Multi-strain formulation – What’s the importance?

When scientists first studied the human microbiota, 400 different species were isolated. To this day, more than 1,000 species have been recorded1.

The human body naturally contains a diverse variety of strains, as such, choosing a multi-strain formulation where Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria are present, may represent the best choice for good health.

Multiple strains can have synergistic effects.

Each strain have different functions and exerts different health benefits. A formulation of several high-quality strains will provide a wider range of immune support and effects because of the important synergy between the strains.

Scientists have examined studies that looked at the effects of single and multi-strain products, and found that there seemed to be a trend towards better clinical results with multi-strain formulations2. In a recent meta-analysis of research, scientists suggest that multi-strain formulations have been highly effective at alleviating certain gut conditions, while boosting overall gut and immune functions, which means that they may be the simplest and most effective3.

What is truly important is the quality and safety of the microbial cell strains – strains that have shown clinical efficacy in clinical studies.

References

1. Ursell, L. K., Haiser, H. J., Van Treuren, W., Garg, N., Reddivari, L., Vanamala, J., … & Knight, R. (2014). The intestinal metabolome: an intersection between microbiota and host. Gastroenterology, 146(6), 1470-1476.
2. Chapman, C. M. C., Gibson, G. R., & Rowland, I. (2011). Health benefits of probiotics: are mixtures more effective than single strains?. European journal of nutrition, 50(1), 1-17
3. Chang, H. Y., Chen, J. H., Chang, J. H., Lin, H. C., Lin, C. Y., & Peng, C. C. (2017). Multiple strains probiotics appear to be the most effective probiotics in the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis and mortality: An updated meta-analysis. PLoS One, 12(2), e0171579.