The effects of probiotic PCC® on adult and infant immune systems

Five clinical studies provide evidence that PCC^® may have the ability to boost the immune system of both adults and infants, and to reduce the duration and severity of respiratory tract infections.

General findings

• Three of the studies showed that when taken orally every day, PCC^® can significantly reduce the duration of cold and flu symptoms (by more than half) in adults, when taken before symptoms appear
• Two of these studies showed that PCC^® could also reduce the severity of cold symptoms in elite male athletes.
• One of these studies also showed a significant reduction in gastrointestinal illness in elite male athletes who were taking PCC^® daily.
• A fourth study reported that significantly fewer infants (aged 6 to 18 months) who were given PCC^® (1 billion CFU) daily had lower respiratory tract infections compared to the placebo group.
• One study showed a significant improvement in infants with atopic dermatitis compared to placebo. Notably, the improvement in symptom severity with probiotic treatment was still evident two months after the treatment was ceased.
• PCC^® was also shown to significantly boost the response to the flu vaccine and to reduce the severity and duration of cold symptoms in healthy adults.

Conclusion

PCC^® is a probiotic that appears to be capable of boosting the mucosal immune system to reduce the severity and duration of respiratory infections in male athletes, healthy adults and infants. PCC^® also appears capable of reducing the inflammatory symptoms of atopic dermatitis in infants and to boost the immune response to a vaccine in adults. PCC^® can produce these immune effects at daily doses (1-2 billion CFU) well below those of many commercial probiotic products, many of which contain high numbers of non-specific and untested lactobacilli. This is likely due to PCC^®’s demonstrated superior ability to resist the harsh environment of the stomach, ensuring it survives in high numbers on its passage through the digestive system.

From these clinical and scientific studies, it can be concluded that PCC^® represents a potential powerful booster of the immune response and GI tract to provide a variety of positive health benefits.

As our understanding grows of the critical role of the gastrointestinal flora in human health, Bioxyne expects to be able to demonstrate health benefits of PCC^® through its effects on the gut microbiome. This is the subject of Bioxyne’s current clinical trial.

Read a summary of the studies and their findings