from the Makers of Digestive Advantage
Click here for $3.00 coupon
Probiotics Background

According to the World Health Organization (WHO)­ probiotics are living microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on its host.

The Problem with Probiotics:

  1. The cells don’t survive high heat and pressure inherent in the manufacturing process.
  2. The cells die quickly while on the shelf.
  3. The cells cannot survive stomach acids to populate the colon.
  4. The cells are very sensitive to bile and various enzymes in the gut.

The Solution: GanedenBC30

  • GanedenBC30 withstands extreme pH, temperature and pressure inherent in manufacturing.
  • GanedenBC30 has a five-year shelf and does not require refrigeration.
  • GanedenBC30 survives stomach acidity and delivers hundreds of millions of cells for effective colonization.
  • GanedenBC30 is protected by multi-layers of organic material to shield it from gastric bile and enzymes

Accordingly, GanedenBC30 can help:

  • Support proper biodiversity in the small and large bowel.
  • Inhibit the overt growth of harmful bacteria by providing beneficial bacteria.
  • Improve digestion by producing a wide spectrum of enzymes.
  • Utilize un-digested carbohydrates and lipids in the small bowel.

Yogurts

In recent years, yogurt and other cultured dairy drinks have become a popular source of potential probiotics.  The challenge is, cultured dairy drinks using traditional probiotics have some of the lowest counts of viable cells.  Furthermore, the lactic acid cultures added to aid in the fermentation of the milk components offer little residual benefit.  Even fortified probiotic yogurts that add significant levels of bacteria after fermentation have a problem surviving in significant numbers.  For example, Consumer Reports did a study in 2006 showing that less than 1% of the bacteria in a leading probiotic yogurt survived to reach the colon.  This was considered good when compared to others yogurts and fortified products.

Cultured dairy drinks using traditional probiotics have some of the lowest counts of viable cells.

Probiotic Supplements

Another example is a strain of probiotic bacteria found in a probiotic supplement which is generally thought to be the most stable form of Lactobacillus. According to the patent application, only one cell per million survives 15 minutes in the human digestive system. Being that the serving size is roughly 10 billion cells per capsule; and assuming that all of the cells remained viable during manufacturing, storage, distribution, and the time in the consumer’s medicine cabinet; and assuming that one (1) cell out of every million survived the acidity of the stomach. The number of cells that actually survived to colonize the gut is roughly 10,000 cells (1.0 x 103).

In a leading probiotic supplement, the number of cells that actually survived to colonize the gut is roughly 10,000 – that’s less than the amount of bacteria on a healthy individual’s fingertip.

All Probiotics Are Not Created Equal

All probiotics do not exert the same effect as others. There can be vast differences in efficacy and colonization after ingestion. In addition, the secretion of extra-cellular products varies from one genus and strain to another.

To successfully develop an effective probiotic, a thorough knowledge of the abilities of the microorganism to survive the manufacture and storage of the process is required. To be beneficial to the host, dietary cultures must reach the gastrointestinal tract (the target organ) in significant numbers, which requires that they survive harsh conditions, including gastric acid in the stomach and bile in the small intestine.

When strains are selected, factors such as the ability of the microorganism to survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract, survive the food manufacturing process, and survive during the storage period are of utmost importance. Furthermore, the added probiotic bacteria must not negatively affect quality, and be considered safe.

The Limitations of Conventional Strains of Probiotics

The primary purpose for the use of probiotic bacteria is for the strain to effectively colonize the small and large intestines. However, there are a number of factors that influence effective colonization and many of these factors are related to the manufacturing process.

  • The process of manufacturing probiotic bacteria is a complex endeavor. The protocol design and the preservation method that is utilized to ensure viability before the bacteria is delivered to the formulator/packager require intelligent design. Spray-drying as opposed to lyophilizing (freeze drying) is commonly used to cut costs. However, this method is not as effective. 
  • Most manufacturers only guarantee the number of bacteria in the product at the time of manufacture. As a result, by the time the dried bacteria has reached the formulator, there has already has been a substantial drop–off in the number of probiotic cells per gram. Formulation using high shear mixing, high compression, preservatives, and heat also takes a toll on the number of viable bacteria found in the final product. Before the product has left the formulator to be delivered to the retailer, the number of viable probiotic cells has been considerably depleted.
  • Most probiotic bacteria lack effective stability. Stability is the step in the manufacturing or fermentation of the organism that helps to ensure adequate shelf life. Some probiotic manufacturers use special additives to promote some measure of stability and others rely on refrigeration to accomplish this objective. But the harsh reality is that very few of the probotic products on the market today have any real measure of stability.
  • The ability of the probiotic to effectively colonize or take up temporary residence in the intestines is end goal of use of probiotic products. Most probiotics are destroyed by gastric acid during ingestion. In addition, bile acid and some enzymes are inhibitory to these organisms and their respective numbers are depleted as a result.

GanedenBC30 has been able to overcome manufacturing limitations, allowing the full probiotic benefit to be actualized.

GanedenBC30 Has Been:

  • Proven efficacious in numerous applications.
  • Proven to be an extremely hardy organism that is able to withstand harsh manufacturing regimes including high compression tableting, coating, high shear blending and excessive heating.
  • Proven to remain viable throughout the shelf-life of the product without substantial density drop-off.
  • Proven stable without requiring refrigeration.
  • Proven to be resistant to gastric acid and bile.
  • Proven to produces the preferred L+ optical isomer of Lactic Acid.
  • Proven to have a well-established safety record. Has never been implicated in any infectious occurrence over a 100 year history of use.
  • Proven stable and viable when added to various food products as a value added ingredient, including hot beverages.
References

Havenaar R, Huis in't Veld JHJ. Probiotics: a general view. In: Wood BJB, ed. The lactic acid bacteria. Vol 1. The lactic acid bacteria in health and disease. New York: Elsevier, 1992:151–70.

Sanders ME. Overview on functional foods: emphasis on probiotic bacteria. Int Dairy J 1998;8:341–7.

Gibson GR, Roberfroid MB. Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: introducing the concept of prebiotics. J Nutr 1995;125:1401–12.[Medline]

Ishibashi N, Shimamur S. Bifidobacteria: research and development in Japan. Food Technol 1993;47:126–35.

Hamilton-Miller JMT, Fuller R. Probiotics panacea or nostrum. BNF Nutr Bull 1996;21:199–208.

Lee YK, Salminen S. The coming of age of probiotics. Trends Food Sci Technol 1995;6:241–5.

Stanton C, Gardiner G, Lynch PB, Collins JK, Fitzgerald G, Ross RP. Probiotic cheese. Int Dairy J 1998;8:491–6.

Dinakar P, Mistry VV. Growth and viability of Bifidobacterium bifidum in cheddar cheese. J Dairy Sci 1994;77:2854–64

Gardiner G, Ross RP, Collins JK, Fitzgerald G, Stanton C. Development of a probiotic cheddar cheese containing human-derived Lactobacillus paracasei strains. Appl Environ Microbiol 1998;64:2192–9

Gardiner G, Stanton C, Lynch PB, Collins JK, Fitzgerald G, Ross RP. Evaluation of cheddar cheese as a food carrier for delivery of a probiotic strain to the gastrointestinal tract. J Dairy Sci 1999; 82:1379–87

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG bacteremia associated with probiotic use in a child with short gut syndrome. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. 2005 Mar;24(3):278-80.

Pathogenic relevance of Lactobacillus: a retrospective review of over 200 cases. European  Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 2005 Jan;24(1):31-40.

Lactobacillus bacteremia, clinical significance, and patient outcome, with special focus on probiotic L. rhamnosus GG. Clinical Infectious Disease. 2004 Jan 1;38(1):62-9.

Liver abscess due to a Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain indistinguishable from L. rhamnosus strain GG. Clinical Infectious Disease. 1999 May;28(5):1159-60

The Mechanism of Action of Probiotics, Sonia Michail, M.D., Practical Gastroenterology, May 2005



Sustenex. For Every Body, Every Day.™
Sustenex With GanedenBC30
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases.
**In a lab study of a simulated gastric stomach environment with a ph of 2.0 for two hours, Sustenex delivered more than ten times the live cells than a leading probiotic yogurt.

Home | About Sustenex | What are Probiotics? | Intestinal Health | For Health Professionals | Share Your Story
In the News | FAQs | Where to Buy | Sustenex Club | Contact Us | Spread the Word | Site Map | Links
Digestive Advantage | Privacy Policy