ImmunoLP
September 3, 2022VegFizz Hydrogen Scam
September 6, 2022Heat-killed Probiotics
Heat-Killed Probiotics
Most probiotics are taken in live form for the purpose of increasing bacteria numbers in your gut. This promotes healthy digestion and is supportive to your immune system. Probiotic strains that are not alive also benefit your immune system in different ways.
One type of non-living probiotics are called heat-killed probiotics (HKP). Live probiotics, like lactobacillus, are grown in culture until they reach the maximum number of bacteria possible. HKPs are grown to a certain point and then killed through raising the temperature beyond the level at which they can survive.
As bacteria numbers reach their maximum growth in a culture, their immune stimulating properties decrease. Killing the bacteria before this point has three primary benefits.
- Heat killing probiotics increases their immune modulating properties.
- Halting them at the right stage captures the immune modulating properties at their peak.
- It creates a stable product with predictable effects
HKPs activate and balance your immune system. Since they act specifically on the immune system in the gut and don’t increase gut flora numbers, HKP are more accurately called immunobiotics.
How Do Heat-Killed Probiotics Work?
In the process of heating the bacteria, their cell walls rupture, allowing the contents inside, such as DNA, to spill out. Pieces of the cell wall also break off during heating. These broken off fragments include:[R]
- Peptidoglycans
- Lipoteichoic acid (LTA)
- Pili (hair-like structures on the surface of bacteria)
All of the heat-released molecules are recognized by the immune system and lead to its activation.[R]
One way HKP exert their benefits is through activating the innate, or first responders, of your immune system. This balances inflammation.[R]
These bacterial components can also inhibit other potentially infectious organisms.[R,R]
In the digestive tract, immune cells present in the gut lining recognize the LTA from the bacteria surface. They respond by increasing these three immune system messengers.
IL-12 causes an increase in Th1 cells in the blood, significantly increasing the Th1/Th2 ratio in healthy adults.[R] Th1 cells are part of the adaptive immune system. They are dedicated to fighting off foreign invaders, such as viruses and bacteria. Th1 cells also call in other immune cells, like macrophages, to help fight infections.
Natural killer cells and CD8+ immune cells respond to IL-12 by becoming more toxic to bacteria and viruses.[R]
IFN-β is a messenger molecule that regulates the function of every other immune cell in the adaptive and innate immune systems. It helps maintain optimal immune function. IFN-beta also helps balance your body’s inflammatory response.[R]
IFN-γ helps balance the immune system and make it more effective at fighting infections.[R] Both IFN-γ and IFN-β are very important to combat viruses.
Health Benefits of Heat-Killed Probiotics
HKPs promote digestive and immune system wellness. Through their broad immune modulating effects, HKPs promote health in acute and chronic illness. They also help maintain a high level of long term immune system readiness.
These are some of the well-established benefits of supplementing with HKP.
Soothing To Allergies + Eczema
Anaphylactic allergic reactions are triggered by IgE molecules in your immune system. Some people with allergies also have too much IgE. Heat-killed lactobacillus probiotics decrease the amount of IgE the immune system produces, possibly helping the severity of these kinds of reactions.[R]
A common feature of chronic allergies related to the environment, eczema, and asthma, is an imbalance in Th1 and Th2 immune cells. Th2 cells are typically dominant in these allergic conditions. The hygiene hypothesis of allergies states that in Westernized societies, better hygiene and decreased exposure to infectious microbes causes a decrease in Th1 activation. This may be the reason for the presence of more allergies in these countries.[R]
Increasing Th1 cells brings balance to the Th1/Th2 ratio and may lessen allergic symptoms.[R] Due to HKP’s ability to increase Th1 cells, they are supportive for allergic conditions associated with low Th1/Th2.[R]
Promote Oral Health
Periodontal disease and plaque is the result of your immune system responding to infectious microbes in your mouth. Removing plaque and supportive oral hygiene is helpful, but it doesn’t remove all the organisms, because they get into the gums and hard to reach spaces.[R]
Adding HKP as an immune supportive supplement promotes oral health in combination with supportive oral hygiene practices. In a study of 39 people with periodontal disease, half received either placebo or HKP, in addition to standard teeth cleaning for twelve weeks. The healing of the gum tissue was significantly greater in the group who received HKP.[R]
Balance Inflammation and Lipids in Obesity [R]
Westernized countries are experiencing an epidemic of chronic inflammation and increased body mass.[R] An overweight body composition and unhealthy diet leads to higher levels of inflammation and blood lipids. Increased inflammation and lipids are associated with the development of chronic health conditions, such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.[R,R,R]
HKPs may help improve these chronic disease risk factors in normal weight and overweight individuals.
HKPs provide these long term health benefits in those with increased body mass.[R]
- Promotes healthy blood lipid balance
- Positively modulates inflammation
- Protects and supports liver health
- Promotes healthy level of white blood cells
Strengthens the gut barrier [R]
Promotes Digestive Health and Regularity
Despite containing no living probiotic strains, HKP still promote healthy digestive function.
Bloating is a common feature of functional digestive system issues, such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). HKP may decrease bloating from functional causes in adults and children.[R,R]
HKP support digestive regularity, whether the imbalance is due to functional or infectious causes [R,R,R]
Supports Gut Barrier Integrity
A healthy gut barrier is sealed tightly, so that only what is supposed to be absorbed gets across. If the barrier is leaky, undigested food, bacteria, and toxins can get through. This causes whole-body inflammation and can lead to chronic illnesses, such as autoimmune conditions.
HKP helps to increase the natural molecules in the gut that repair leaky gut and maintain the integrity of the gut lining.[R,R,R] This supports restoration of digestive and whole-body wellness.
May Reduce Frequency of Infections
HKPs increase the immune system messengers IL-12, IFN-γ, and IFN-β. [R,R,R,R,R]
- Increases in Th1 cells, which orchestrate immune responses against bacteria and viruses
- More effective killing ability of natural killer (NK) and other immune cells
- Regulation and optimization of all immune functions
- Modulation of inflammatory response
These changes make your immune system especially more effective at fighting viral infections. The strain HKLP-137 (ImmunoLP) promotes immune health in people experiencing chronic psychological stress. HKLP-137’s may provide these benefits for infections.[R]
- Decreased frequency of infections
- Shorter length of illnesses
- Less severe symptoms
- Decreased duration of medication needed
Are Heat-Killed Probiotics Safe?
HKPs have a long history of use in traditional foods and are present in many food products. In the U.S., Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 (ImmunoLP) has the label of “Generally Recognized As Safe” (GRAS).
Live probiotics have some safety concern, especially in people with vulnerable immune systems. HKP are considered a safer and more stable option for immune support than traditional, live probiotics.[R]
Conclusion
Heat-killed probiotics are a safe and powerful immune system modulating supplement. The unique process using heat, at a specific stage of growth, ensures a high level of effectiveness. They also provide consistent and predictable results.
HKPs promote immune balance and increase your immune system’s ability to fight off infections. They help balance Th1/Th2 and may help with allergies. HKPs also support healthy inflammation levels and a strong gut barrier, two of the most important factors contributing to long-term health.
Whether to maintain a current state of wellness, or improve whole-body health, heat-killed probiotics should be an important addition to your daily routine.