FAQ

What is EnteraGam®?

EnteraGam® is a medical food product for the dietary management of chronic diarrhea and loose stools due to specific intestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Read About EnteraGam® to learn more.

 

What is medical food?

A medical food is a food which is formulated to be consumed or administered enterally (orally) under the supervision of a physician and which is intended for specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation.13 Learn more about medical foods.

 

How can EnteraGam® help?

EnteraGam® uniquely addresses the underlying factors that may contribute to chronic diarrhea and loose stools in people with specific intestinal disorders, like IBS-D or IBD. Print this free Doctor Discussion Guide to help you talk to your doctor about EnteraGam®.

In a clinical study, people who took EnteraGam® experienced fewer days per week with loose stools and other IBS-D–related symptoms, including abdominal discomfort and bloating. Some people notice management of their condition with EnteraGam® in as little as 2 to 4 weeks.9 See how EnteraGam® works.

 

How many packets are in a box?

Each box of EnteraGam® has 30 packets in it.

 

Is EnteraGam® safe?

Yes. EnteraGam® is safe and well-tolerated. While many products reach the bloodstream and can affect the whole body, EnteraGam® is not absorbed systemically. This means EnteraGam® only works where it is needed in the gastrointestinal tract to manage chronic diarrhea and loose stools due to specific intestinal disorders.8 Learn more about the safety of EnteraGam®.

 

Why must EnteraGam® be taken under physician supervision? Can it be dangerous?

EnteraGam® is classified as a medical food, which is the gold standard for safety and must be administered under a health care provider because it is used for chronic diseases such as IBS-D and IBD.

 

How does EnteraGam® work?

EnteraGam® uniquely binds toxic substances released by bacteria (and other substances called microbial components1) that upset the intestinal environment. This helps prevent them from penetrating the lining of the intestine and causing problems.

EnteraGam® may also help:1-8

  • Restore a stable environment in your gut (called gut homeostasis)
  • Manage how your gut barrier works (called gut barrier function) so nutrients from foods and fluids can be properly absorbed

See EnteraGam® for Chronic Diarrhea, EnteraGam® for IBS-D or EnteraGam® for IBD to learn more.

 

How do I take EnteraGam®?

EnteraGam® is a fine powder that can be easily mixed into at least 4 ounces of liquid (water or other liquid as preferred8). Or, EnteraGam® can be mixed with soft foods, such as pudding or yogurt.8 Get more tips for getting started on EnteraGam®.

 

How long can I take EnteraGam®?

You can take EnteraGam® as long as you want (under your health care provider's supervision), unlike antibiotics that can only be taken for short periods of time.10 Learn more about getting started on EnteraGam®.

 

How many packets a day is a patient supposed to take?

Patients taking EnteraGam® begin by taking 2 packets a day for the first two weeks, followed by a maintenance dosing protocol of 1 packet per day. In the most severe cases, you make take up to 4 packets per day. Please consult your doctor for the best treatment protocol for you.

 

References

  1. Horgan A, Maas K, Henderson A, Detzel C, Weaver E. Serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin/protein isolate binds to pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Poster presented at: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology; April 26-30, 2014; San Diego, CA.
  2. Asmuth D, Netanya S. Utay NS, Somsouk M, et al. Oral bovine immunoglobulin reduces immune activation in HIV+ immune nonresponders. Poster presented at: Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI); February 22-25, 2016; Boston, MA.
  3. Petschow BW, Burnett B, Shaw AL, Weaver EM, Klein Serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin/protein isolate: postulated mechanism of action for management of enteropathy. Clin Exp Gastroenterol. 2014;7:181-190.
  4. Henderson AL, Brand MW, Darling RJ, et al. Attenuation of colitis by serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin/protein isolate in a defined microbiota mouse model. Dig Dis Sci. 2015;60(11):3293-3303.
  5. Pérez-Bosque A, Miró L, Maijó M, et al. Dietary intervention with serum-derived bovine immunoglobulins protects barrier function in a mouse model of colitis. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2015;308(12):G1012-G1018.
  6. Pérez-Bosque A, Miró L, Maijó M, et al. Oral serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin/protein isolate has immunomodulatory effects on the colon of mice that spontaneously develop colitis. PLoS One. 2016;11(5):e0154823.
  7. Detzel CJ, Horgan A, Henderson AL, Petschow BW, Warner CD, Maas KJ, Weaver EM. Bovine immunoglobulin/protein isolate binds pro-inflammatory bacterial compounds and prevents immune activation in an intestinal co-culture model. PLoS One. 2015;10(4):e0120278.
  8. EnteraGam® [product information]. Ankeny, IA: Entera Health, Inc.; October 2020.
  9. Wilson D, Evans M, Weaver E, Shaw AL, Klein GL. Evaluation of serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin protein isolate in subjects with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. Clin Med Insights Gastroenterol. 2013;6:49-60.
  10. Xifaxan® [prescribing information]. Raleigh, NC: Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; May 2015.
  11. Boyle RJ, Robins-Browne RM, Tang ML. Probiotic use in clinical practice: what are the risks? Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;83(6):1256-1264.
  12. Sartor RB, Mazmanian SK. Intestinal microbes in inflammatory bowel diseases. Am J Gastroenterol Suppl. 2012;1(1):15-21.
  13. Morgan SL, Baggott JE. Medical foods: products for the management of chronic diseases. Nutr Rev. 2006;64(11):495-501.

Intended Use

EnteraGam® is a medical food product intended for the dietary management of chronic diarrhea and loose stools. EnteraGam® must be administered under medical supervision.