A Triple Approach to Improved Intestinal Health

The impact of the microbiome on gut health is well established.

An imbalance, marked by an increase in harmful gut microbes, can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloating.^1,2

Probiotics are a well-established way to introduce beneficial gut bacteria.³

Some probiotics, however, struggle to compete with aggressive microbes.

An improved approach involves adding bacteriophages or phages, selected to safely target and eliminate specific harmful bacteria, allowing beneficial microbes to flourish.^4,5

As a new way to improve the microbiome, researchers have focused on postbiotics which, in specific cases and strains, may offer comparable benefits to probiotics along with improved stability.^6,7

In a recent human study, one specific postbiotic significantly reduced abdominal pain in an astonishing 88% of subjects and reduced days with diarrhea by 65%.⁸

Scientists have developed a unique combination of two probiotics, four phages, and a novel postbiotic, all shown to alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort and promote digestive health in individual clinical studies.

Dysbiosis and Intestinal Health

Many people have dysbiosis, a microbiome imbalance that can contribute to stomach distress. This condition tends to worsen with age.⁹

A survey of 71,000 people found that over 60% of Americans suffer from one or more gastrointestinal symptoms weekly, including:¹⁰

• Abdominal pain,
• Abdominal bloating,
• Diarrhea, and
• Constipation.

Microbiome imbalance is also linked to irritable bowel syndrome,¹² colon infections,^11,12 autoimmune disease,^13,14 allergies,^14,15 and obesity.^12,14,15

Improving the microbiome by shifting it away from dysbiosis and towards a healthy profile can reduce gastrointestinal symptoms and disease risk.^11,12,16

Probiotics Restore Beneficial Bacteria

Probiotics are live bacteria that can improve the microbiome.

In preclinical studies, two strains of Lactobacillus probiotics, L. paracasei IMC502 and L. rhamnosus IMC501, provide antimicrobial effects against:^17,18

• Candida, a fungus that can cause health issues when it overgrows,
• S. aureus, a bacterium that triggers diarrhea and abdominal cramps, and
• E. coli, a common cause of diarrhea and other digestive problems.

In two randomized clinical trials, a blend of these probiotic strains was shown to improve intestinal regularity and bowel habits.^19,20

The gut is a complex place, and offering probiotics for extra support could be key to dealing with the more aggressive microbes that create dysbiosis in the first place.

A more comprehensive approach involves using probiotics with another therapy, one that selectively targets and reduces the dangerous bacteria taking over the microbiome.²¹

This is where phages come into play.

Phages Support Probiotics

The word bacteriophage (phage for short) means “bacteria eater.”

Phages are tiny packages of DNA or RNA, enclosed in a protein envelope, that actively seek out and kill specific bacteria—and only those bacteria.

Different phage strains target different bacteria. They pose no harm to any other life form, including humans.

By selectively destroying potentially harmful bacteria, phages may allow probiotics to more effectively restore beneficial bacteria.²² This may help return the microbiome to a healthy state.²¹

Scientists identified four phages that help decrease intestinal populations of undesirable bacteria. They are:²³

• LH01-Myoviridae,
• LL5-Siphoviridae,
• T4D-Myoviridae, and
• LL12-Myoviridae.

In a randomized clinical trial of 32 healthy adults with self-reported gastrointestinal issues, after 28 days, participants who took a blend of these phages, compared to a placebo, had:²³

• Increases in beneficial bacteria in the gut,
• Decreases in harmful E. coli bacteria, and
• Decreases in interleukin-4, a marker of inflammation, compared to baseline.

Postbiotics Deliver Superior Benefits

Probiotics are live microorganisms.

Postbiotics are their non-living versions that may contain intact inanimate cells, or their components or metabolites.

Postbiotics are deactivated, usually by heat treatment. However, in specific strains, they can confer benefits similar to their live probiotic counterparts: modulating the microbiome, promoting gut barrier function, and regulating inflammation.^6,7

Postbiotics offer key advantages over probiotics, such as easier standardization, and suitability for vulnerable groups. Unlike probiotics, they do not require live cultures to be effective, eliminating storage and stability concerns.^7,24

What You Need To Know

A Blend for Digestive Health

• Harmful microbes have been associated with gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, and stomach pain.
• The probiotics L. paracasei IMC502 and L. rhamnosus IMC501 reduced harmful bacteria in preclinical studies, while demonstrating improved bowel habits in clinical trials.
• Adding bacteria-killing phages may enhance probiotics’ effectiveness and restore a more balanced microbiome.
• In a clinical study, the heat-treated postbiotic B. longum ES1 improved symptoms in adults with irritable bowel syndrome, reducing abdominal pain in 88% of subjects and reducing days with diarrhea by 65%.
• Researchers have combined this postbiotic with two probiotics and four phages, all shown in separate clinical trials to be effective against gastrointestinal symptoms, for optimal digestive health.

Scientists identified a specific postbiotic strain, heat-treated Bifidobacterium longum ES1, that improves gastrointestinal symptoms.

To evaluate this postbiotic, researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 200 adults with moderate to severe diarrhea-predominant IBS. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups:

• Live B. longum ES1 (probiotic),
• Heat-treated B. longum ES1 (postbiotic), or
• Placebo.

Participants who took heat-treated B. longum ES1 daily for 84 days had remarkable improvements, including:⁸

• Reduced symptom severity. A remarkable 85% of the postbiotic group had a significant reduction in IBS symptom severity. The mean severity decreased from “moderate-severe” to “mild,” and 17% fell from “severe” to symptom-free.
• Reduced stomach pain. An extraordinary 88% of postbiotic users had a reduction of over 30% in abdominal pain severity.
• Fewer days with diarrhea. In the postbiotic group, days with loose or watery stools decreased 65%, from 5.87 to 2.06 days weekly. Subjects reported more normal stool types, but without a shift towards constipation.
• Improved quality of life. Quality of life impacted by IBS improved by about 30%, as measured by a questionnaire that assesses interference with activity, food avoidance, social reaction, sexual and relationship issues, and other areas.

Compared to live probiotics, postbiotics demonstrate greater stability and longer shelf life.⁸

Evidence from preclinical studies suggests that heat-treated B. longum ES1 may deliver these benefits by enhancing immune modulation and gut barrier function.^25-28

Researchers have combined two probiotics, four phages, and this powerful postbiotic into an innovative formula for improved gastrointestinal health.

Probiotics, Phages, and Postbiotics: What’s the Difference?

• Probiotics are live beneficial microorganisms, such as certain bacteria and yeast. Different strains have different health benefits.³
• Phages (short for bacteriophages) are non-living packages of DNA or RNA, enclosed in a protein envelope, that target and kill specific bacteria. Different phage strains target different bacteria.^4,5
• Postbiotics are non-living (heat-treated) probiotics or their cellular components or metabolites that provide health benefits. Although not alive, these bioactive compounds still improve your gut’s bacteria population and confer health benefits.^6,7

Summary

Probiotics help introduce beneficial gut bacteria, improving gastrointestinal symptoms and potentially reducing disease risk.

The effectiveness of probiotics may be enhanced by the addition of phages—targeted DNA or RNA packets that safely eliminate specific harmful bacteria.

Scientists are now boosting results even further by adding postbiotics, which are inactivated microbes or their cellular components or metabolites.

In a clinical trial, the postbiotic B. longum ES1 reduced abdominal pain in 88% of IBS patients and improved quality of life by 30%.

Together, these ingredients can help reduce unpleasant gastrointestinal issues and promote digestive health.

If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension Wellness Specialist at 1-866-864-3027.

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