From yogurt to kombucha to supplements, live cultures and probiotics are a common go-to for better gut health.
A happy digestive system and well balanced gut microbiome can indeed help overall health in many ways. However, the definition of probiotics does not require the health benefit of the probiotic to be specifically a gut health benefit or to balance the gut microbiome.
Most people are not yet aware that there are specialty probiotic strains with specific health benefits far beyond the gut.
L. plantarum PS128 is one such specialty probiotic – it falls into the category of psychobiotic.
The WHO has defined probiotics as “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”.
So what is a psychobiotic? This moniker was coined in a 2013 article by scientists Cryan and Dinan to describe probiotics that had the capability to benefit people with neurological conditions. These unique probiotics typically modulate levels of neuroactive substances like dopamine, serotonin and other neurotransmitters via the gut-brain axis.
Now marketed as Neuralli MP in the U.S., L. plantarum PS128 was the subject of a news article by health & nutrition industry journal Nutraingredients in April 2022.
The article notes how PS128 bridges the gap between ordinary probiotics and pharmaceuticals. It also mentions PS128 clinical science concerning Parkinson’s disease and autism.
Read the full article here.
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