DuPont Nutrition & Health announced that a study published in Beneficial Microbes and sponsored by DuPont and the University of Virginia demonstrated the role of probiotic supplements to maintain healthy respiratory immune function.
The results suggest that ingestion of Bl-04 at a dose of 2 billion cfu per day has an effect on the inflammatory response to rhinovirus infection. The common cold is one of the most prevalent diseases globally and is typically caused by rhinovirus infection.
A specific probiotic strain Bifidobacterium lactis Bl-04 available only from DuPont, was consumed by participants for one month, and innate immune response and presence of rhinovirus in the nostrils was investigated. The probiotic supplement, commercially available HOWARU Protect Adult, had an effect on the presence of the virus in the nostrils.
The results of the new study suggest that ingestion of Bl-04 may modify the immune system response and the inflammatory response in the nose following rhinovirus infection.
DuPont stated that it is committed to continuing research to better understand the role of probiotic supplementation and microbiota in immune system function.
Probiotics remain controversial due to a lack of regulation and possible side effects with other medicines, especially when physicians do not know their patients are using the supplements.
DuPont recently announced an expansion of its Rochester, NY Nutrition and Health operations and has cited the growth of probiotics as one of the company’s many bright spots.