A postbiotic immune strategy for the post-pandemic woman – article

The story about how the Covid-19 pandemic changed the world is still being written. However, one outcome is certain: The way people approach their personal health and wellness will never quite be the same again, particularly when it comes to protecting their immune systems.

For instance, the dietary supplement market for cold, flu and immunity was up 30% to nearly $5 billion in 2022 from pre-pandemic levels, despite two years of declines, according to Nutrition Business Journal’s Condition Specific Report 2023. A bullish report from Grandview Research suggests the global immune health supplements market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of more than 10% over the next several years.¹

Beyond the market numbers, data from a recent survey conducted by Kyowa Hakko, a leading provider of science-driven branded ingredients created with fermentation technology for dietary supplements and functional food/beverage applications, confirms that immune health remains high on the list of consumer concerns, and particularly for women.

The survey of more than 1,000 people found that 37% say they think about immune health every day and another 39% say it comes up at least once per week. In addition, since the pandemic, more than two-thirds of respondents say their immune health has become more important to them.

Interestingly for supplement brands and manufacturers, a full three-quarters are very interested in purchasing dietary supplements to help bolster their immunity and more than 65% already buy more immune health supplements than they did five years ago. That resonates with a 2021 Ingredient Transparency Center survey that found immune supplement users make up around 80% of all supplement users in the United States.

A well-researched postbiotic

Digging deeper into the Kyowa Hakko data reveals an intriguing gender divide that implies women may be more likely to take a dietary supplement daily to support their immune health than men. For example, the data indicate that women are less likely to think their health is very good, while being far more concerned that things like stress, anxiety and lack of sleep are related to their immune health.

“Women are also more likely to be prompted to think about their immune health throughout the day. From hearing someone sneeze to being around kids, there are these daily moments that keep them on higher alert,” said Maria Stanieich, Kyowa Hakko USA marketing manager. “We’ve found that women tend to self-identify as having a stronger need for immune health supplementation. They’re actively searching for products — supplements included — to help support their immune systems and make it part of a proactive daily routine.”

That’s one reason why Kyowa Hakko USA, a member of the Kirin Group, introduced IMMUSE® to the U.S. market in 2020. This novel postbiotic is a heat-killed form of a specific lactic acid bacteria (Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma or LC-Plasma) that has been the subject of more than 30 studies, as well as 15 human clinical trials over the last decade.

Traditionally, probiotics have been used to promote gut health through the microbiome, which research has long suggested plays a vital role in the immune system.² IMMUSE, however, takes a different approach. It focuses on the small intestine, a crucial hub of immune activity that’s often overlooked because of a lack of common understanding about how its function supports immune health activity. There, in specialized areas called Peyer's Patches, IMMUSE directly activates a specific immune cell called a plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC). These special immune cells act as commanders, coordinating the activity of other immune cells like natural killer cells, T-cells and B-cells, which are crucial for both innate and adaptive immune responses.

Clinical studies using IMMUSE indicate that it is the only known Lactobacillus strain with this specific function of activating pDCs, with the first randomized placebo-controlled double-blind clinical study dating back to 2013.³ Subsequent studies have built a strong body of evidence for IMMUSE as a long-term, safe catalyst for initiating a comprehensive immune response in both children and adults.^4,5,6

IMMUSE market opportunities

This balanced approach sets IMMUSE apart in a market saturated with immune boosters that often focus on just one aspect of immunity. Its unique properties as a postbiotic — including heat stability and long shelf life without refrigeration — make it easy to use in formulations that meet the growing demand for functional food and beverages with immune health benefits. Additionally, its vegetarian, non-GMO and allergen-free status aligns with current consumer trends towards clean-label products.

Importantly, brands that can show how IMMUSE helps people take control of their immune health holistically will especially resonate with women based on the findings from the Kyowa Hakko survey, Stanieich noted.

“Brands that use IMMUSE have an incredible opportunity to speak to women’s desire for incorporating a supplement into their overall approach to immune health,” she explained. “For them, it goes beyond external measures like washing their hands and using hand sanitizer. It’s about supporting the immune system from within and a healthy active lifestyle.”

These busy, on-the-go consumers are especially interested in products that functionally meet multiple needs in their lives. For instance, Kyowa Hakko recently partnered with a brand called Encore that offers a line of functional beverage powders. Its new Encore Collagen Mix features IMMUSE and other branded ingredients to support natural immunity and skin health based on strong clinical evidence.

In fact, a pair of 2021 studies specifically investigated the role of LC-Plasma on skin health. The first was an eight-week randomized placebo-controlled double-blind clinical study with 70 healthy participants. Researchers found that not only did IMMUSE significantly improve erythema (superficial reddening of the skin), but it also prevented the decrease of good skin microbes and the overgrowth of bad bacteria on the skin, suggesting the powerful postbiotic stimulates skin immunity. A second, similarly designed study showed that the proportion of microbes that changed significantly during the test period was 10 times smaller in the LC-Plasma group compared to placebo, implying that IMMUSE may maintain skin microbiome homeostasis.^7,8

IMMUSE offers a novel strategy for formulating innovative products that bolster the body’s natural defenses — inside and out — and can appeal to consumers, particularly women, looking for holistic system approaches to immunity and everyday wellness. “With a supplement containing IMMUSE, women can take a more comprehensive approach to immune support, especially when taken daily,” Stanieich said.

*Kyowa Hakko proprietary consumer research

¹ Grandview Research. Immune Health Supplements Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/immune-health-supplements-market-report.

² Wiertsema SP et al. “The Interplay between the Gut Microbiome and the Immune System in the Context of Infectious Diseases throughout Life and the Role of Nutrition in Optimizing Treatment Strategies.” Open Forum Infect Dis. 2017 Jul 8;4(3):ofx144.

³ Sugimura T et al. “Immunomodulatory effect of Lactococcus lactis JCM5805 on human plasmacytoid dendritic cells.” Clin Immunol. 2013;149: 509–518.

⁴ Tanaka K et al. “The Safety Evaluation of Long-term or Excessive Intake of the Beverage Containing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM 5805 and Resistant Maltodextrin: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group Trial.” Japanese Pharmacol Ther. 2015;43(12):1711-27.

⁵ Fujii T et al. “Effects of heat-killed Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM 5805 on mucosal and systemic immune parameters, and antiviral reactions to influenza virus in healthy adults; a randomized controlled double-blind study.” J Func Food. 2017;35:513-521.

⁶ Shibata T et al. “Lactococcus lactis JCM5805 activates anti-viral immunity and reduces symptoms of common cold and influenza in healthy adults in a randomized controlled trial.” J Func Food. 2016;24:492-500.

⁷ Fujii T, et al “Effects of Heat-Killed Lactococcus lactis Strain Plasma on Skin Homeostasis-Related Genes and the Skin Microbiome among Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Double-Blind Study.” Microorganisms. 2021;9(10):2029.

⁸ Tsuji R et al. “The Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Lactococcus lactis Strain Plasma on Skin Microbiome and Skin Conditions in Healthy Subjects-A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.” Microorganisms. 2021;9(3):563.