Mood Probiotic

During the clinical trials outlined by the methods section the probiotics were microencapsulated(ME). This has proposed up to 10x the survivability rate of various strains. Is this formulation microencapsulated? Alan

Hi Alan – yes, the clinical studies were performed with the microencapsulated version of the strains. The reason for microencapsulation was not solely to protect the strains from stomach acid, but rather to provide ‘on-the-go’ convenience in a sachet. There is a minor level of stomach acid protection from the microencapsulation, but this effect is small and temporary. But all in all, participants in the studies took a dose of 3 billion cfu/daily intake of both strains in a specific ratio. We have kept same dosage (3 billion cfu/capsule) with same ratio in the capsule, and it is recommended to take the formula during meals, to ensure better survival of the strains (the meal plays a buffering role). Taking one version or the other, you will still ingest the same dose of bacteria. Additionally, there are 7 in vivo studies to better understand the modes of action of the formula and strains (as per attached document) and all studies were performed with non-microencapsulated strains. The end-result (health outcome) were the same. - InnovixLabs Customer Service

What is the recommendation regarding taking Mood Probiotics with other probiotics (such as from Udo’s Choice – 90 billion, etc)? Janice

Hi Janice – you can take the Mood Probiotic along with other probiotics products. InnovixLabs Magnesium, Omega-3, and Prebiotic fiber all support mood health as well. - InnovixLabs Customer Service

Resistance to stomac acid is a critical cretaria for choosing a good probiotic. Are the probiotic strain used in mood probiotic (Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell-52ND and Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175) stomac acid resistant strains? Why is it not in delayed release capsule to further protect it from stomac acid until it reaches the intestines. Even when taken with a meal, what percentage of the probiotic do you think will survive stomac acidity. Simeon

Hi Simeon – the two Rosell strains are licensed from the Rosell Institute (Lallemand) based on their research and published clinical studies. In their studies, they used the strains without additional stomach acid protection. The strains have some natural built-in acid resistance. However, we agree with you that if there was additional acid protection in the form of acid-resistant capsules etc., the results may possibly have been even better. Since the clinical studies DID NOT use additional acid-protection, we are required use the same delivery formats used in the clinical study if we wish to make the same health claims. To your question about what percent survives stomach acid if taken with a meal, we do not have a clear answer, but ‘several million’ appears to be accurate. It is possible that the health outcome noticed in the clinical studies are due to just the millions (rather than the billions) of colonies. It is also possible that once established in the gut, these bacteria can be ‘fed’ or ‘fertilized’ with prebiotic fibers into not just billion but trillions in very short order. We do not have a clinical study to show that these two strains taken in combination with prebiotic fibers demonstrate an even greater health benefit. So, it remains a hypothesis. Having said that, our knowledge of the microbiome is in its infancy. There is new evidence that even small DNA fragments from dead strains are capable of influencing health outcomes. This is emerging science and we are staying tuned. - InnovixLabs Customer Service

Hi. On Amazon the photo of the box says 15 billion. On here it shows 3 billion. Which is it? Joe

Hi Joe – both numbers are on the current package. There will be a minimum of 15 billion live cultures at time of manufacture and as the product naturally ages, the live culture count will naturally lower to 3 billion at time of expiration. The health claims attached to the product are based on 3 billion live cultures. - InnovixLabs Customer Service

You say you are using palm oil. As an animal activist I have obvious concerns about the use of palm oil unless it is harvested in a way that causes no harm to animals or the environment (Dr. Bronners products are a great example of humane practices for the use of palm oil.) Where do you harvest your palm oil and is it harvested in a way that protects the animals and the environment? C

Hi C – this is an issue near and dear to our company founder. He’s an environmentalist and has spent a lot of time making sure that the ingredient we use are gentle on the environment. We use certified sustainable palm products, but even when no harm is done to wildlife, palm oil culture is a monoculture (one species) and lacks biodiversity to sustain multitude of creatures. So we are investigating other, friendlier ingredients. - InnovixLabs Customer Service

In reply to InnovixLabs. According to Examine.com, they say: “Taking a probiotic supplement made up of multiple strains of bacteria can have increased effectiveness through an additive or synergistic effect of the individual strains, compared with mono-species supplements. However, some probiotics may work in an antagonistic manner, so combinations of strains should be studied both individually and in combination before creating a multispecies product.” — So how are we to know for sure if taking other probiotic supplements alongside Mood Probiotics will be beneficial or worse? Joseph

Hi Joseph – if there is any antagonistic behavior (one species thrives in the capsule while some others perish) between strains, it is usually in the capsule. Once the capsule has been consumed, the strains have to contend with hundreds of species in our gut. Within the capsule itself, the strains in Mood Probiotic are not known to be antagonistic towards each other. - InnovixLabs Customer Service

2 Questions: Q1) If I am taking it with meal, is it okay if I remove the capsule and ingest the contents with my meals? Q2) Will not taking this continuously lead to too much of two strains and hence dysbiosis? Thank You

Hi Pete,

Great questions!

You may pour out the contents of the capsule and take as a powder, but please keep in mind that the capsule provides some protection against stomach acid. If you remove the capsule and consume the powdered contents within, then you risk exposing the probiotic strains to a lot more stomach acid. In other words, fewer live organisms may reach the intestines, where the probiotics are needed. It'll may be effective, but the efficacy will likely be diminished. 

As for continuous use causing dysbiosis - your question sounds logical, but most probiotics are transient. In other words, they remain in your gut for a couple of weeks and then slowly shed. So, there is no build up of these two strains. They will fill a niche in the gut ecosystem while present and while doing so, strengthen the gut-brain axis and help with mood. The two strains will not push out or outcompete the hundreds (hopefully thousands!) of strains in the gut. 

Sincerely, 
InnovixLabs Customer Service

I live in Florida and am concerned that the heat (while being in the delivery truck) will destroy the product. I am home to receive the package so it won’t sit out in the heat all day, but am concerned about the heat during delivery. Is there any way to order in a gold pack? Please advise.

Hi Dawn,

This is a good question. The three types of environmental issues you need to worry about are:

1) Extreme temperature exposure like being left in a locked car in the middle of the day in summer, when temps inside the car can easily get close 140F. This will certainly harm the live cultures. This is extremely unlikely to happen because delivery vehicles are either air conditioned or have air circulation due to movement. 

2) Warm temps for extended periods of time, like storing in a hot warehouse for months on end. We don't do this. The product is stored at refrigerated temps (40F) in our warehouse. The 2 or 3 days it takes to ship the product to you is not damaging enough to decrease the potency of the product. Besides, we add an overage into the product - even though the label says 3 billion, we add 15 billion into each capsule. All clinical studies are based on 3 billion. Even if the product is somewhat exposed to warm weather, you will have more than 3 billion live cultures at time of consumption. 

3) Storage in high humidity conditions - given you are in Florida, this is the factor most likely to harm the product over the long term, especially if you have opened but have not finished the product in a few months. 

As for shipping with cold/ice packs...we don't have that option to do that in our shipping warehouse. We've looked into it. It will almost double the cost of the product to ship it cold and we've found that the marginal benefit is not worth the added cost. 

Hope this gives you some insight into the matter. 

Sincerely,
InnovixLabs Customer Service

Does this require refrigeration while in transit? (Especially right now with crazy heat everywhere this summer!) Thank you.

Hi Jennifer,

This is a question we get a lot between June and August every year. 

No, shipping does not require refrigeration. These two strains are capable of thriving at human body temperature. So, normal human body temp (98-99 F) will not immediately kill the strains. That's the short answer. 

However, prolonged storage at that same temperature, without the nourishment the human gut provides, will cause the potency to drop from the 15 billion active cultures we put into each capsule. All clinical studies were done on 3 billion live cultures, so the benefits claimed on the packaging can still be realized even with a drop from 15 billion to 3 billion. 

If you live in Phoenix and you leave the product in a hot mailbox or a parked car in the middle of the day in mid-summer for several hours, then the product probably ought to be tossed. Even if you live in Minneapolis, if you think your product will sit in a hot mail box for more than 3 or 4 hours before you can get to it, we suggest you get your probiotics shipped to an air-conditioned office or another residence where someone will be able to collect it from the mail person directly. 

We store the product in a refrigerated warehouse. This is just to prolong the shelf life and to make sure the product has close to 15 billion live cultures that we put into each capsule. Even if the product has 5 or 10 billion at time of consumption, it will work. And by 'work', we mean gut-related mood issues in persons with sensitive or irritabel gut. Of course, if mood issues are caused by other nutritional deficiencies, psychological or physical causes, then probiotics are unlikely to help. Generally, 8 out of 10 customers who take this product seem to really like it. And that's the long answer. 

Hope that helped. 

Sincerely,
InnovixLabs Customer Service

is there a reason it is suggested that this product be taken with or after a meal? please see abstract below that recommends taking before or during a meal. It uses some of the same strands in this formulation. Please advise. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22146689

Hi Ting - our definition of 'with a meal' is immediately before, during, or immediately after. The idea is that the presence of food will aid in protecting from stomach acid, helping the probiotics get to the intestines intact.

can I take this with a multivitamin/mineral supplement?

Hi Ting - yes, you may take with a multivitamin.

Is this product CFUC colony forming units?

Hi Tom, yes, the product is designed to have 3 billion CFU (colony forming units) by the expiration date, assuming it is stored according to instructions. It is, however, formulated with 15 billion CFU...or put another way, that's how much is put into each capsule at time of manufacture. This number will gradually decrease from 15 billion to 3 billion over the life of the product.  It is normal for probiotic products to decrease in potency over time. This is why the products are overfilled (also known as overage) to provide the minimum effective dose used in clinical studies.