Clinical Evidence: The Research Behind BiomeBalance™
BiomeBalance™ is built on three postbiotic ingredients, each studied in human trials: Totipro®, EpiCor® and Bereum®. This page lists those studies at study level - design, participants, duration, what was measured and where it was published - along with the wider research on postbiotics and the gut-brain axis.
How to read this page
Every claim SecondKind makes traces to a study listed here. For each ingredient you get the trial design, how many people took part, how long it ran, what was measured and where it was published.
Three things worth stating before you read further. The studies below were run on the individual ingredients, not on the finished BiomeBalance™ formula. Results in published trials are group averages, and individual response varies. And where a study population differs from the general population, or where the evidence is preliminary rather than established, this page says so.
Totipro®: clinical evidence
Totipro® PE0401 is a four-strain postbiotic: metabolites from Lactobacillus salivarius AP-32, L. acidophilus TYCA06, L. plantarum LPL28 and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis BLI-02. It has been studied for bowel regularity and for its effect on the composition of gut bacteria.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Publication | Kuo, Y.-W. et al. (2022). Presented at ISAPP. Research and Design Department, Glac Biotech, Taiwan |
| Design | Pilot study, three parallel arms, controlled with maltodextrin capsules of identical appearance |
| Participants | 45 adults with constipation, 15 per arm |
| Dose | Control (maltodextrin only), 200 mg/day, or 600 mg/day Totipro PE0401 |
| Duration | 30 days |
| Measured | Defecation frequency and faecal microbiota composition. Supported by laboratory work on tight junction protein expression in Caco-2 intestinal cells and on the growth of probiotic strains |
| Result | At 600 mg/day, significant increases in beneficial genera including Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Lactococcus |
| Limitation | Small pilot study, 15 participants per arm, in people with constipation rather than a general population |
In plain terms: over 30 days, the higher dose shifted gut bacteria toward beneficial strains. The study is small and early, and it is reported here as a pilot, not as a definitive trial.
EpiCor®: clinical evidence
EpiCor® is a dried Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentate - a whole-food postbiotic. Its strongest evidence is in immune resilience rather than digestion.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Publication | Moyad, M. A., Robinson, L. E., Zawada, E. T., Kittelsrud, J. M., Chen, D. G., Reeves, S. G., Weaver, S. E. (2008). Urologic Nursing, 28(1), 50-55 |
| Design | Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial |
| Participants | 116 healthy adults, recently vaccinated for seasonal influenza |
| Dose | 500 mg/day |
| Duration | 12 weeks, run across the cold and flu season |
| Measured | Incidence and duration of cold and flu symptoms, via clinic examinations, serology at baseline, week 6 and week 12, and a standardised symptom diary |
| Result | Cold and flu symptoms were 21% less likely to occur, and symptom duration was 14% shorter, compared with placebo |
In plain terms: over one winter, participants taking EpiCor caught fewer colds and recovered from them faster than those on placebo.
Bereum®: clinical evidence
Bereum® combines two heat-killed postbiotic preparations, each studied in its own randomized trial: beLP1®, made from heat-killed Lactiplantibacillus plantarum originally isolated from kimchi, and EF-2001®, made from heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis. Both trials ran the same protocol.
| Field | beLP1 | EF-2001 |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled | Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled |
| Participants | 140 adults aged 18-65, overweight and obese. Placebo 70, beLP1 70 | 139 adults aged 18-65, overweight and obese. Placebo 70, EF-2001 69 |
| Dose | At least 30 billion cells/day, one capsule | At least 30 billion cells/day, one capsule |
| Duration | 84 days | 84 days |
| Primary measure | Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale at day 42 and day 84 | Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale at day 42 and day 84 |
| Secondary measures | Perceived Stress Scale, Digestive Associated Quality of Life Questionnaire, gut microbiome 16S sequencing | Perceived Stress Scale, Digestive Associated Quality of Life Questionnaire, gut microbiome 16S sequencing |
| Result | Significantly lower GSRS scores at day 42 and day 84. Abdominal pain and dyspeptic symptoms improved at day 84. Perceived stress and digestive quality of life both improved significantly at day 84 | Significantly lower GSRS scores at day 42 and day 84. Abdominal pain, bowel dysfunction and dyspeptic symptoms improved at day 84. Perceived stress and digestive quality of life both improved significantly at day 84 |
| Limitation | Conducted in overweight and obese adults, not a general population | Conducted in overweight and obese adults, not a general population |
In plain terms: over twelve weeks, participants reported fewer digestive symptoms and lower perceived stress on validated questionnaires. These are the clearest results in the formula for the gut-brain link, and they come from trials in overweight and obese adults.
The gut-brain axis: the research base
The mechanism SecondKind is built on does not rest on the three ingredient trials alone. It sits on an established and growing body of research.
- Definition and scope. The 2021 ISAPP consensus statement defines what does and does not count as a postbiotic. SecondKind uses that definition.
- Mechanism. Short-chain fatty acids produced by gut bacteria nourish the intestinal lining and influence signalling along the vagus nerve.
- Mood and stress in humans. A 2026 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial tested a heat-inactivated postbiotic blend in healthy adults with self-reported anxiety, measuring mood, vitality, quality of life and perceived stress.
- Mechanism for mood. A 2024 Cell Reports Medicine study identified indole-3-lactic acid, produced by bifidobacteria, as a route by which gut bacteria reduce neuroinflammation, acting through AhR signalling. This work was carried out largely in mice and is preclinical, not a human trial.
- Where the evidence is thin. A 2024 systematic review in Nutrients assessed postbiotics across performance and recovery outcomes. The 2022 ISAPP-authored review is blunter still: overall evidence for postbiotics in healthy populations remains limited.
Who reviewed this
The claims on this page have been reviewed by practitioners and researchers working in gastroenterology, microbiology and clinical nutrition.
- Dr. Hyun Dong Shin, Ph.D. - independent microbiologist. Postbiotic science and short-chain fatty acid mechanism.
- Dr. Stuart Weinberger, MD - gastroenterologist. Digestive health.
- Dr. Zachary Schwartz, MD - family medicine. Primary care and immunology.
- Dr. Nancy Lin, Ph.D. - holistic nutritionist. Clinical nutrition.
- Sahar Berjis, RD, MPH - registered dietitian. Functional nutrition.
Reviewers are compensated advisors. Their comments reflect their assessment of the published evidence, not a guarantee of individual results.
What postbiotics do not do
Where the evidence stops, this page stops.
- Postbiotics are not a treatment for IBS, IBD, depression, anxiety or any other diagnosed condition.
- The trials above were run on individual ingredients, not on the finished BiomeBalance™ formula.
- The Bereum trials were conducted in overweight and obese adults. The Totipro study was a 45-person pilot in people with constipation. Neither population is the general population.
- Study results are group averages. Some participants improved substantially, some not at all.
- Evidence on mood and cognition is earlier-stage than evidence on digestion. Both are reported here as they stand.
- Nothing on this page replaces medical advice. If symptoms are persistent or severe, that is a conversation for a clinician.
Frequently asked questions
Are postbiotics backed by clinical research?
Yes. Postbiotics have been studied in randomized controlled trials, and the category was formally defined by an international scientific consensus in 2021. Evidence is strongest for digestive outcomes and immune resilience. Evidence for mood and cognition is earlier-stage, and the scientists who wrote the consensus definition note that evidence in healthy populations is still limited overall.
What studies support SecondKind?
Three ingredient trials. Totipro was studied in a 45-person, 30-day pilot in adults with constipation, where the higher dose increased beneficial gut bacteria. EpiCor was studied in a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 116 adults, where cold and flu symptoms were 21% less likely to occur and 14% shorter. Bereum's two components, beLP1 and EF-2001, were each studied in 84-day randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of around 140 adults, both showing improvements in gastrointestinal symptoms, perceived stress and digestive quality of life.
Has the finished SecondKind formula been tested in a clinical trial?
No. The published trials were run on the individual postbiotic ingredients, not on the finished formula. This page reports the ingredient evidence and says so plainly.
Who took part in these studies?
The EpiCor trial enrolled 116 healthy adults recently vaccinated for seasonal flu. The two Bereum trials enrolled around 140 adults each, aged 18 to 65, who were overweight or obese. The Totipro pilot enrolled 45 adults with constipation. Where a study population differs from the general population, it is stated in the tables above.
Do postbiotics work for everyone?
No supplement does. Published results are group averages: some participants improved substantially, others did not respond. Individual results depend on baseline gut health, diet and other factors.
Can postbiotics treat IBS or anxiety?
No. Postbiotics are not a treatment for any diagnosed condition. Some studies report improvements in digestive symptoms and perceived stress in general populations, which is a different claim from treating a disease.
Where can I read the studies myself?
Every study referenced on this page is listed below. Where the paper is publicly indexed, the citation links straight to it.
Full reference list
- Salminen, S. et al. (2021). The ISAPP consensus statement on the definition and scope of postbiotics. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 18(9), 649-667. doi.org/10.1038/s41575-021-00440-6
- Vinderola, G., Sanders, M. E., Salminen, S., Szajewska, H. (2022). Postbiotics: the concept and their use in healthy populations. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, 1002213. doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.1002213
- Moyad, M. A., Robinson, L. E., Zawada, E. T., Kittelsrud, J. M., Chen, D. G., Reeves, S. G., Weaver, S. E. (2008). Effects of a modified yeast supplement on cold/flu symptoms. Urologic Nursing, 28(1), 50-55. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18335698
- Kuo, Y.-W. et al. (2022). The microbial metabolites PE0401 promoted probiotic bacteria growth and improved intestinal health in human. ISAPP poster presentation. Glac Biotech, Tainan, Taiwan. Poster PDF
- beLP1: A randomized, double-blind study to assess the gut health effects of heat-killed postbiotic beLP1 in overweight and obese adults. Bereum human clinical study summary, rev 1.1. Trial registration NCT05820737
- EF-2001: A randomized, double-blind study to assess the gut health effects of heat-killed postbiotic EF-2001 in overweight and obese adults. Bereum human clinical study summary, rev 1.1. Trial registration NCT05820737
- Kerksick, C. M., Moon, J. M., Jäger, R. (2024). It's dead! Can postbiotics really help performance and recovery? A systematic review. Nutrients, 16(5), 720. doi.org/10.3390/nu16050720
- Qian, X. et al. (2024). Bifidobacteria with indole-3-lactic acid-producing capacity exhibit psychobiotic potential via reducing neuroinflammation. Cell Reports Medicine, 5(11), 101798. doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101798
- A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of probiotic and postbiotic strains in healthy adults with self-reported anxiety: effects on mood, vitality, quality of life and perceived stress (2026). Brain Sciences, 16(4), 419. doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16040419
- Inatomi, T., Otomaru, K. (2020). Effects of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis T-110 supplementation on gut immunity, gut flora and intestinal infection in naturally aged hamsters. PLOS ONE, 15(12), e0240773. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240773
- Uchinaka, A. et al. (2018). Anti-inflammatory effects of heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 on cardiac and adipose tissue in rats with metabolic syndrome. Scientific Reports, 8, 8156. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-26588-x
The research is public. So is our formula.
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.
