by Kyle Perkovich, BS In the intricate ecosystem of the human gut, a new frontier is emerging, marked by the strategic paring of probiotics and prebiotics working synergistically to help provide optimal gut health and well-being. This combination, known as synbiotics, is gaining prominence for its potential to enhance gut health and immune function. As research has advanced, the role of our gut microbiota has become increasingly recognized as a vital part of overall health, influencing not only proper digestion,…

We have compiled our most viewed blogs, webinars, and clinical tools on metabolic detoxification to help you keep up with the latest research on this topic that will enable you to help your patients’ live healthier, happier lives.

Patients with obesity suffer from chronic, low-grade inflammation.1 That’s partly due to dysfunctions in the ability to endogenously create specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs).1 SPMs communicate with immune cells, telling them the inflammatory process is no longer needed and to finish the job.2 However, in many conditions, including obesity, the capability to send these potent signaling molecules can diminish, and so too can their effects.1-3 As a result, inflammation smolders and further perpetuates a vast array of associated conditions such as…

Menopause can be a serious disruption to a woman’s life. For decades, women and their doctors have turned to hormone replacement and nonhormonal therapies to seek relief. Many women prefer not to take hormones, or for various reasons hormones present a specific health risk, taking them off the table for therapy. A plant extract (ERr 731), made from Siberian rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum) has been in use for treating menopause in Europe since the 1990s and is now gaining momentum in…

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a mainstay for treating menopause, but more and more women are searching for non-hormonal therapies. An extract from Siberian Rhubarb (latin name Rheum rhaponticum) has been in use treating menopause for decades, and is now gaining popularity in more markets worldwide. Recently (2021) another clinical trial demonstrated the efficacy and safety of this extract, ERr-731, in treating menopause in Indian women.1 In this Indian trial researchers found a 4 mg once daily dose led to…

Our protective skin is constantly facing environmental insult such as solar UV radiation. Oxidative stress can damage skin components and accelerate skin aging. Learn how we may support our skin by boosting skin’s antioxidant capacity via a phytonutrient-rich diet.

by Noelle Patno, PhD L. plantarum 299v is a probiotic globally recognized for having Level 2 evidence for the improvement in severity of abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome and a large study preventing C. diffficile-associated diarrhea in antibiotic-treated patients.1 A new review2 on the 30-year anniversary of the isolation of this strain was recently published summarizing the current knowledge on this unique probiotic strain. This article features the main highlights of the reviewed science on probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v.  Characteristics of the strain: 2  Plant-derived. L. plantarum 299v belongs to the group of lactic acid bacteria, and these types are commonly…

Prebiotics are types of food ingredients that are nondigestible by humans and broken down by human gut bacteria into compounds that are beneficial for humans. Human breast milk contains a rich source of prebiotics called “human milk oligosaccharides” or “HMOs,” which act as the very first prebiotics taken in by a nursing infant.1 Among the HMOs, 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) is the most abundantly produced.2 The effect of 2’-FL was recently studied in adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel…

Single-strain and multistrain probiotics can be beneficial for specific clinical applications.1,2 Potential advantages of multistrain probiotic supplements are a broader spectrum of health benefits (compared to intake of a single probiotic strain) and synergistic effects of the individual probiotic strains.2 Clinical trial results on a new, high colony-forming units (CFU) count combination of 8 strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium probiotics were recently published in Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal.3 The study evaluated the short-term impact of consumption of one capsule…

by Molly Knudsen, MS, RDN It’s no secret: The United States is getting grayer. More gray hair, that is. In 2018, the number of Americans 65 years and older reached 52 million.1 That number is projected to practically double to 95 million, or nearly one in every four Americans by 2060.1,2 This rise in an aging population will result in some unique challenges such as strain to the elder care resources, additional healthcare costs, and the need of addressing chronic…