A more “complex” probiotic? Scobiotics embraces synergistic effects

10 Aug 2020 --- With over half of Australia’s population experiencing gastrointestinal issues, healthcare professionals must have products that reflect the microbiome’s complexity and are specific to the conditions that they are treating. This is according to Bioclinic Naturals, a practitioner-only brand from Factors Group of Nutritional Companies. The brand recently launched Scobiotics in Australia, with the complex probiotics consisting of syntrophic blends of mixed cultures of bacteria, fungi and blue-green algae.

“Scobiotics refers to a more complex probiotic and includes not only beneficial bacteria, but also other potentially beneficial organisms and nutrients for a holistic approach to restoring gastrointestinal homeostasis. Scobiotics have been developed to work in synergistic symbiosis. An effective Scobiotic should not only contain quality bacterial strains for the large and small intestines but should include ingredients that encourage an optimal gut environment by working in harmony with the body and each other,” Evan Hayes, Bioclinic Naturals ANZ Managing Director and developer of Scobiotics, tells NutritionInsight. 

In light of this, Scobiotics include ingredients that enhance metabolite production and competitively inhibit pathogens. Hayes explains that the metabolites are thought to act in different ways, such as improving adhesion of certain advantageous microbes. They can also promote increased interaction between different organisms to allow the multiplication and adhesion of beneficial species while supporting pathogenic elimination.

“Scobiotic ingredients also help to increase the production of secondary metabolites that upregulate or downregulate specific activities within the body, such as immune response. The gastrointestinal tract is an extremely diverse and complicated environment, and the wide scope of Bioclinic Naturals’ Scobiotics attempts to reflect this complexity,” adds Hayes. 

The six-product range seeks to provide healthcare professionals with a more complex probiotic for their patients. The following products are targeted to conditions that healthcare practitioners are treating in-clinic:

• SIBO Balance for the support of small intestinal health and healthy digestive function. 
• AllergEase for the relief of symptoms of mild eczema and hayfever.
• Daily Balance for the support of everyday health and function. This product can also be used to maintain gut health after intensive treatment with another of the more specific Scobiotic formulas.
• IP Restore for helping decrease mild gastrointestinal tract inflammation, aid repair of the gastrointestinal wall lining and support healthy digestion. 
• IBS Relief for the support of small intestinal function disturbances and promote healthy large bowel microflora balance. 
• ImmunoGuard for enhancing immune defense and helping support immune system function.

Overcoming regulatory constraintHayes says that the launch represents a “new frontier” in probiotics, based on extensive research.
Hayes further flags that a major challenge was overcoming the Australian regulatory constraints as not all of the most researched ingredients were listable in Australia. There were also additional obstacles around manufacturing to ensure the stability of the actives in combination.

Another challenge was regarding the complexity of the internal processes and trying to map backwards cause and effect. This is to understand the role the microbiome had to play in healthy individuals through observations of what was happening in sick individuals. Hayes also notes that many published articles had inconsistencies in data. 

“Quite often the data we were looking for wasn’t the main area being researched, but the information was collected as secondary analysis, and so we had to approach the author to see if they had collected more information. There was also limited data available on prebiotics,” he explains. 

Ultimately, all the formulas were developed to be specific to a condition with the prebiotics, probiotics and nutrients chosen based on research relating to a particular area and how they would work synergistically. This specificity is crucial as recent guidelines highlight that probiotics should not be generalized. 

Hayes says that the launch represents a “new frontier” in probiotics, based on innovative science, extensive research and supported by strong clinical evidence. “Bioclinic Naturals has a longstanding commitment to providing the highest quality natural health products to valued Australian healthcare practitioners. The launch of this range is in keeping with that promise,” he concludes. 

By Katherine Durrell