Does your probiotic deliver? – article

When it comes to choosing an effective, high-quality supplement, there's no better gauge than science. From the beginning, Jarrow Formulas® unwavering commitment to clinical data has driven its product innovation and informed the company's mission: to provide safe, efficacious, research-backed supplements that empower individuals to take charge of their health.

Jarrow Formulas staff of skilled scientists and health professionals stay actively involved in clinical studies, continually working with researchers from universities and world-class institutes around the world. Leveraging cutting-edge data, Jarrow Formulas supplements are carefully crafted to guarantee full biological value and potency for consumers. That's one reason the company was named the number-one probiotic brand for customer satisfaction^†—and why Jarrow Formulas is still considered a pioneer in the field.

40-Plus Years of Pioneering Probiotics

As the industry leader in innovative, research-based probiotics, Jarrow Formulas has long advocated science as the guiding principle in product development. The company's unyielding adherence to science and insistence on quality and efficacy ultimately shaped the budding probiotic supplements market.

Some of Jarrow Formulas earliest releases shaped the nascent field of probiotics. In 1986, the company introduced the original Jarro-Dophilus mixed-species formulation—a groundbreaking first for the burgeoning vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS) industry. Later, with its launch of Jarro-Dophilus EPS (Enhanced Probiotic System), Jarrow Formulas revolutionized the probiotic market with the first enteric-coated, shelf-stable probiotic to hit the natural supplements arena. 

Continuing its role in pioneering probiotics, the company founded the International Probiotic Association (IPA) in 2006 with preeminent probiotics researchers at Institut Rosell of Canada and Morinaga of Japan. As the global voice for probiotics, the IPA is a respected forum for commercial and academic exchange and the leading advocate for probiotics in regulatory affairs.

Core to Jarrow Formulas product development: a commitment to high-quality probiotics with proven benefits. The company uses only clinically studied strains, created through years of intensive research alongside world-renowned partners like Lallemand-Institut Rosell, Chr. Hansen and Morinaga Dairy. And while many probiotic supplements claim ultra-high CFUs as a measure of efficacy, Jarrow Formulas takes a different, science-based approach. In reality, having documented strains with targeted actions is significantly more important than numbers alone.* That's why Jarrow Formulas probiotics include multi-strain combinations of skillfully selected bacteria for specific benefits, like intestinal support and immune health.*

Why Strains Matter—Especially for Women

The gut-supportive, immune-enhancing effects of probiotics are well established—and current research also confirms the use of probiotics for vaginal and bladder health. But the gut and the vagina need totally different microorganisms. “Certain strains persist in the human vagina, colonizing more efficiently than bacteria commonly found in yogurt and ordinary probiotics. This makes the proper selection of strains for urogenital support* all the more important,” explains Li.

Jarrow Formulas intensive research into strain-specific benefits led to the development of Fem-Dophilus: a probiotic designed exclusively for women, to restore balance and promote vaginal and urinary tract health.* Fem-Dophilus features a unique blend of two patented strains, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GR-1^‡ and Limosilactobacillus reuteri RC-14^‡, discovered and developed by Dr. Gregor Reid and Dr. Andrew Bruce at Urex Biotech. Each of these clinically documented probiotics has powerful, proven advantages for women.*

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GR-1^‡,the most extensively researched probiotic strain for women's health, is recognized for its powerful urogenital effects, including a reduction in the recurrence of bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infection. GR-1 has been shown to adhere to cells in the bladder, vagina and intestines, displacing and blocking adhesion by pathogens. Studies confirm GR-1 inhibits harmful bacteria and yeast and prevents them from forming clumps or biofilms—slimy barriers that allow unfavorable organisms to thrive and are difficult for drugs to eradicate. Other research shows GR-1 is innately resistant to nonoxynol-9, a spermicidal agent that typically suppresses the growth of beneficial bacteria. The strain also induces an anti-inflammatory effect and modulates factors that would otherwise increase a woman's risk of preterm birth.

Limosilactobacillus reuteri RC-14^‡, originally isolated in 1985, has been rigorously studied with extensively documented benefits for vaginal and urinary tract health. Like GR-1, this strain also adheres to bladder, vaginal and intestinal cells, displacing and preventing adhesion of intestinal and urogenital pathogens and impeding their growth. RC-14 works in part by producing hydrogen peroxide, thought to be critical in vaginal health. It also produces signaling factors that inhibit and alter the virulence of Staphylococcus aureus, the so-called "superbug" bacterium linked with hospital infections and death. Other research shows RC-14 also possesses immune modulatory activity.

Studies show GR-1 and RC-14 strains persist in the human vagina and may be better suited to vaginal colonization than organisms commonly found in yogurt and ordinary probiotic supplements. When combined, these two clinically documented bacteria exert even more powerful benefits. Decades of research demonstrate the ability of GR-1 and RC-14 to restore and maintain normal vaginal microbiota balance and promote vaginal and urinary tract health, safely and effectively.* In more than 20 clinical trials published in peer-reviewed journals, a combination of GR-1 and RC-14 was found to:

            • Reduce colonization by potential pathogenic bacteria and yeast and restore microflora balance, with no adverse effects.

            • Significantly improve vaginal flora composition in 75 percent of women, compared to only 34 percent of women in a placebo (non-probiotic) control group, and boost cure rates of bacterial vaginosis.

            • Restore and maintain normal vaginal microbiota balance and increase the abundance of indigenous Lactobacilli strains in women with bacterial vaginosis.

            • Effectively treat vaginosis and bacterial vaginitis, re-establishing the vaginal ecosystem and preventing recurrence.

            •  Inhibit the growth of C. albicans, associated with vaginal candidiasis, killing pathogenic C. albicans cells and significantly improving symptoms of yeast infection.

            • Exhibit strong antifungal activities against C. glabrata, a hard-to-combat yeast strain, blocking its proliferation and leading to cell death of this harmful pathogen.

            • Prevent and treat urogenital infections in women, persisting in the vagina and colonizing more efficiently than other strains.

            • Protect pregnant women by reducing colonization of Group B Streptococcus (GBS), a bacteria that can cause complications if passed to the baby during childbirth.

Both GR-1 and RC-14 have been shown to resist stomach bile and survive gastrointestinal transit. To further ensure its effectiveness, Fem-Dophilus is made with a special process that protects these unique strains from harsh stomach acids, enhancing their survival.* Fem-Dophilus is so revolutionary, Prevention Magazine named it as a Top 10 Medical Breakthrough in 2007, calling it a "breakthrough that speeds treatment of vaginal infections."

Fem-Dophilus is available in two versions, both featuring GR-1 and RC-14 strains: a high-potency formula with 5 billion viable cells, and a shelf-stable 1 billion CFU version that requires no refrigeration. And like all Jarrow Probiotics, strain identifications are clearly listed in the supplement facts panel for full transparency, guaranteeing customers that the company’s probiotics have been validated by science.*

Why Yogurt's Not Enough

Eating yogurt with “active cultures” is often recommended to support vaginal health. It certainly won't hurt since organisms in yogurt—like L. delbrueckii and L. acidophilus—naturally occur in the vagina. However, controlled studies showing clear benefits of yogurt in maintaining favorable vaginal microbiota simply don't exist. Lactobacillus cultures usually produce lactic acid, but the strains used in fermenting milk into yogurt are not believed to produce hydrogen peroxide or other important factors. It's also not known whether these strains even survive gastric passage or are able to colonize the vagina.

On the other hand, GR-1 and RC-14 have clinically documented effects in beneficially altering the vaginal microbiota. They’re also known to survive gastric passage and successfully move to the vagina. And in studies, GR-1 and RC-14 were shown to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and yeast, improve vaginal microbiota composition and maintain balance.

_{†Ratings based on results of the 2021 ConsumerLab.com Survey of Supplement Users. More information at www.consumerlab.com/survey. 
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. 
‡Updates based on official taxonomy reclassification.}