Chr. Hansen webinar preview: Immunity-boosting probiotics for a post-COVID world

24 Oct 2022 --- Ahead of Chr. Hansen’s webinar on October 27 (09:00 CEST), which will focus on how probiotics can enhance immune responses, NutritionInsight sits down with experts from the bioscience company, including global scientific advisor and speaker in the webinar, Dr. Jutta Zonderland. We also speak to portfolio manager for EMEA Tine Dandanell and marketing specialist Emilia Ciepiel.

The webinar will explore the connections between the gut microbiome and the immune system – known as the gut-immune axis – and also look at the results of a clinical study on the company’s trademarked L. CASEI 431 probiotic strain.

“When we consume probiotics, they end up in our gut where they live in close proximity to a large part of our immune system,” says Zonderland. “Probiotics can support our immune system in various ways, for example, by modulating our gut microbiota, strengthening the intestinal barrier function and modifying the activity of gut-resident immune cells.”

Prepping for flu season
The word probiotic means “for life,” and they are defined as microorganisms with the ability to confer a health benefit (or benefits) to the host when consumed in adequate quantities. As the winter months approach and flu season draws near, many consumers are looking for ways to boost their immune systems. Dr. Jutta Zonderland will discuss the clinical findings during the webinar.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are now increasingly aware of the need to build a strong immune defense in order to stay healthy. Recently, scientists and researchers called for probiotics and other microbes to be included in dietary recommendations.

Chr. Hansen holds that probiotics are an essential part of any immunity-strengthening endeavor, as 70% of the immune system is located in the gut microbiome. 

“We are a part of educating and raising awareness on probiotics within immune health,” Ciepiel explains. “Probiotics can interact with and support the immune system, making it more efficient in responding to immune challenges.”

Spotlight on health benefits
A central feature of the upcoming webinar is the company’s trademarked L. CASEI 431 strain of probiotics. A recent Japanese-based study hailed the probiotic as being of paramount importance to gut health and regenerative medicine. 

Furthermore, Chr. Hansen says it is able to cite four studies, over the course of 12 years with large sample sizes, all hailing the efficacy of the 431 strain and its ability to increase antibodies, reduce upper respiratory discomfort and increase the seroconversion (movement of specific antibodies into the blood serum) rate of specific antibodies. 

Due to the many ways that probiotics can interact and enhance the immune system, the company states that consumers who use and supplement with probiotics may see faster recovery times from sickness and may be less susceptible to certain immune challenges.

“Chr. Hansen’s trademarked L. CASEI 431 strain has been studied in various clinical trials, where it has been shown to help coordinate a healthy immune response,” Zonderland elaborates. “This means that it can support our immune health and help the body fight off immune challenges.”Consumers are increasingly seeking ways to improve their immune health following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Buttressing a blossoming market
According to Chr. Hansen, this makes the probiotics space rife with opportunities. 

“Among these are areas such as the gut-brain axis, where our clinically documented and trademarked DDS-1 strain has been shown to have a significant effect on stress related to gastrointestinal discomfort,” says Dandanell.

“In addition, we also see an increasing demand for women’s health probiotics, which is where our wide portfolio with strong clinically proven strains will be of continued importance.” 

“Last but not least, we believe synbiotics with our probiotic strains and human milk oligosaccharides hold strong promise within various health areas and will be a key area for the future,” she concludes. 

If you want to discover more about how probiotics can enhance immune responses, register for free to the upcoming Chr. Hansen webinar by following this link.

By William Bradford Nichols