Bifidobacterium breve

What is Bifidobacterium breve?

Bifidobacterium breve (B. breve) is a beneficial probiotic bacterium. It is a natural resident of the human gastrointestinal tract, particularly abundant in infants and young children, and remains present throughout adulthood.

Health Benefits:

Supports Digestive Health

B. breve is well recognised for its ability to contribute to the maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome with research showing that B. breve can lead to increases in microbial richness and compositional shifts favouring beneficial bacterium. Moreover, B. breve has also been shown to positively modulate epithelial cell shedding, promoting intestinal barrier health and therefore helping to protect the body from harmful bacteria and enhancing nutrient absorption. Through its support of the digestive system, B. breve holds value for alleviating common indigestion-related symptoms such as bloating and abdominal pain.

Boosts Immune Function

The relationship between gut health and immune system function has been repeatedly evidenced, and research in line with this indicates that B. breve can boost immunity through its ability to support a balanced intestinal microbiota. Additionally, one study suggests that B. breve can promote the secretion of immunoglobulins and the number of immune cells in the blood, further evidencing the immunomodulatory action of B. breve.

Typical Use:

Since its identification as a dominant microbe within the gut microbiota of breastfed infants, B. breve has been studied extensively for its digestive health benefits and has become a common ingredient of probiotic supplements. Within such supplements B. breve is often combined with other probiotic strains or prebiotic fibres to enhance effectiveness.

B. breve is also used in the production of fermented foods such as yogurts, soymilk and sourdough to create functional foods capable of improving gut health.