When you take one or two caplets of Travelan® before a meal, it lays in wait in the gastrointestinal tract. If you consume food or drinks that are contaminated with diarrhea causing bacteria, Travelan® contains specific antibodies that bind to the E.coli (ETEC) bacteria, neutralizing them and inhibiting their attachment to the intestinal wall.
In short, Travelan® works to target and neutralise bacteria before they can make you sick.
Travelan® contains bovine colostrum, a dairy product. The bovine colostrum in Travelan® is harvested from New Zealand dairy cows, which are certified to be free from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) a progressive neurological disorder of cattle. Each batch is pasteurised and tested to be free of antibiotics and microorganisms.
Travelan® contains cow’s milk proteins and lactose. Therefore do not take Travelan® if you have an allergy to bovine protein or are lactose intolerant, due to the presence of milk protein and lactose in the product.
Please read the label before use.
Travelan® contains the natural ingredient bovine colostrum powder, harvested from New Zealand dairy cows, and that are subject to a proprietary immunisation regime with proprietary vaccines to produce high levels of antibodies against specific strains of Enterotoxigenic E.coli (ETEC) bacteria, the most common cause of Travelers’ Diarrhea.
In the USA Travelan® is sold as a dietary supplement.
In Australia Travelan® is sold as an over the counter product in Australian pharmacies. It is listed in the Australia Register of Therapeuatic Goods (ARTG), AUST L 106709. In Australia, product specific indications are:
- Reduces the risk of Travelers Diarrhea
- Reduces the risk of minor gastro-intestinal disorders
- Antimicrobial
In Canada Travelan® is a licensed Natural Health Product (NPN 80046016) and is specifically indicated to reduce the risk of Travelers Diarrhea.
Travelan® has been sold over-the-counter in Australian pharmacies since September 2004. Over 600,000 packs have been sold worldwide.
Travelers’ Diarrhea is characterized by the fairly abrupt onset of watery, loose or semi-formed stools associated with abdominal cramps, vomiting, nausea and fever.
The most common cause of travelers’ diarrhea is the Enterotoxigenic E.coli ( ETEC ) which may be found in drinks, ice cubes, on the outside of fruits and vegetables, on the surface of utensils and anywhere contaminated water or poor hygiene is present. E.coli can be found in a street side stall or in the best restaurants.
Take it soon after food or drink intake, though it may not work as effectively. Additional caplets may be taken when increased cover is required, e.g. when snacking between meals or if circumstances suggest an increased risk of infection.
Travelan® is not indicated for use in children under 6 years of age except on professional health advice. The whole caplet may be difficult for children to ingest if they are under 6 years of age.
The caplets are easily broken in half or crushed into a powder for easier administration.
Travelan® is not indicated for use by pregnant women and has not been tested in pregnant women.
Travelan® does not contain colourings, flavourings or artificial coatings.
Yes. Travelan® contains bovine milk proteins, lactose and glucose. The amount of lactose in Travelan® has been reduced by membrane filtration to less than 10%, compared to about 50% of dry weight skim milk powder.
The average amount of lactose per caplet is approximately 12mg, which is a daily dose of 36mg if 3 caplets are consumed in one day. This is well below the level at which clinical signs are usually experienced. However, those who are allergic to milk will likely react to Travelan®.
The amount of glucose per caplet is only 50mg, which means a daily dose of approx. 150mg if 3 caplets are taken. Travelan® is gluten free and does not contain artificial colourings, flavourings or coatings.
Travelan® cannot “cure” diarrhea but may assist in recovery and reduce the severity of the symptoms in order to maintain a healthy gut. Travelan® was found in the clinical trials to significantly decrease the severity of the symptoms if someone does get Travelers’ Diarrhea. Travelan® binds to ETEC and blocks their attachment to the gastrointestinal wall and this may help reduce re-colonisation and also reduce the time of infection and speed up recovery.
Enzymes: May assist in digestion but do not specifically target pathogenic bacteria.
Probiotics: The use of probiotics for the prevention of diarrhea is controversial and suffers from a lack of well- controlled studies.
Travelan® targets the gastrointestinal system by several methods working in parallel to maintain gastrointestinal health:
- Bovine colostrum has antibacterial properties.
- Antibodies in Travelan® target the major bacteria associated with diarrhea.
- Components in bovine colostrum may help reduce inflammation.
- Components in bovine colostrum may help to support gastrointestinal health.
- Travelan® is not known to be associated with any drug-drug interactions (DDI).
- As it is a non-absorbable product that acts locally in the gastrointestinal system.
- However, any question with regard to potential DDI for specific drugs should be discussed with the primary care physician.
- Colostrum has some antibacterial and immune modulatory properties.
- However, Travelan® has in addition to the colostrum-derived compounds very high concentration of anti-E.coli antibodies.
- These antibodies target the major bacteria which can cause diarrhea.
- Travelan® has a unique synergistic effect between the colostrum-derived products and the high concentration antibodies for targeting the bacteria in the gastrointestinal system.
Yes. Immuron has partnered with Synlait, an innovative and trusted dairy company based in New Zealand, for the supply of its bovine colostrum powder. Synlait specializes in the processing of infant formula and special milk powders and operates under an internationally accredited ISO/IEC 17065 dairy assurance system. Synlait only partners with certified dairy farmers which exceed New Zealand’s Animal Health and Welfare standards. In addition to this, Immuron’s commercial operations are managed by experienced and qualified veterinarians. A small portion of colostrum is harvested from selected dairy farms for processing, leaving plenty for the calves and standard dairy farm requirements. The health and welfare of a herd impacts directly on milk quality. The best dairy farmers know this and work hard to ensure a happy, healthy herd. It’s the proactive steps they take today that help improve milk production tomorrow. Click here for more information on Synlait’s Lead with Pride programme.