Last month we introduced a new take on something we hang our hats on; our philosophy on the complete picture of the gut microbiome and how to approach it with our supplement line. Prebiotics was an amazing way to start off because prebiotics (SunFiber®, TruFiber®) are the life-supporting food that our microbes need to thrive but today we are shifting to the natural phase 2 of this series with the very thing that started it all for the company; probiotics.
There is a saying that goes; “when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at start to change.” This can in a round-about way explain exactly how we got here with being leaders in the probiotic space. Our founder Randy Porubcan was able to understand the deep functionalities of microbes and how they were able to influence a variety of outcomes within the food industry and agricultural world. This led to him filing and receiving many US patents that eventually wound up influencing the development of the technology that makes our products truly unique in the marketplace today!
It is THIS deep understanding of the very microbes themselves and how they proliferate in vitro AND in vivo that creates the difference that our lifelong customers feel. Creating an effective probiotic isn’t just about high quantities of CFU or buying a proprietary blend of many different microbes. It’s about the cohesive nature of a formula both in-and-beyond the formulation itself. It’s everything from sourcing considerations, clean manufacturing, proper ongoing storage and quality control measures. Ultimately it is the effectiveness of the product itself that matters most to the customer. Let’s quickly explore some of the key highlights that set us apart;
Sourcing: sourcing clinically proven human strains of microbes from trusted probiotic providers with the longest history of high-quality production. The bonus here is our company had direct influence in helping them rise to the top of their game with patented science that was contributed by our founder Randy Porubcan where he was able to enhance the freeze-drying process itself, creating larger and more efficient yields probiotic bacteria for the entire industry to benefit from (see US patent # 3,897,307 July 29 1975).
Strain Designation: to us, microbes have distinct personalities which tell us HOW they function in isolation and within a system. To create a truly effective probiotic, a company MUST know these things or else the outcome truly is guessing. Where do they colonize? How compatible are they? How do they influence the immune system? Without knowing the deep details of these questions, one cannot formulate any clinical strategy.
Packaging: probiotics are fragile organisms that are heavily influenced by their environment. Light, heat, air, and temperature ALL affect the health status of the microbes which is why we have considered these factors when packaging. Only light-refractory glass bottles that are nitrogen flushed with moisture and oxygen absorbent packs and induction seals are used and they are stored at frozen temps until the day they are shipped.
Delivery Technology: many claim that using lactobacillus and bifidobacteria are a waste because they are unable to survive transport through the GI system due to its harsh conditions. For other products, that is true but not for us. Our deep delivery system that utilizes sodium alginate derived from brown kelp seaweed, ensures total protection under harsh acidic conditions in the stomach. Once through and returned to a more pH neutral environment in the intestinal tract, the microbes arrive alive in a gel-matrix so they retain power in numbers and are stimulated into action with our one-of-a-kind LactoStim® prebiotic that increases the growth and activity of the probiotic bacteria. Both this patented delivery method and patented prebiotic are the result of Randy Porubcan’s years of experience in probiotic science and they continue to raise the standard on probiotic efficacy today.
Location Specific Formulas: the gut is not a uniformly populated place when it comes to microbial diversity. We factor this into consideration and target different formulas for where they are to be most effective. Small intestinal issues, that’s where TruFlora® excels for pH influence and anti-fungal properties. Colonic issues, that’s why we have TruBifido® to modulate the immune system in a calming way and to bolster bifidobacterial populations. Systemic protection? Our flagship product Theralac® is designed to be a master of many influences to keep your system protected and healthy against a variety of GI stresses.
Believe it or not, these are just SOME of the main considerations of what goes into making an effective product for Master Supplements & U.S. Enzymes. If I were to list all of the rest, I would have a short novel. The reason we go to this level of detail is for the very reason the company was founded; to honor the science and to raise the standard. This doesn’t come from cutting corners and focusing on the ‘bottom-line’. It comes from over 20 years of methodical learning that was inspired by the patterns of nature and replicating that philosophy to the human body. We will always take a science-first philosophy and will get better and better at telling the story of why our products work so well and the vast history that separates them. See you next month for “Enzymes, Part 3 of the Gut as an Ecosystem” series.