitive performance at 10 billion CFU. Epetōme only contains only 1 billion CFU (8).

Similarly, L. rhamnosus GG shows cognitive benefits at 10 billion CFU, but this product has about 7 billion CFU (9). 

A lot of the research they link to their product is also based on animal studies or lab studies (not humans), so we don’t know the effects of the strain on humans.

Fructo–oligosaccharide

Another ingredient in Epetōme is fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS). FOS is a prebiotic which promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. 

However, the amount of FOS in the Epetōme, 0.05g, is very unlikely to stimulate a prebiotic effect on the gut given it is such a low dose when compared to the 2.5-5g dose used in clinical trials (10). 

FOS is also a type of FODMAP. FODMAPs are types of fermentable carbohydrates that can cause symptoms in people with IBS (11).
For more information on prebiotics and IBS, see our article, Do prebiotic supplements help IBS?.

Vitamin D

There is also 5ug of Vitamin D in Epetōme. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, essential for calcium absorption, and plays a role in the immune system. 

Although you find vitamin D in foods such as eggs, fish and fortified foods, the primary source of vitamin D is from the sun as our skin can make it (12). 

In terms of gut health, Vitamin D helps to reduce the amount of bad bacteria invading the gut by reducing the permeability of the gut mucosal barrier (intestinal permeability) (13).

Some research also suggests that Vitamin D supplementation can positively impact the diversity of our gut microbiome (14). 

However, there are mixed results in this research area, and we need more studies before we can reach any definitive conclusions.

Zinc

Zinc is also an ingredient in Epetōme and research suggests zinc has a role in intestinal permeability (15).

As well as this, zinc contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system as it contributes to the growth and development of white blood cells (16).

Gut health and immune health are closely linked so it is important to maintain good immune health so that you have good gut health (17). 

If you are deficient in zinc, you are more susceptible to various pathogens (disease-causing organisms) (18). 

You can find zinc in foods such as meat, fish, fortified breakfast cereals and beans and nuts (19).

Zinc deficiency is not common in developed countries for those with a well-balanced diet so you shouldn’t worry about needing to supplement this (20).

Biotin

Biotin, also known as Vitamin B7, is a water-soluble vitamin. Biotin’s main role is to help break down carbohydrates, fats and proteins (21). 

Our gut bacteria is responsible for producing biotin, so alterations in our gut microbiome may cause deficiency (22).

There is currently no research that supports the idea that biotin supplementation improves gut health. 

Do note that biotin deficiency is rare if you are following a balanced diet, so supplementation is likely not needed for the general population (23). 

Eggs, meat, fish, nuts and certain vegetables such as sweet potato are rich in biotin (24).

Conclusion

Epetōme is a gut health supplement containing bacterial strains, fructo-oligosaccharide and various vitamins and minerals.

Currently, there are no clinical trials on this supplement to establish its beneficial effects on our health, if any. 

Some research it links to does not back up its claims. The dose of some ingredients is also less than the dose that is effective in clinical trials. 

Over supplements, we always recommend establishing the basics of good gut health, including a diet rich in plants, good quality sleep, stress management and regular movement. 

If you have a gut disorder or disease and are struggling with your diet, we would recommend working with a dietitian for more tailored advice. 

Written by Elouise Rice, Registered Dietitian, reviewed by Kirsten Jackson Consultant Dietitian BSc Hons, RD, PG Cert