Patent Psychobiotic
The team of LAKTERA got a new PATENT for the strain of water origin Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1 as a PSYCHOBIOTIC. The products LAKTERA decrease depression, anxiety and improve physiological sleep under stress.
Religions and Nutrition
Believers of different religions have different food traditions and follow different dietary restrictions. The most widespread religions in the world are Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
Buddhists follow the teachings of Buddha – „The Awakened One“ – and adhere to certain dietary laws. Five ethical teachings define Buddhist dietary practices. The first one forbids taking the life of a person or an animal. Some Buddhists interpret this as a ban on eating animals. Buddhists with this intepretaion follow lacto-vegetarian diet – they eat dairy products but exclude eggs, poultry, fish and meat from their diet. According to the second teaching some Buddhists eat meat and animal products if the animals are not slaughtered specifically for them. The third teaching of Buddhism forbids the consumption of alcohol because it clouds the mind. According to the fourth teaching some Buddhists do not consume strong-smelling plants and spices such as garlic, onions, shallots, etc., because strong smells can greatly hieghten emotions. According to the fifth teaching Buddhists practice total intermittent fasting, abstaining from food from noon until dawn the next day to practice self-control. Given that Buddhist diet is primarily plant-based and can lead to deficiencies in vitamin В12, minerals and iron.
Adhering to Islam, Muslims eat Halal foods. Halal is an Arabic word which means „legal“ or „permissible“. The opposite of Halal is Haram which means „illegal“ or „forbidden“. All pure things and foods are considered Halal. Halal is a food standard for all Muslims. The following foods and drinks are forbidden, ie. Haram, in Islam: pork and its by-products; animals that have been improperly slaughtered or died before slaughter; animals which are not slaughtered in the name of God (Allah); alcohol and drugs; predators, raptors and reptiles; blood and secondary blood products; food contaminated with any of the above products. Last year an EU Regulation allowed the inclusion of locust meal in a wide range of food products. According to Islam, locusts are Haram, that is, these foods are not pure, so they are forbidden for Muslims. All foods that are permissible for Muslims are subject to certification and have the Halal certification organization logo on the label.
In Judaism, believers consume Kosher foods. The word „kosher“ in Hebrew means „suitable, convenient“. Kosher foods are: cloven-hoofed ruminant mammals – cattle, sheep, goat, deer, bison, gazelle, giraffe, etc.; poultry – chicken, hen, duck, goose, pigeon, etc.; fish – only those that have fins and scales – carp, mackerel, cod, herring, salmon, etc.; milk and milk products from kosher animals; caviar from kosher fish; eggs from kosher birds. All animals must be ritually slaughtered to reduce their suffering. Alcohol consumption is permitted in Judaism. The Torah (the holy book of the Jews) forbids the consumption of animal blood, fat and tendons. The basic principle of Kashrut (food diet in Judaism) is the separation of milk food from meat both during eating and during food preparation. Some of the Jews observe a very strict diet called pareve. Anything that is not dairy or meat and has not been prepared with dairy or meat is considered pareve – fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables, cereals, etc. Kashrut diet prohibits the consumption of locusts and other insects. In Judaism, Kosher food is also subject to certification and have on the label the logo of the Rabbi who carried out the certification.
There are no specific requirements in the Christian religion for the purity of food products and a certain food diet to be followed constantly by the believers. According to the dogmas of Christianity fasting is about two hundred days a year, ie. Christians fast on these days. Lent is a period associated with prayer and repentance, abstinence from passions and vices, and a certain diet is followed for the purpose of spiritual and physical purification. Fasts have six degrees of severity. The first one allows everything without meat, the next one forbids fish. The next fasts prohibit hot food with vegetable fat. The stricter fasting also forbid cold food without fat and hot drinks. The strictest fast recommends complete abstinence from food. Usually, strict fasting means that the faithful are allowed to eat only vegetable food without oil. According to Christianity there are four long fasting periods – Easter fasts (from Slavic Carnivals to Easter); St. Peter’s fast (two weeks before St. Peter’s Day); Virgin Fast (two weeks before Assumption); Christmas Lent (40 days before Christmas). Fasting days are also every Wednesday and Friday. There is no certification of food in Christian religion, also there are no official statements regarding the use of foods containing locusts, insects, etc.
There are millions of people around the world who, regardless of their religion, eat Halal or Kosher foods. Some of them eat such food because of their religious beliefs, and others to make sure that the food they consume is pure, under constant control and does not contain ingredients that they don’t want. Halal and Kosher foods are often associated with the concept of healthy eating.
Laktera probiotics are suitable for all types of religious diets. They have Halal and Kosher certificates. Especially Laktera Vegan that contains the unique Bulgarian strain of water origin Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1, multiplied on completely plant-based medium. Laktera Vegan takes care of immunity and gastrointestinal balance and is suitable for different types of diets and the most strict dogmas in nutrition of various religions.
Stay healthy with Laktera!
Laktera - proven psychobiotic!
American and Bulgarian scientists have proven that
the good Bulgarian bacterium improves our mental health
More recently, scientists from the Medical University in the US state of Virginia through experimental study on mice found that the good Bulgarian bacterium Lactobacillus bulgaricus prevents mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. During that study, rodents that generally don’t have Lactobacillus bulgaricus in their guts showed increased anxiety responses and lower levels of interferon gamma, which is involved in regulation of the immune response to high stress.
Dr. Bankole Johnson from Miami summarizes that this study highlights the role of the gut microbiome in regulating stress and anxiety and shows how nutrition affects our mental well-being.
Renowned American nutritionist Sas Parsad emphasizes that this research provides valuable insights into the connection between gut health and our mental state. What’s more, Lactobacillus bulgaricus contributes to reducing inflammation in the gut, which can further contribute to improving our mental health. “These findings could lead to a revolution in the treatment of mental disorders, as they suggest that the inclusion of lactobacilli-rich foods may become an additional strategy to deal with stress, depression and anxiety” – believes Dr. Parsad.
In practice, American scientists proved experimentally on rats that Lactobacillus bulgaricus is a psychobiotic, that is by controlling inflammations and dysbacteriosis in the large intestine it improves our mental health. The good Bulgarian bacterium regulates the dialogue between the intestines and the central nervous system by influencing the production of neurotransmitters and especially serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid – both of these substances are essential for mood control.
In Bulgaria, the gut-brain axis was talked about already in the 19th century by the Master Dunov. He wrote that our gut is our second brain and both immunity and overall health depend on it.
Laktera’s team proved the claim of the American scientists not by studies on mice, but on humans. Laktera, containing the first in the world strain of water origin Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1, travelled on the board of RSV 421 St. St. Cyril and Methodius – our ship that carried out the 31st expedition to Antarctica in 2022-2023. The 20 crew members of the ship were the subject of the clinical study. They were divided into two groups – half of them were taking the probiotic Laktera Nature, and the others – did not.
Standardized psychological studies have proven that sailors and officers who were taking Lactera during the Antarctic expedition, which lasted about 150 days and saturated with extreme physical and mental stress, were more mentally stable with lower levels of depression, anxiety and absence of burn-out syndrome. The project was carried out in collaboration with specialists from the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, Sofia University Kliment Ohridski and Medical University Varna. Also the sailors who were taking Laktera got sick less than the control group. This clinical study unequivocally proves the effect of Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1 of water origin as a psychobiotic and its importance in improving human mental health. Laktera again travels to Antarctica and the studies with the crew of our ship RSV 421 St. St. Cyril and Methodius continue during their 32nd expedition to Antarctica in 2023-2024.
Stay healthy with Laktera!
Lactobacillus Bulgaricus DWT1 in Patients with COVID-19
Results of a clinical trial of Lactobacillus Bulgaricus DWT1 in patients with COVID-19 presented at the 16th International Scientific Conference on Probiotics, Prebiotics, Gut Microbiota and Health – IPC2023, June 20-22, 2023 in Bratislava, Slovakia
You can see the entire presentation below the abstract
Abstract
Application of Probiotic Formula, Containing Lactobacillus Bulgaricus DWT1 in Patients with COVID-19
Mariya Penevaa1, Ioannis Misopoulosb,Evgenia Barzashkac1, Tsvetan Lukanovc2, Tsetsa Doichinovac3, Anna Petkovad, Marieta Georgievae, Georgy Aleksandrova2, Pencho Tonchevc4
- a – Medical Center “Eurozdrave-Bulgaria”, 7 Rusaliisky prohod str., Sofia, Bulgaria
- b – Mika Nutri-Pharma Ltd., 18 Samuil str., Petrich, Bulgaria
- c – University Hospital Pleven “Dr. Georgy Stranski”, 8a Georgy Kochev blvd., Pleven, Bulgaria
- d – University General Hospital for Active Treatment St. Anna Sofia, 1 Dimitar Mollov str., Sofia, Bulgaria
- e – Medical University of Varna “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov”, 55 Marin Drinov str., Varna, Bulgaria
COVID-19 pandemic affected the world and claimed over 6 million victims. That’s why this clinical study shows significant information. Aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of probiotic formula, containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1, Streptococcus thermophilus DWT4, on cellular immunity in COVID-19 patients.
PCR tests, paraclinical blood tests, biochemical and immunological tests, X-ray, lung CT and medical consultations were performed. Statistics is done by IBM SPSS 23version.
The study is prospective, cohort, randomized, open-label. The subject are 78 inpatients treated for COVID-19 in 2020 randomly divided into two groups: group A – 47 patients taking probiotic, containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1 at daily dose 15-45g as part of complex therapy for COVID-19; group B – 31 patients receiving only standard therapy. Statistically the two groups didn`t differ in gender, age, incidence, type of concomitant diseases. Treatment in all cases included infusions, vitamins, antipyretics, corticosteroids, anticoagulants, H2-blockers, combination of antibiotics, oxygen. Treatment of group A patients included additional nutritional therapy with probiotic, containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1. Comparison of cellular immunity activity results in both groups showed statistically significant increase in NK-cells values, increase in cytotoxic T-lymphocytes marker and decrease/ normalization of T-helpers marker in group A patients. T-helpers produce cytokines which at high levels cause cytokine storm and death. Deaths in group B were patients admitted with high T-helpers, which increased extremely until the fatal outcome. Elevated T-helper levels in two patients from group A got normal during treatment. Hospital stay of group A patients is 4 days shorter compared to group B. Mortality in group A is 0%, in group B – 9,68%. In 2021, we conducted clinical observation of 8 pregnant women aged 25-38 years at 33-36 weeks of gestation, hospitalized for COVID-19. Lung CT showed pneumonia in all women. Treatment options during pregnancy are limited as many of medications for COVID-19 are contraindicated in pregnancy. All patients were treated with combination of two antibiotics and oxygen. Daily dose of anticoagulants depended on D-dimer values. All patients received probiotic formula, containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1 at daily dose of 30g, vitamins, pregnancy supplements. Only one patient received a small dose of corticosteroid for two days to improve fetal maturity. The general condition and paraclinical parameters of all improved on the 3rd-4th day. Inpatient treatment lasted up to 28 days. Delivery was performed by sectio caesarea. Women delivered live newborns with smooth uncomplicated postoperative period. Newborns are healthy, in good general condition with negative PCR tests.
The probiotic, containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1, modulates cellular immunity in COVID-19 patients – increases populations of NK-cells and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and regulates T-helpers. Administration of this probiotic reduces COVID-19 death rate, shortens hospital stay and reduces the burden on healthcare system. This probiotic included in therapy successfully controls viral infection in pregnant women who give birth without complications to healthy live newborns not infected with COVID-19. The clinical observation results and the probiotic formula are subject of Bulgarian Patent №4294U and open new perspectives for application of Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1 as probiotic immunotherapy.
KEY WORDS:
Immunity; Lactobacillus Bulgaricus DWT1; Pregnancy; Probiotic; SARS-CoV-2
Laktera & Antarctica
Scientific research of Laktera continues! Laktera is included in the only project in the field of medicine out of a total of 9 scientific projects that will be implemented during the 31st National Antarctic Expedition, led by Prof. Christo Pimpirev.
The probiotic foods Laktera have also been used under extreme conditions in the past. In the 1990s, with the permission of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army, a study was carried out by a team from the Military Medical Academy, led by Prof. Alexandrov, among 56 Air Force pilots. Probiotic food, containing L. bulgaricus has been found to reduce total cholesterol and bad cholesterol, reduce triglycerides and increase good cholesterol, regulate blood sugar and humoral immunity. In 1996, a team from MMA, Sofia Medical University and Würzburg Medical University in Germany, under the leadership of Prof. Alexandrov, conducted a study of the effects of a probiotic food with L. Bulgaricus in the conditions of a simulated shipwreck near Shabla with 56 volunteers divided into two groups. The following beneficial effects were found in the volunteers who took the probiotic food – maintaining the body weight, arm muscle strength, maintaining the electrolyte balance and blood sugar levels. The probiotics Laktera have been used by the Bulgarian Army during the missions in Cambodia and Iraq.
On December 27, 2022, Laktera set sail for Antarctica. During the voyage, the members of the crew of the first Bulgarian vessel RV 421 Ss. Cyril and Methodius will take Laktera daily to study the effect of Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1 of water origin on the human health in these extreme conditions. The duration of the voyage is about 150 days.
The project studying the effects of Laktera is carried out by Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy together with MU “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov„ and SU „Sv. Kliment Ohridski“. The topic of the project is „Study of the immunostimulating and protective effect of the probiotic foods, containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus in extreme stress situations during the upcoming trip, stay and return of our expedition to Antarctica on the Livingston Island“. The main objectives of the project are:
- To find out the therapeutic potential of Bulgarian probiotics, containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus for increasing the functional capabilities and the immune status of the body in volunteers, subjected to stress.
- To establish the potential of the probiotic food to serve as a protective factor or a kind of biological antidote in people placed in the conditions of an extreme physical and mental state.
The subject of the study – 20 sailors on the board of the vessel of Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy. They are divided into two groups of 10 people. The first group will take probiotic food Laktera at a dose of 15 g per day during the entire voyage and stay in Antarctica. The second group will not take Laktera.
All the participants in the research project will be tested for various biometrics: heart rate, breathing rate, blood oxygen, electrocardiogram, blood pressure, glycose levels, lipids, immune status, weight, bone mass, body fat, muscle mass, body fluids, body temperature, etc.
Also, the state of anxiety, depression and emotions, sleep quality and “burn out” syndrome will be examined by various psychological tests.
This project is expected to establish the effect of the probiotics Laktera on the human body for stimulating and maintaining the vital indicators when the body is subjected to extreme impact and stress. It is also expected to prove the efficacy of the Bulgarian probiotics, containing the first in the world strain of water origin Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1 under stress and social isolation.
Patent for biologically active product in COVID-19 patients
Patent №4294, 06.07.2022, Bulgarian Patent office „Biologically active product”
Laktera probiotic formula, containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1 and Streptococcus thermophilus DWT4, modulates the cellular immunity in COVID-19 patients, including pregnant women
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic affected the whole world, so the present clinical study contains a very important information. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effect of a probiotic formula Laktera, containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1 and Streptococcus thermophilus DWT4, on cellular immunity in COVID-19 patients. The probiotic formula Laktera, at a daily dose of 15-30 g, modulates cellular immunity in COVID-19 patients by increasing lymphocyte populations of NK cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes and regulating T helpers, thus shortening hospital stay and reducing the economic burden on healthcare systems and employers. There were no intubated patients or deaths in the observed group. Inclusion of a probiotic formula Laktera at a daily dose of 30-45 g in the complex treatment of pregnant patients with COVID-19 after 33rd gestational week leads to a successful control of the viral infection and uncomplicated delivery of healthy COVID-19-free live-born infants. Successful treatment of both pregnant patients with COVID-19 and outpatients indicates that corticosteroid and antibiotic intake can be reduced by adding the probiotic formula Laktera to the complex therapy, and thus reducing the harmful effects of antibiotics and corticosteroids on human microbiome. The use of Lactobacillus bulgaricus DWT1 and Streptococcus thermophilus DWT4 as a probiotic immunotherapy may be the remedy against viral infections in the future.
Link to Bulgarian Patent office: https://portal.bpo.bg/bpo_online/-/bpo/utility-model-search
Probiotics - contemporary challenges
You can see the presentation here:
Contemporary Challenges_laktera
Certificates of Daflorn
Kosher certificate
The probiotics from Laktera family now have two types of Kosher Certificate – dairy and parve!
Certificate for ISO 22 000-2018 and GMP
For another year our company “Daflorn” – producer of the first probiotic of water origin in the world – successfully passed the audit by MG Global and received the highest level of international certification for food – ISO 22 000-2018 and GMP!
This Certificate is a guarantee for reliability and responsibility to all our partners and clients. Certification would not be possible without our new modern production facility, meeting all global requirements for food safety.
We will continue to create Laktera probiotics in our new home with care for your health and comfort!
Halal certificate
The probiotics from the Laktera family already have Halal Certificate issued by the Grand Mufti of the Muslim Denomination in Bulgaria!
Muslims are concerned whether the food they eat meets the Islamic religious tenets and traditions, humanitarian requirements, hygiene criteria and production methods. Halal certification is not just a marketing model for foods and food supplements, but proof that they are high quality and healthy. The Halal Certificate of Laktera family probiotics is valid all over the world.