Findings from OLL1073R-1 and OLS3059 lactic acid bacteria research(6)

Yogurt fermented with OLL1073R-1 and OLS3059 lactic acid bacteria has been confirmed to potentially suppress the temporary decline in immunity (NK activity) and maintain good physical conditions in subjects at high risk of immune dysfunction (human study conducted in male university track-and-field athletes (healthy individuals) aged 18 to 25 in 2012).

This study demonstrated that it is effective in maintaining normal immune function even in people at high risk of weakened immune function. In addition, consuming yogurt fermented with OLL1073R-1 and OLS3059 lactic acid bacteria is thought to be effective in maintaining systemic homeostasis and good physical condition through suppressing the temporary decline of intestinal function and the abnormal amino acid metabolism. This result was found for the first time thanks to the fact that 6.6 mg of R-1 EPS was ingested, twice as much as in previous studies.

Risk of weakened immune function

Decline in immune function is thought to increase the risk of developing a variety of infectious diseases*1 and to be related to poor physical and psychological conditions*2. While there are various causes of the decline in immune function such as aging, it is also known that irregular lifestyles and strenuous exercise are risk factors. It is also reported that strenuous exercise may damage the intestinal tract and impair protein digestion and absorption*3. In order for athletes to stay in good physical condition, it is critical to maintain normal immune function and not to allow blood levels of essential amino acids to decrease, as these help repair post-training muscle damage*4.

* 1Source： Brolinson PG, et al. Clin Sports Med 26: 311-319, 2007.
* 2Source： Agans RT, et al. Front Nutr 7: 70, 2020.
* 3Source： van Wijck K, et al. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 304: R356-361, 2013.
* 4Source： Waskiw-Ford M, et al. Nutrients 12: 1061, 2020.

Fluctuations in NK activity and blood levels of amino acids

18 male long-distance runners and 13 male throwers in a university track-and-field club were randomly divided into two groups without unbalanced distribution, one of which consumed yogurt fermented with OLL1073R-1 and OLS3059 lactic acid bacteria (containing 6.6 mg of R-1 EPS), while the other consumed an acidic dairy beverage (placebo) for 2 weeks. The athletes were subjected to strenuous exercise in a weeklong training camp during those 2 weeks. The primary endpoint of this study was NK activity.

Fluctuations in blood levels of amino acids (Figure 2)

Subject pool	Male athletes belonging to a university track-and-field club (healthy long-distance runners and throwers aged 18 to 25)
Number of subjects	31
Amount	Group consuming yogurt fermented with OLL1073R-1 and OLS3059 lactic acid bacteria: 112 ml x 2/day *Consuming two bottles of yogurt containing 3.3 mg of R-1 EPS (6.6 mg) every day Group consuming acidic dairy beverage (placebo group): 112 ml x 2/day
Period of consumption	2 weeks (including 1 week of training camp)
Study period	2012

(Source: Takayuki TOSHIMITSU et al. Japanese Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine. 2023;72(2):161-72.)

The results showed that in the yogurt group (n=16) compared to the placebo group (n=15),

(1)
the decrease in NK activity induced by strenuous exercise was significantly suppressed and the decline in immune function was prevented (Figure 1), and similar effects were observed for other immunological indicators, too; and
(2)
the decrease in blood levels of essential amino acids and branched-chain amino acids induced by strenuous exercise was suppressed and the decline in physical condition was prevented (Figure 2).

These results demonstrated that consuming yogurt fermented with OLL1073R-1 and OLS3059 lactic acid bacteria (containing 6.6 mg of R-1 EPS) suppressed the temporary decline in immune function induced by strenuous exercise. In addition, consumption of the yogurt is expected to suppress the decline in intestinal function induced by strenuous exercise and maintain normal blood levels of amino acids, helping to maintain good physical condition.