CLEVELAND, June 5, 2007 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- A healthy digestive system is fundamental to overall good health and although many people claim to maintain a proper diet, exercise and drink plenty of water, their digestive systems remain unbalanced. Factors such as age, medication, travel, antibiotic use and stress can wreak havoc on our digestive and immune systems. That's where probiotics, or healthy bacteria, come in to play - restoring intestinal health by regulating the digestive tract and boosting the immune system.

Sustenex(TM), a new daily probiotic supplement recently introduced by Ganeden Biotech, is a natural supplement that's been proven effective in establishing more healthy or beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract and boosting the immune system. Sustenex contains GanedenBC30, a safe and powerful strain of the bacteria Bacillus coagulans.

"The probiotic bacteria GanedenBC30 was included in Sustenex because of its superior ability to survive harsh stomach acid, colonize the intestines and perform many useful functions in the digestive system," said Andrew Lefkowitz, president of Ganeden Biotech. And, unlike yogurt and other dairy foods containing live active cultures that are fragile and need to be refrigerated to stay alive, the probiotic bacteria in Sustenex does not require refrigeration and has a long and stable shelf-life. Even yogurts infused with more stable probiotics have a hard time surviving the stomach acid to reach the intestines.

In fact, a recent Consumer Reports article showed that less than 1/10th of one percent of the bacteria in a leading probiotic yogurt made it to the intestines alive. It stands to reason then that people should eat yogurt because they enjoy the taste, but to get the full benefits of probiotics, people should take a daily probiotic supplement.

While probiotics have been used by people around the world for some time, they're only now becoming increasingly more popular in the U.S. as people discover their benefits and adapt healthier lifestyles. However, to have any health benefit, a significant number of probiotic cells must reach the intestinal tract and be prolific colonizers. The two-billion probiotic cells of Ganeden BC(30) in each capsule of Sustenex are able to withstand the stomach's harsh acidic environment and effectively reach their target, the intestinal tract, delivering over 10 times more live cells than a leading probiotic yogurt.*

Dr. Andrew Weil, world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and best-selling author, recently selected GanedenBC30 for use in one of his premium-branded products for its high-survivability and because it is an extremely hardy strain of bacteria with a history of safe-use.

The digestive system is home to more than 400 species of bacteria and 70% of the body's immune system is actually in the intestinal tract. In fact, there are more bacterial cells in the digestive system than there are cells in the entire body. Taking a probiotic supplement can help the body to maintain this critical balance, which can help the digestive system function effectively and enhance the body's natural defenses.

A recent study from the University of Reading, U.K. stated that the level of positive bacteria in the gut diminishes by 1,000 times by the time we reach the age of 60-65. "Since a healthy and balanced digestive system is crucial to everyone, people of all ages (over 12) can benefit from taking a probiotic supplement like Sustenex with GanedenBC30 daily," said Lefkowitz.

Sustenex is currently available at Walgreens, Meijer and Discount Drug Mart and online at drugstore.com, amazon.com, rofay.com and doctorvicks.com.

About Ganeden Biotech
Founded in 1997, Ganeden Biotech is a consumer healthcare company that features a popular line of over-the-counter, daily probiotics under the Sustenex and Digestive Advantage brands that help relieve the symptoms of digestive-specific disorders including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), lactose intolerance, abdominal gas, constipation and Crohn's & Colitis. All of Ganeden's oral products contain powerful, patented strains of healthy bacteria, or probiotics, which work within the intestinal ecosystem to help normalize digestive function and combat a variety of digestive symptoms, ranging from abdominal gas, pain, bloating and cramps. Millions of people use Digestive Advantage products and doctors trust Digestive Advantage - continually providing samples to and recommending the products to their patients.

Ganeden Biotech is dedicated to improving people's quality of life through continued consumer and physician education, scientific research and exploration and the development of new products. More than 40,000 retail stores nationwide as well as major internet retailers carry Ganeden products. For more information, visit www.ganedenbiotech.com and www.sustenex.com or call 800-456-0276.

About GanedenBC30

GanedenBC30 is a clinically-proven, safe and effective healthy strain of probiotic bacteria that has proven efficacious in numerous digestive disorders and stimulation of the immune system. A strain of the bacteria Bacillus coagulans, GanedenBC30 is protected by a hardened layer of organic material, ensuring the probiotic bacteria reach the digestive tract where they offer the greatest health benefit, successfully colonizing in the intestines and helping the body sustain a healthy digestive and immune system. Available in dozens of products, GanedenBC30 is being licensed in functional foods, nutritional supplements, beverages and topical applications with companies worldwide.

Dr. Andrew Weil, an internationally-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, selected GanedenBC30 for use in his soon-to-be-launched probiotic supplement because it has a history of safe-use and is an extremely hardy organism that has been clinically-proven to withstand the heat and pressure of manufacturing, has a long shelf life without refrigeration and can survive the stomach's acidic environment.

* In a lab study of a simulated gastric stomach environment, Sustenex delivered more than 10 times the live cells than a leading probiotic yogurt.