The probiotic <i>Lacticaseibacillus paracasei</i> strain Shirota (LcS) in a fermented milk beverage survives the gastrointestinal tract of generally healthy U.S. Adults
Chad Cook, Hiroshi Makino, K. Kato, Traci M. Blonquist, Linda Derrig, Hideyuki Shibata
Abstract
The probiotic strain Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (previously Lactobacillus casei) strain Shirota (LcS) has demonstrated its survivability in the gastrointestinal tract across populations in different countries. The objective of this study was to validate this survivability in the United States, where evidence is lacking. Faecal samples were collected from 26 healthy individuals (age: 32.0 ± 5.9 years) at baseline, after 7 and 14 days of daily consumption of 80 mL fermented milk containing 108 colony forming units (CFU) LcS/mL, and after a subsequent 14-days of no product consumption. Live LcS counts significantly (p < 0.001) increased after 7 and 14 days of product consumption (6.37 ± 1.18 and 5.24 ± 1.81 log10 CFU/g faeces, respectively) and returned to baseline in 87% of participants. These results indicate LcS survives passage through the gastrointestinal tract of generally healthy U.S. adults, providing support for its uniquely accumulated evidence of universal survival capacity in the gastrointestinal tract.