Jarrow Formulas to launch Ideal Bowel Support supplement containing Lactobacillus plantarum 299v

Nutritional supplement manufacturer Jarrow Formulas®, Inc, has announced the introduction of a new product to be known as Ideal Bowel Support 299v based on the well studied probiotic bacterial strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v.

The product is aimed at alleviating common bowel symptoms including constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, and abdominal cramps particularly when these symptoms are chronic as in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS is the most frequently diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder in developed countries with roughly 5% of the population affected.

Jarrow Formulas®, Inc based in Los Angeles, CA, will be unveiling Ideal Bowel Support 299v® at the upcoming Natural Products Expo West trade show to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA, March 12-14, 2010.

Ideal Bowel Support 299v® contains Probi’s proprietary probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) at a dose of 10 billion bacteria per capsule; the capsules being both dairy-free and gluten-free - an important fact given that dairy foods and gluten are among the most common food allergens and triggers of symptoms in those who suffer frequent bowel upset or have been diagnosed with IBS.

The current evidence base reveals IBS to be a complex disorder involving biological, psychological, and social factors. Contributing biological factors include abnormal functioning of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the gut, undiagnosed food allergies and intolerances, low-grade chronic bowel inflammation, and most imprtantly with regard to Ideal Bowel Support 299v®, alterations in the composition of bacteria and other microbes that normally reside in the human gut.

“Ideal Bowel Support 299v supports the management of bowel conditions experienced by millions of Americans,” says Jarrow L. Rogovin, President of Jarrow Formulas.  “We are happy to be the only marketer for Lp299v in the health food channel in North America and are grateful to have strong science and technology support from Lallemand-Institut Rosell and Probi.  Lp299v has successfully undergone clinical trials with regard to IBS, but its benefits do not stop there.  It has been demonstrated to decrease gut permeability, i.e., reduce the incidence of ‘leaky gut,’ as well as reduce some of the undesirable G.I. side effects in individuals treated with antibiotics.” 

Indeed Lp299v is one of only a handful of probiotic bacterial strains that have a substantial body of scientific evidence supporting their efficacy in the treatment of IBS and digestive symptoms. Miguel Bixquert Jiménez of the School of Medicine (Gastroenterology Teaching Unit), University of Valencia, Spain, states in a 2009 paper that "Evidence has now accumulated to suggest the efficacy of certain probiotics like Lp299v, which may be capable of bringing about a significant reduction in pain, abdominal distension and flatulence, while increasing health-related quality of life in IBS".

Increased gut permeability (leaky gut syndrome) has also been linked to IBS, as well as a host of other conditions, including those classed as gastrointestinal disorders and others which would perhaps not normally be associated with gut dysfunction. Some studies have linked leaky gut to many environental illnesses including chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, mood disorders, and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

Antibiotic use is associated with disturbances in microbial populations in the gut. In some circumstances such as immune dysfunction (e.g. in ME/CFS) it is thought that beneficial bacterial populations (e.g. Lactobacilli sp. and Bifidobacteria sp.) fail to recover and allow potentially harmful bacteria, yeast and other microbes to establish themselves - a state referred to as 'gut dysbiosis'.

Although no probiotic product is likely to produce total remission of IBS, or any of the other conditions discussed, a product with the backing of scientific studies such as Ideal Bowel Support 299v may certainly help to relieve symptoms and provide a higher quality of life for patients.

Sources:

Jarrow Formulas, Inc. to Unveil Ideal Bowel Support (IBS) 299v® at Upcoming Natural Products Expo West Show in Anaheim

Bixquert Jiménez M (2009) Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with probiotics. An etiopathogenic approach at last? Revista española de enfermedades digestivas 101(8):553-64