About Synbiotic 2000

What are Synbiotics? – Lactic acid bacteria and prebiotic fibre

Synbiotics are a combination of probiotics (good bacteria) and prebiotics (fibre – food for the bacteria) used to restore the microbial flora in the event of, e.g. antibiotic treatment and disease, both chronic and acute. Our modern lifestyle and eating habits have weakened our gut flora, which in turn leads to increased susceptibility to infection and is very likely behind the large number of chronic diseases that have been increasing significantly in recent decades.

Synbiotic 2000

Some 15 years ago, there were already signs that the health-promoting “good” bacteria in our guts, such as Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus paracasei, were no longer represented in the human flora due to our low-fibre Western diet. In response to this, Stig Bengmark and a group of researchers started searching for lactobacilli on plants growing in nature with strong health-promoting properties. They identified 535 bacterial strains, 355 of which were collected from humans and 180 from plants, which were then thoroughly analysed. Of these strains, eight were found to have particularly strong health-promoting properties: they produced loads of antioxidants and vitamins but, above all, a host of substances that reduce inflammation in the body and prevent infection. The researchers selected four of these bacterial strains that were found to have synergistic effects and these formed the foundation of the patented formulation they named Synbiotic 2000.

At that time, the importance of providing supplemental lactobacilli with the nutrients it needs to grow and multiply, especially in the large intestine, was already known. Therefore, they decided to provide the bacteria with something of a “packed lunch”, i.e. prebiotics, and focused early on with supplementation of four known fibre varieties: beta-glucan, pectin, inulin and resistant starch, all widely known for the important role they play in the function of our gut flora and our overall health.

Clinical studies have shown good results

In these studies, the bacteria in Synbiotic 2000 were investigated to determine their ability to produce antioxidants, anti-inflammatory proteins and to induce beta-defensin with the protective effects it brings. These anti-inflammatory properties were confirmed in early animal studies along with the ability of the bacteria to survive during transport through the gastrointestinal tract all the way down to the large intestine – which is an essential property of any probiotic preparation.

Among other benefits, human research has shown that Synbiotic has powerful effects on people who are undergoing radiation therapy/taking radioactive drugs to fight cancer, those who have gastrointestinal disorders such as IBS and patients in intensive care. Studies have shown, for example, that Synbiotic contributed to a significant reduction in severe infections after serious accidents as well as after major abdominal surgery, such as liver transplants. A study done at the University Hospital in Berlin found that supplementation with Synbiotic 2000 reduced the number of post-transplant infections from 51% to 3%, and a similar study in patients after severe accidents showed a reduced infection rate from 50% to 14%.

Synbiotic as a dietary supplement

Synbiotic 2000 is currently being used in a number of ongoing research studies but is not available for sale. The dietary supplement Synbiotic was formulated based on the research preparation and contains the same composition but in a lower dosage, as it is adapted for healthy persons. Synbiotic is available for purchase at supersynbiotics.se.