- Romane Maillet, Product Manager, Lallemand Health Solutions
Gastrointestinal health represents the first area of clinical evidence for probiotics and despite the offer diversification, digestive health remains the first reason to buy probiotics. Probiotics for gut health have well-defined modes of action as they interact with the gut, the Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) and the Enteric Nervous System (ENS). The consumer’s increasing awareness about the capital role the intestinal microflora plays in the body reflects in their buying behaviours. 37 per cent of Indian probiotic consumers stated they are aware of the beneficial effects of probiotics to support gut health, 74 per cent of them use probiotics to aid the digestive system and 47 per cent to prevent bowel problems.
Lallemand Health Solutions offers documented probiotic supplements to support a healthy and balanced gut microbiome, from babies to elders. Its range of Expert’Biotic solutions show beneficial effects on microflora balance, occasional diarrhoea and sporadic constipation.
Probiotic and Prebiotics for Daily Gut Comfort
Lallemand Health Solutions studied how probiotics might work synergistically with prebiotics to inspire new product innovations. In a clinical trial, the probiotic strain B. lactis Lafti B94 was analysed with or without inulin in 71 children and teenagers (4-to-16-year-old) during a four-week experiment. The participants were enrolled based on ROME III criteria (Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)) and randomised to take twice a day, either a prebiotic (inulin), a probiotic (B. lactis Lafti B94) or a synbiotic (both inulin and Lafti B94). The outcomes showed significant improvements in the synbiotic group, demonstrating that there was a synergy between the probiotic and prebiotic.
These results paired with the growing consumer demand for clinically proven innovative solutions, opens the door to further explore the complementary actions and potential synergy of probiotics and prebiotics. Therefore, Lallemand Health Solutions and FrieslandCampina Ingredients have recently joined forces to launch PRO-Digest Health Shot which combines 5 billion CFU per serving of B. lactis Lafti B94 with five grams of FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ Biotis GOS. Lafti B94 supports a healthy microflora, reinforces gut barrier integrity, aids abdominal comfort, relieves bloating and occasional constipation. As per Biotis GOS, a dairy-derived prebiotic, it has been shown to influence the balance of the gut microbiota, producing beneficial effects on gut health, alleviating gut discomfort, constipation, and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
The partnership also led to further combinations, namely PRO-Digest Bowel Support, which contains L. paracasei HA-196 and Biotis GOS to improve quality of life in adults with IBS-like symptoms, helping with bowel frequency in occasional diarrhoea and/or constipation. Moreover, Canadian authorities confirmed recently that L. paracasei HA-196 helps support healthy bowel habits in adults with IBS. This claim is an outcome of a study [Lewis, 2020] performed in Canada on 251 adults with different IBS subtypes and showing positive results of L. paracasei HA-196 on quality of life and frequency of bowel movements.
A Highly Documented Probiotic for Serious Gut Conditions
Lallemand Health Solutions probiotic formula IBacilluS+, composed of two safe and strong bacteria strains Enterococcus faecium Rosell-26 and Bacillus subtilis Rosell-179, is another highly documented probiotic for serious gut conditions with over 70 clinical studies including about 6000 participants. IBacilluS+ has shown in published meta-analyses that it can increase the remission rate and maintenance in patients with ulcerative colitis and increase overall treatment effectiveness in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome including reduction in abdominal pain and diarrhoea symptoms. Recently, it has been demonstrated and affirmed by Health Canada that IBacilluS+ after proton pump inhibitor can extend the period between relapses in patients with reflux esophagitis (RE) and reduces the risk of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in patients with RE.
A Formula for a Resilient Gut Microbiome
Lacidofil, developed approximately 30 years ago by Lallemand Health Solutions, is a unique combination of two proprietary lactobacilli strains, L. rhamnosus Rosell-11 and L. helveticus Rosell-52 proven to support and maintain the digestive microflora. Both the finished product formulation and the individual strains have been extensively researched over the years. The primary area of application of Lacidofil is gut health and includes several positive studies in occasional diarrhoea and the support of the microflora, in both children and adults.
Time-Tested Yeast for Gut Health Benefits
Lallemand Health Solutions also propose the S. boulardii probiotic yeast, an ingredient renowned to support gastrointestinal health. S. boulardii is a unique type of probiotic, acknowledged for decades, with one major difference: it’s a yeast, not a bacterium. This unique probiotic yeast has been analysed in over 100 clinical studies with a focus on its gut health benefits and it has gained recognition from the scientific community. A safe and reliable probiotic, S. boulardii is suitable for the whole family, from babies and children to adults and seniors.
Probiotics for Food Applications
Consumer awareness and demand for healthier ingredients in foodstuffs is increasing. 69 per cent of Indian probiotic consumers stated they take probiotics as part of an everyday or balanced diet. Functional non-dairy foods and beverages with specific probiotics for health benefits have been growing as a category around the world.
Lallemand Health Solutions is now offering probiotics for food applications, such as its most robust and stable strain Bacillus subtilis Rosell-179. The viability and survivability of B. subtilis Rosell-179 has been successfully tested in several extreme conditions. For example, this bacterial strain was added in a healthy bread recipe, directly in the dough, and it showed great survival rates in the bread at room temperature after 14 days. Even at high baking temperatures, the probiotic dose remained well over 1B per 100/g serving. This demonstrates the potential to add B. subtilis Rosell-179 in many foodstuffs such as baked goods, breads, cookies, bars, dry mixes, and also beverage, kombucha, soda and juice.
Lallemand Health Solutions exclusive microencapsulation protective technology, Probiocap, is a shielding process for probiotic bacteria allowing an integration in foodstuff as they can support transient compression and some (limited) heat exposure.