Most hair formulas stop at vitamins, minerals and herbs. Hair Radiance adds three probiotic strains, and there is a good reason for it. Everything you take for your hair has to pass through your gut before it can reach a follicle.
On this page
From Anirva, the maker of Hair Radiance. This article is general information, not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
- Hair nutrition starts in the gut. Probiotics act there. They can strengthen the lining of the gut and make useful substances, including some vitamins [1].
- Probiotics and hair have been studied in people. A 2024 review pooled the studies, and hair thickness improved significantly in the human trials [3].
- In a 4-month study, hair count and hair thickness both rose. The 46 men and women drank a fermented probiotic product twice a day [4].
- One Hair Radiance strain has its own published human trial. L. plantarum UALp-05 was tested in 307 adults and was well tolerated [6][7].
- The probiotics are built in. Hair Radiance has 5 billion CFU from three named strains in the same three daily capsules, so there is no separate probiotic to take [14].
This article explains the link between the gut and hair, and what the studies show. It also covers each of the three strains, including the one with its own human trial in 307 adults.
Facts at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ingredient and form | Probiotic blend of three strains: Lactobacillus plantarum UALp-05, Lactobacillus reuteri UALre-16 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus UALr-06 [14] |
| Amount in Hair Radiance | 5 billion CFU a day for the blend, in 3 capsules [14] |
| Percent of Daily Value | No Daily Value has been set [14] |
| Recommended intake | No formal recommendation for healthy people [1] |
| Amounts used in studies | 1 billion and 10 billion CFU a day of UALp-05 in one trial [6]. The hair studies used other strains [3][4][5] |
| Kinds of evidence | Human studies of other strains for hair; one human trial of UALp-05 for digestion; animal studies; one review that pooled the studies [3][4][5][6] |
| Human studies cited here | 1 pooled review of hair studies, 1 hair study in 46 adults, 1 digestive trial in 307 adults, 1 review of 69 L. plantarum studies, 1 pooled review of iron absorption |
| Adult upper limit | None has been set [1] |
| Last reviewed | October 14, 2026 |
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that give a health benefit when they are taken in adequate amounts [1]. Most are bacteria. The most common kinds belong to two groups, called Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium [2].
A probiotic has a name in three parts: the genus, the species and the strain [1]. In Lactobacillus plantarum UALp-05, the letters and numbers "UALp-05" identify the strain.
The strain matters. Two strains of the same species can act in different ways, so a result for one strain does not carry over to another [1][2].
Probiotics are counted in colony-forming units, or CFU. This is the number of live cells in a serving [1].
A note on names
In 2020, scientists split the large Lactobacillus group into smaller groups and gave many species a new name [1]. You may now see Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Limosilactobacillus reuteri and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus on labels and in studies [1][6][10]. These are new names for the same bacteria.
How are the gut and hair connected?
Start with a simple fact. Hair is built from what you eat, and the gut is where food becomes something the body can use.
Probiotics do their work in the gut. There they can influence the community of microbes that live in the intestines [1]. Researchers describe several ways this matters. Probiotics can slow the growth of unwanted microbes, make useful substances that include some vitamins, and strengthen the lining of the gut. Some strains also act on the immune system [1].
There is direct evidence that a probiotic can change how well the body takes in a nutrient. One strain of L. plantarum, called 299v, has been tested for iron in eight human studies. Pooled together, they show that it significantly increased the amount of iron absorbed from food [8]. That matters for hair, because low iron stores have been linked with hair shedding in women [11].
Researchers now use the name "gut-hair axis" for this link [3]. A 2024 genetic study adds one more piece. It found six groups of gut bacteria linked with pattern hair loss, three with higher odds and three with lower odds [9]. That kind of study shows a link. It does not test a probiotic.
Do probiotics help hair growth? What the research shows
The research on probiotics and hair is still growing, and the results so far are encouraging. Three studies give the clearest picture.
A 2024 review that pooled the studies
In 2024, researchers searched five databases for studies of probiotics and hair published up to May 2023. They pooled eight studies, which included randomized human trials and animal studies [3].
In the human trials, hair thickness improved significantly with probiotics. In the animal studies, the number of hair follicles rose significantly [3]. The authors concluded that probiotics show potential for improving hair growth [3].
A 2020 study of a fermented probiotic drink
A pilot study published in 2020 enrolled 23 men and 23 women with pattern hair thinning. They drank 80 mL of a fermented probiotic product twice a day for four months. The product was made with cultures from kimchi and fermented soybeans [4].
Hair count rose from about 86 hairs per square centimeter at the start to about 90 at one month and 92 at four months. Hair thickness also rose. Both changes were statistically significant, and the participants reported no unwanted effects [4]. The company that makes the product funded the study.
A 2013 animal study of L. reuteri
In 2013, researchers gave mice Lactobacillus reuteri, strain ATCC 6475, in their drinking water or as a probiotic yogurt. The mice grew thicker, shinier fur [5].
The researchers also counted hair follicles in the growth phase. In male mice given the probiotic, 70% of follicles were in the growth phase, compared with 36% in the other mice. In female mice, the figures were 62% and 30% [5]. This was an animal study.
Study summary
| Study | Type | Probiotic used | Main result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yin et al., 2024 [3] | Review that pooled 8 studies | Various strains | Significant gain in hair thickness in human trials |
| Park et al., 2020 [4] | Human, 46 adults, 4 months | Fermented drink with Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus sakei | Hair count and thickness rose |
| Levkovich et al., 2013 [5] | Animal (mice) | L. reuteri ATCC 6475 | More follicles in the growth phase; shinier fur |
What are the three strains in Hair Radiance?
A probiotic is defined by its strains, so here is what is known about each one.
Lactobacillus plantarum UALp-05
L. plantarum is one of the most widely used probiotic species. It is found in fermented foods, on plants and in the digestive tract [12]. A 2024 review describes it as a safe probiotic that has "generally recognized as safe" status. It is also widely used as a starter culture in food [12].
The same review lists five ways that L. plantarum strains may act. They influence the normal gut microbes, hold back unwanted microbes, strengthen the lining of the gut, act on the immune system and make useful substances [12].
Research on this species has grown quickly. A 2025 review covered 69 studies of specific L. plantarum strains in people. It found that the benefits differ from strain to strain, and that side effects were rare and not severe [13].
UALp-05 has its own published human trial, which is uncommon for a strain in a hair formula to be able to say. In 2023, a trial registered under the name UALp-05 tested it in 307 adults who had frequent loose stools and belly pain [6][7]. Each day for 8 weeks they took 1 billion CFU, 10 billion CFU or a placebo.
Stool form became normal in 62.5% of the 1 billion group and 88.4% of the 10 billion group, compared with 26.3% of the placebo group. The strain was well tolerated [6]. Chr. Hansen, the maker of the strain, funded the trial.
This matters for a simple reason. It shows that this exact strain has a measurable effect in the gut, at amounts from 1 billion CFU a day [6]. The published paper calls the strain Lpla33, and the trial registration calls it UALp-05 [6][7].
L. plantarum is also the species behind the iron absorption finding described above, in the 299v strain [8].
Lactobacillus reuteri UALre-16
L. reuteri lives naturally in the human body. It is found in the gut, on the skin and in breast milk [10].
This is the species behind the animal result described above, where 70% of hair follicles were in the growth phase, compared with 36%. That study used a different strain, ATCC 6475 [5]. A 2022 review notes that the effects of L. reuteri depend on the strain [10].
Lactobacillus rhamnosus UALr-06
L. rhamnosus is among the most studied probiotic species. One strain, known as LGG, has been tested in many randomized trials [1]. Its new scientific name is Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus [1].
Still open: we found no published human study of UALre-16 or UALr-06 specifically, and it has not been confirmed whether UALr-06 is the same strain as Chr. Hansen's published L. rhamnosus DSM 33560. This is reflected here by reporting only what is published for each named strain.
How much is in Hair Radiance compared with the studies?
| Source | Amount a day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hair Radiance (3 capsules) | 5 billion CFU for the blend of three strains | From the label [14] |
| Many probiotic supplements | 1 to 10 billion CFU per dose | According to the National Institutes of Health [1] |
| 2023 trial of UALp-05 | 1 billion or 10 billion CFU | One strain, for 8 weeks [6] |
| 2020 hair study | 160 mL of a fermented drink | Other strains, for 4 months [4] |
Hair Radiance provides 5 billion CFU a day from three strains together. This is within the range found in many probiotic supplements. A higher CFU count does not by itself make a product more effective [1].
The label gives one figure for the blend. It does not state the amount of each strain [14].
The studies above tested single strains or other products, so their results do not describe Hair Radiance as a whole.
Which foods contain live cultures?
Yogurt is made with live bacteria. Other fermented foods with live cultures include kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, kombucha and many cheeses [1].
These foods can be part of a varied diet. The National Institutes of Health notes that many of them do not contain strains that have been studied as probiotics [1].
The 2020 hair study used a drink made with cultures from kimchi and fermented soybeans [4].
Our Formula: Hair Radiance
22 ingredients, including 3 named probiotic strains
Hair Radiance is a daily three-capsule supplement that pairs 5 billion CFU of probiotics with vitamins, minerals and plant extracts, all in the same capsules. Every ingredient and amount is listed on the label.
See Hair RadianceAre probiotics safe?
Probiotics have a long history of use, and they are unlikely to cause harm in healthy people [1][2]. Side effects are usually minor. The most common is gas, which tends to pass [1].
The picture is different for people who are severely ill or whose immune system is weakened. Some evidence shows that probiotics may cause harm in these groups [1][2].
There is no formal recommendation for or against probiotics in healthy people, and no upper limit has been set [1].
Probiotics are one part of Hair Radiance
Hair Radiance is a daily three-capsule hair growth supplement with 22 ingredients: vitamins, minerals, plant extracts, an amino acid and three probiotic strains. They were chosen to support healthy hair growth, to help promote silky, smooth hair, and to strengthen and maintain healthy hair. The probiotic blend supplies the three strains.
Hair Radiance has not been clinically tested as a finished product. For this reason, we cannot say how its ingredients work together. The studies in this article tested single strains or other probiotic products.
The probiotics are part of the formula, not an extra product. The three strains are in the same three daily capsules as the vitamins, minerals and plant extracts. There is no separate probiotic to buy or to remember [14].
If you take Hair Radiance, you are not relying on probiotics alone. The blend sits alongside 19 other ingredients in each serving. Every ingredient and amount is listed on the label [14].
If you are deciding
Here is the case in brief. Hair is fed through the gut, and probiotics act in the gut [1]. In people, a pooled review found thicker hair with probiotics, and a 4-month study found higher hair count and thickness [3][4]. One of the three strains in Hair Radiance has its own published trial in 307 adults [6]. The research is young, and it is moving in a good direction. Hair Radiance gives you three named strains and a stated amount, in the same three capsules as the vitamins, minerals and plant extracts. There is no separate probiotic to take [14]. The directions are three capsules a day with food [14].
The short version
Hair is fed through the gut, and probiotics act in the gut. A 2024 review of the studies found a significant gain in hair thickness with probiotics, and a 4-month study found higher hair count and thickness. One Hair Radiance strain, L. plantarum UALp-05, has its own published human trial in 307 adults. Hair Radiance provides 5 billion CFU a day from three named strains.
Frequently asked questions
Do probiotics help hair growth?
Which probiotics are in Hair Radiance?
Hair Radiance has three strains: Lactobacillus plantarum UALp-05, Lactobacillus reuteri UALre-16 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus UALr-06 [14].
How are gut health and hair connected?
Can probiotics cause hair loss?
The National Institutes of Health names minor digestive effects, such as gas, as the usual side effects of probiotics. Hair loss is not among them [1].
Can I take probiotics while pregnant?
The Hair Radiance directions say to ask your doctor before use if you are pregnant or nursing [14].
How many CFU are in Hair Radiance?
What does CFU mean?
CFU stands for colony-forming units. It is the number of live cells in a serving [1].
How long do probiotics take to work for hair?
There is no set time. In the 4-month hair study, hair count and thickness were higher at one month and at four months [4].
Are probiotics good for the skin?
Researchers are studying probiotics for skin. The work is at an early stage, and different strains may have different effects [2].
References
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Probiotics: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated March 25, 2025. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Probiotics-HealthProfessional/ (accessed October 7, 2026).
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health. Probiotics: Usefulness and Safety. Last updated August 2019. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics-usefulness-and-safety (accessed October 7, 2026).
- Yin CS, Nguyen TTM, Yi EJ, Zheng S, Bellere AD, Zheng Q, Jin X, Kim M, Park S, Oh S, Yi TH. Efficacy of probiotics in hair growth and dandruff control: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Heliyon. 2024;10(9):e29539. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29539. PMID: 38698995.
- Park DW, Lee HS, Shim MS, Yum KJ, Seo JT. Do kimchi and cheonggukjang probiotics as a functional food improve androgenetic alopecia? A clinical pilot study. World J Mens Health. 2020;38(1):95-102. doi:10.5534/wjmh.180119. PMID: 31385480.
- Levkovich T, Poutahidis T, Smillie C, Varian BJ, Ibrahim YM, Lakritz JR, Alm EJ, Erdman SE. Probiotic bacteria induce a "glow of health". PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e53867. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0053867. PMID: 23342023.
- Martoni CJ, Srivastava S, Damholt A, Leyer GJ. Efficacy and dose response of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. World J Gastroenterol. 2023;29(28):4451-4465. doi:10.3748/wjg.v29.i28.4451. PMID: 37576702.
- ClinicalTrials.gov. To Study the Efficacy and Safety of L. Plantarum UALp-05TM in Diarrhea-Predominant-irritable Bowel Syndrome. Identifier NCT04950296. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04950296 (accessed October 7, 2026).
- Vonderheid SC, Tussing-Humphreys L, Park C, Pauls H, OjiNjideka Hemphill N, LaBomascus B, McLeod A, Koenig MD. A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of probiotic species on iron absorption and iron status. Nutrients. 2019;11(12):2938. doi:10.3390/nu11122938. PMID: 31816981.
- Fu H, Xu T, Zhao W, Jiang L, Shan S. Roles of gut microbiota in androgenetic alopecia: insights from Mendelian randomization analysis. Front Microbiol. 2024;15:1360445. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2024.1360445.
- Abuqwider J, Altamimi M, Mauriello G. Limosilactobacillus reuteri in health and disease. Microorganisms. 2022;10(3):522. doi:10.3390/microorganisms10030522. PMID: 35336098.
- Rushton DH. Nutritional factors and hair loss. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2002;27(5):396-404. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2230.2002.01076.x. PMID: 12190640.
- Zare D, Aryaee H, Mirdamadi S, Shirkhan F. The benefits and applications of Lactobacillus plantarum in food and health: a narrative review. Iran J Public Health. 2024;53(10):2201-2213. doi:10.18502/ijph.v53i10.16698. PMID: 39544869.
- Chatsirisakul O, Leenabanchong N, Siripaopradit Y, Chang CW, Buhngamongkol P, Pongpirul K. Strain-specific therapeutic potential of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum: a systematic scoping review. Nutrients. 2025;17(7):1165. doi:10.3390/nu17071165. PMID: 40218922.
- Anirva. Hair Radiance Supplement Facts label and product page. https://anirva.com/pages/hair-growth-supplement-with-probiotics (accessed October 7, 2026).
