Probiotic performance starts with design
Not all probiotics are created equal. Strain selection, formulation and delivery system all determine the viability of the bacteria and their functional activity upon reaching the gastrointestinal tract.
Understanding how a probiotic is designed to survive gastric transit and it's mechanism of action, is central to evaluating its clinical relevance.
Symprove's mechanism of action
Independent in vitro research, including work conducted at UCL School of Pharmacy, has examined how Symprove's live bacteria behave across three stages of gastrointestinal transit:
- ARRIVE: Fermented with at least 10 billion CFUs per 70 ml serving.† Designed to deliver live, metabolically active bacteria at the point of consumption.
- SURVIVE: 99.3% of live bacteria consumed are shown to pass through the stomach in under 10 minutes and stay alive throughout the gastrointestinal transit.1,3
- THRIVE: Symprove's bacteria produce key metabolites, shift bacterial diversity, and induce an anti-inflammatory effect. 3-9
Arrive: live and active
Symprove's patented liquid technology is designed so that its four bacterial strains are live and metabolically active from the point of consumption and remain so throughout transit.
This is a meaningful point of difference from freeze-dried formats. Freeze-dried probiotics are dormant by design. The bacteria must rehydrate and reactivate before they can begin functioning, a process that competes with the transit time.
Survive: engineered resilience
Gastric acid is the primary barrier standing between probiotics and the small and large bowel. Symprove's approach to overcoming it is built into the manufacturing process.
- Fermentation builds acid resistance: During fermentation, Symprove's bacteria produce lactic acid, lowering the surrounding pH. This upregulates proton pumps in the cell membrane, which then export more H+ ions, helping the bacteria maintain cytoplasmic pH and withstand stomach acid.1
- Transit is fast: As a small-volume liquid bolus, Symprove is shown to pass through the stomach in under 10 minutes when taken in the fasted state, limiting the window of acid exposure by design. 2
- The outcome is measurable: Research shows that 99.3% of Symprove's bacteria survive gastric transit and reach the colon alive.3
Thrive: functional activity
Reaching the small and large bowel alive is a precondition for activity, not the endpoint. The research examines what Symprove's bacteria do once they get there.
- Microbial effects: Symprove's bacteria produce lactate and are shown to increase production of short-chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate and butyrate) through cross-feeding with commensal bacteria, supporting a broader ecosystem.3,4 Butyrate in particular is shown to support gut wall integrity via a positive effect on tight junctions between epithelial cells.4,5
- Anti-pathogen effects: Changes in local pH due to lactate production, together with the production of bacteriocins, are shown to help suppress gut pathogens.6,9
- Anti-inflammatory effects: Research demonstrates a reduction in pro-inflammatory markers, including TNF-α, MCP-1, CXCL-10 and IL-8, alongside an increase in anti-inflammatory markers, including IL-6 and IL-10.3,4
Comparison Table
Why is this relevant in practice?
Understanding how a probiotic behaves from consumption through to its effects within the gut provides important context for interpreting clinical outcomes. Symprove's mechanism of action has been examined across each stage of gastrointestinal transit, from viability and survival through to functional activity within the gut ecosystem. Explore the clinical evidence, including randomised controlled trials and real-world studies, to understand how these mechanisms translate into outcomes across different patient populations and clinical settings
- Kullen MJ, Klaenhammer TR. Mol Microbiol 1999;33(6):1152–61.
- Fredua-Agyeman M, et al. Benef Microbes 2015;6(1):141–51.
- Moens F, et al. Int J Pharm 2019;555:1–10.
- Ghyselinck J, et al. Int J Pharm 2020;587:119648.
- Ghyselinck J, et al. Int J Pharm X 2021;3:100087.
- Hatton GB, et al. Int J Pharm 2026;693:126669.
- Fredua-Agyeman M, et al. Int J Pharm 2017;517(1–2):96–103.
- Dodoo CC, et al. Int J Pharm 2019;556:136–41.
- Dodoo CC, et al. BMC Microbiol 2026;26:20.
† Fermented to a level of at least 10 billion CFUs per 70 ml and proven to deliver metabolically active bacteria at least until the expiration date
