Probiotics meet omega-3 in new mother & baby supplement with multiple health benefits

Chr. Hansen launches ‘Mother’s 1st‘, a convenient soft gel supplement combining probiotics and omega-3. Mother’s 1st is developed specifically to support immune and gut health in pregnant and lactating women as well as early brain and eye development in infants.

It is common for pregnant women to struggle with mild constipation during pregnancy*. With its combination of probiotics and omega-3, the Mother’s 1st solution is good news not only for the constipated moms-to-be but also for lactating mothers and their infants.

Mother’s 1st is the world’s first soft gel formulation that can deliver live probiotics with two years’ shelf life and at an adequate level as documented in clinical evidence. At end of shelf life, one Mother’s 1st soft gel capsule contains one billion live Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (BB-12®) probiotic bacteria (hereafter named BB-12®, a registered trademark of Chr. Hansen A/S) and 250 mg of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

Clinical studies show BB-12® supports general immune and gastrointestinal health, while supplementation with DHA has been shown to support early brain and eye development in infants.

A recipe for success

“We are truly proud to be able to present this landmark and patent-pending innovation to the market,” says Chr. Hansen’s Lasse Nagell, Sales & Marketing Vice President, Human Health & Nutrition. “The best documented Bifidobacterium in the world, BB-12®, now comes together with omega-3, widely considered the most recognized health-promoting supplement ingredient, in a powerful ‘2-in-1’ solution suitable for an important consumer category: mother and baby. We simply can’t wait to speak to dietary supplement producers about this new route to diversification and success in the marketplace,” Nagell ends.

Dynamic duo

Mother’s 1st is based on the new LIFE GEL™ technology, which makes it possible to combine Chr. Hansen’s flagship probiotic strain BB-12® and omega-3 (DHA or EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)) in a soft gel with a two-year shelf life. The technical achievement of the LIFE GEL™ technology is outstanding as soft gels contain a lot of moisture and are produced at high temperature ― two facts that live probiotics are not fond of.

See for yourself at CPhI and SupplySide West

Attendees at the upcoming CPhI Worldwide 2014 and SupplySide West 2014 events will have the chance to discuss the Mother’s 1st and LIFE GEL™ solutions with Chr. Hansen’s probiotic experts.

Probiotics and omega-3

According to WHO, probiotics are “Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host”.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a form of polyunsaturated fat that the body derives from food. Omega-3s (and omega-6s) are known as essential fatty acids because they are important for good health. The body cannot make these fatty acids on its own so omega-3s must be obtained from food (source: U.S. National Library of Medicine). The omega-3 fatty acid DHA has two approved health claims in the EU register saying that maternal intake contributes to the normal brain and eye development of the fetus and breastfed infants.

*According to the 1991 National Health Interview Survey, about 4 1/2 million people in the United States say they are constipated most or all of the time. Those reporting constipation most often are women, children, and adults age 65 and over. Pregnant women also complain of constipation, and it is a common problem following childbirth or surgery. Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the United States, resulting in about 2 million annual visits to the doctor. (Source: excerpt from Constipation: NIDDK: http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/artic/constipation_niddk.htm)

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.