Probiotics, to deliver their health benefits, must survive the journey through the gastrointestinal tract, which presents considerable challenges. The stomach's acidic environment and the bile salts in the small intestine create hostile conditions that can compromise the viability of many probiotic strains. This issue is especially relevant for most commercially available microorganisms, such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, which are particularly sensitive to harsh gastrointestinal conditions.
Weizy® (Heyndrickxia coagulans) is a probiotic bacterial strain initially isolated from healthy human feces, known for its ability to naturally form spores—a characteristic that ensures its high viability during transit through the gastrointestinal tract. This sporulation capacity enables Weizy® to withstand the highly acidic environment of the stomach, allowing it to reach the intestine active, where it can fully exert its probiotic functions.
Recent studies have further explored the probiotic potential of Weizy®, confirming its safety, metabolic versatility, resistance to gastrointestinal conditions, germination ability, and adhesion to intestinal cells1. Specifically, following a simulated human gastrointestinal transit using the INFOGEST2 model, Weizy® confirmed its capacity to survive gastrointestinal passage, maintaining high viability in acidic environmental conditions (Figure A). Moreover, within just 15 minutes, 86% of Weizy's spores successfully germinated when incubated in a human fecal sample1 (Figure B), and after 24 hours, they were able to germinate on human intestinal epithelial cells following spore inoculation3. Additionally, Weizy® was detected in all five fecal samples collected from healthy volunteers after ingesting a capsule containing 6 billion CFU, further demonstrating this probiotic's ability to survive gastrointestinal transit and germinate within the human gut1.
In stability testing, Weizy® demonstrated an impressive 90% survival rate (cell count %) over 36 months when stored at room temperature (25°C), making this strain exceptionally versatile and ideal for use in various dosage forms, including those where conventional live probiotics cannot be utilized. Weizy® does not require overdosing like most probiotics on the market because it remains stable and viable over time, ensuring consistent efficacy throughout the product’s shelf life without the need to compensate for cell loss or refrigeration.
Our experimental findings confirm the reliability of Weizy® as a novel probiotic, ensuring maximum durability and functionality. This resilience and performance set it apart, making Weizy® a cost-effective alternative to traditional lactic acid bacteria and Bifidobacteria and a powerful solution for diverse health applications.
References
1. Duncan R. et al. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2024.
2. Brodkorb A. et al. Nat Protoc 2019, 14(4):991-1014.
3. Spaggiari L. et al. Microorganisms 2024, 12(8), 1634.