This is the Supplement Facts Label. Currently, in the United States, probiotics and prebiotics are classified as supplements. Unfortunately, this also means they are more loosely regulated than foods or drugs. While we adhere to all FDA requirements, we actually look to meet and surpass more stringent global standards, such as EFSA in Europe and FOSHU in Japan.

Nevertheless, this Supplement Facts label tells you a lot of useful information about the contents of DS-01®. We know these things are sometimes confusing, so let’s go through it together.

The FDA is in charge of regulating both food and dietary supplements, and each category gets its own label and different labeling requirements. Since there’s no established daily value for many supplements, the Supplements Facts label must indicate the ingredients and quantities for each.

Our 2-in-1 nested capsule houses the inner probiotic capsule, inside the outer prebiotic capsule. This delivery system shields against stomach acid, digestion enzymes, and bile salts, and safeguards viability through digestion, for delivery of an average of 100% of our probiotic starting dose to your colon. The outer capsule also serves as an elegant barrier to oxygen, moisture, and heat—no refrigeration necessary.

Two capsules = the research-derived dose. In other words, when a study on a probiotic strain (or anything else) demonstrates a benefit, the same dose used in the study must also be translated into the product you take. We formulated the strains in your DS-01® in alignment with the clinically and scientifically studied doses. Together, they form the full dose of two capsules.

We test for AFU (Active Fluorescent Units)—an advanced and precise enumeration method for probiotics today. These are measured through flow cytometry, a process where probiotic cells are tagged with fluorescent ‘markers’ and counted by a laser as they pass through a tube. Through AFU, we are able to calculate a more precise measurement of all viable cells, including ones that are efficacious but not necessarily culturable (and therefore would not be counted in a traditional plated CFU measurement—what you’re probably used to seeing on probiotics labels).

If you’re not familiar, CFU stands for Colony Forming Units, and is reflected in plating, a classic microbiology technique that has been used since the 1800s. This technique shows the number of ‘colonies’ that are formed on a plate through a series of dilutions. While it remains the industry standard, CFU is not an exact science. It can vary widely between batch lots, can be  ineffective for multi-strain probiotics, as different strains of bacteria often require different growth media.

The letters and numbers designate the strain. For example, in Bifidobacterium breve SD-BR3-IT, ‘Bifidobacterium’ is the genus, ‘breve’ is the species, and ‘SD-BR3-IT’ is the strain specification.

Why is strain specificity important? Well, precision is critical, especially with bacteria. Within each species, there are actually multitudes of strains. Just like a french bulldog is quite different from a golden retriever (even though they both belong to the genus and species Canis lupus familiaris), each strain of a bacterial species has its own characteristics and cannot be lumped together synonymously. As an example, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v has been shown to effectively reduce IBS symptoms in a number of trials, whereas administration of Lactobacillus plantarum MF1298 was actually found to worsen them.

In selecting a probiotic, look for full strain names on the label, and then ask for the clinical studies and research that support each strain and the benefits it claims to confer.

Gastrointestinal Health

• Promotes digestive health (to support healthy regularity and ease of bloating)†

• Reinforces healthy stool hydration and ease of evacuation†

• Supports gut ease from occasional gastrointestinal discomfort associated with increased intestinal transit time†

Gut Immune Function

• Supports healthy gut immune function and 'cross-talk' between immune and intestinal cells*

• Maintains healthy immunological responses in the gastrointestinal tract*

• Supports production of short-chain fatty acids*

Gut Barrier Integrity

• Maintains healthy gut barrier function and integrity* 

• Reinforces healthy tight junction function in vitro*

• Supports healthy gut barrier integrity from ethanol- and endotoxin-induced (lipopolysaccharide) permeability in vitro*

Formulated with strains that:

• Promote healthy skin* 

• Reinforce healthy gut-skin axis*

Formulated with strains that:

• Promote heart health* 

• Help maintain blood cholesterol levels already in the normal range* 

• Support healthy intestinal recycling of cholesterol and bile*

Formulated with strains that:

• Support folate (vitamin B9) production via intestinal synthesis of bioactive forms of folate* 

• Support intestinal synthesis of vitamin B12 in vitro*

While most prebiotics today fall into the category of dietary fibers such as fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), or inulin, our Microbiota-Accessible Prebiotic [MAP] introduces a patented, plant-based, non-fermenting prebiotic compound (punicalagin) concentrated from Indian pomegranate. Punicalagin is further biotransformed by gut bacteria into beneficial metabolites for the body.

Our 100% vegan capsule is made of hypromellose (instead of gelatin), gellan gum (which is actually produced through bacterial fermentation), chlorophyllin, and organic rice fiber and extract. Our ViaCap® 2-in-1 capsule system shields our probiotics in their journey through digestive acids and enzymes, to deliver live strains to your colon.