What does the latest gut health research tell us about Humiome® B2’s potential for a healthy gut microbiome? Ask the scientist

Summary

• Research shows that biotic-powered supplements can help to nourish a healthy and balanced gut microbiome, making them a key solution for Health from the Gut innovation. But ensuring that novel biotic vitamins, like vitamin B2, are effectively delivered to the colon, where most of the gut microbiota resides, is not an easy task.
• A new study, published in Beneficial Microbes, confirms that Humiome® B2 with Microbiome Targeted Technology™ (MTT™), an innovative, food-safe, and environmentally-friendly system for vitamin B2 colonic delivery, can overcome this challenge.¹
• We met with Dr. Robert E. Steinert, lead author of the paper and Principal Scientist at dsm-firmenich, to deep dive into the findings of this exciting new in vitro research and what it means for Health from the Gut insights.

A healthy gut microbiome is fundamental for overall health, playing an important role in gastrointestinal (GI) health, immunity, mental well-being, and more. ^2,3 To properly support heath from the gut, microbes need nutrients to thrive and perform their essential functions, including prebiotics, fibers, and vitamins. Vitamin B2 has emerged as an exciting solution for this space. It has prebiotic-like effects, shown to stimulate growth of beneficial bacterial species, support bacterial metabolism, and provide protection from oxidative stress.⁴ However, with traditional supplementation, very little vitamin B2 is successfully delivered to the colon (part of the large intestine), where the vast majority of the gut microbiome is found.^2,3

A new peer-reviewed in vitro study, recently published in Beneficial Microbes, has demonstrated how Humiome® B2 could be the solution to this challenge.¹ Humiome® B2 with Microbiome Targeted Technology™ (MTT™) is a food-grade and environmentally-friendly multi-unit particle system, designed to deliver vitamin B2 directly to the large intestine. The in vitro research showed that approximately 90% of vitamin B2 was released in the ileocolonic region. Furthermore, the study confirmed that Humiome® B2 had a positive effect on microbiome composition and metabolic activity. These effects included increased production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), metabolites which provide multiple benefits for gut health and immune regulation.⁵

We sat down for an exclusive interview with the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Robert E. Steinert, to learn more about this newest gut health research and explore how Humiome® B2 could be a gamechanger for Health from the Gut innovators.

1. What makes colon-targeted delivery of vitamin B2 challenging? 

“Vitamin B2 absorption primarily occurs in the small intestine. So, at recommended levels of daily intake, vitamin delivery to the colon is very limited. One way to increase the amount of vitamin B2 that reaches the colon is overdosing. This approach saturates transport systems in the small intestine, allowing more B2 to pass through and reach the lower GI tract. However, exceeding recommended daily intakes over prolonged periods of time may come with unwanted effects and risks, not to mention regulatory concerns. Also, it is relatively unprecise given the high person-to-person variability in GI length, whether the person is in a fasted or fed state and the impact of different foods on the absorption capacity.

“Therefore, colon-targeting delivery systems, like Humiome® B2, where the vitamin is protected from absorption in the upper GI tract, provide a more reliable and precise approach for delivering small amounts of B2 to the large intestine. Since the majority of the gut microbiota is found here, this method means more vitamin B2 reaches and interacts with beneficial microbes.”

2. How does this newly developed Microbiome Targeted Technology™ ensure vitamin B2 is delivered to the colon, and what makes this technology unique?

“Our newly developed food grade multi-unit particle system with Microbiome Targeted Technology™ (MTT™) called Humiome B2® is suitable for colon target delivery as validated through independent test systems. It’s based on a dual coating. The vitamin B2 core is protected from early release in the upper digestive system by an outer pH-sensitive shellac layer, which dissolves at pH greater than 6, and an inner layer of alginate that is degraded by microbial enzymatic activity. The nature of these coatings mean they are dissolved in the colon, releasing the vitamin B2 here.¹

“Colon-targeted delivery of active ingredients is frequently applied in pharmaceutical products. However, in functional foods and dietary supplements, these systems are rare. Where they do exist, most available coatings are methyl acrylate-based—a chemical compound formed from methanol and acrylic acid. The European Commission has recently announced restrictions on microplastics intentionally added to products, including methyl acrylates.⁶ Humiome® B2 presents a novel and more sustainable solution to overcome this, being made entirely of safe, food-grade materials.”

3. What is the significance of the research published in Beneficial Microbes for the Health from the Gut space?

“These results validate Humiome® B2 as the first ‘biotic vitamin’ that can be directly delivered to the ileocolonic region. Recent research suggests that microbiome-derived vitamins are shared as ‘microbial nutrients’ across highly interdependent networks of microorganisms supporting the existence and functionality of the microbial ecosystem. Releasing the vitamin via the Humiome® B2 technology may therefore make it possible to support bacterial networks in the colon and to help to unlock the full health potential of the microbiome.

“This study is just the beginning of a promising journey into this exciting field of gut health research. We see it as the foundation for a broader exploration of possibilities in Health from the Gut, with numerous ideas already in the pipeline for future investigations.”

4. Could the Microbiome Targeted Technology™ be adapted to deliver other types of nutrients beyond vitamin B2? 

“Yes, the core of the MTT™ could be adapted to contain other active ingredients for colonic delivery. Many micronutrients support bacterial metabolism, act as enzymatic cofactors, or capture reactive oxygen species—providing important balance for the gastrointestinal environment. Additionally, with the potential to deliver other nutraceutical ingredients directly to the colon region, this system opens the door for future investigations into how we can better nourish the gut microbiome and support health from the gut. There’s lots of potential for exciting gut health research with this technology—currently, the sky is the limit!”

5. What are your recommendations for future research?

“There is still much to explore in order to better understand exactly how different vitamins can support the gut microbiome—and how these vitamins modulate responses to other more classical biotics, including pre-, pro, and postbiotics. Humiome® B2 with Microbiome Targeted Technology™ (MTT™) provides an invaluable tool for safely and reliably addressing these important questions.

“Finally, as is the case with all other biotic classes, a randomized, double blind clinical study is key to establishing the effects of Humiome® B2 on health—which is something our team at dsm-firmenich is dedicated to pursuing. This is an endeavor that will take some time, but I am confident that it will show a more precise and reliable way to modulate the microbiome and support health from the gut.”