Immunity is one of the major health concerns for immune health. In the human body, some specific components play an important role in immunity. These constituents are called antibodies.
Antibodies called immunoglobulin drive an essential part of immune health. An antibody is a protein produced by the immune system in reaction to the detection of a pathogen substance, the antigens. Antibodies will recognize antigens and destroy them through the macrophages.
One of the most important antibodies found in the immune system are the secretory immunoglobulins A (sIgA). These antibodies are located at the most vulnerable interface with the environment: the mucosa. The mucosal surfaces, such as the linings of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, represent an enormous area of potential exposure to pathogens. The sIgA as antibodies can catch toxins and infectious agents and inhibit their interactions with the respiratory and intestinal epithelium. Thanks to the effect of sIgA on pathogens, we can consider them the body’s first line of defense.
Some factors can influence the level of sIgA in the human body. The first one is age; indeed as we age, the level of sIgA decreases. Some other external factors can lead to a decrease of the sIgA concentration. The most important is intensive training, but other like long-term use of medication or even our modern lifestyle can leave us stressed, fatigued, and sleep deprived. All these different factors directly impact our immune system, inducing the weakening of our natural defenses. Consumers are now aware that to perform well every day, they must maintain a healthy and powerful immune system, that means keeping a high level of sIgA.
LifeinU® BSCU1 increases the concentration of antibodies
To investigate the immunity benefits of LifeinU® BSCU1, Gnosis by Lesaffre initiated a clinical trial. This clinical study was performed according to gold standard method: double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled. This study was also conducted in collaboration with an independent expert in Gastroenterology and Immunology: Professor Philippe Marteau from Paris 7 university and AP-HP, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Paris France.
The clinical study was performed for 4 months, with supplementation every first 10 days of each month. The 100 volunteers, with an history of common infections, were split in two groups: 50 supplemented in LifeinU® BSCU1 and 50 with placebo.
At the end of the study, the level of sIgA of the group supplemented in LifeinU® BSCU1 was higher compared to the placebo group. Indeed, the level of sIgA in the saliva was 45% higher compared to the placebo. The level of sIgA was also higher in the intestine with an increase by 65% after 10 days of consumption and by 87% increased at the end of the study.
This clinical study was conducted to investigate symptoms, something that is very important for consumers. A supplementation with LifeinU® BSCU1 is associated with the reduction in the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections by 45%. Moreover, in the group supplemented with LifeinU® BSCU1, researchers observed a reduction of the average number of days of infectious episodes by 38%, 2.8 days less compared to the placebo group. This reduction concerns also the percentage of people that experience one or more infectious episodes by 31%.
Thanks to these results, we can say that LifeinU® BSCU1 reduces the risk of common infectious episodes and supports immunity.
