According to the patent, “Prebiotic compositions comprising one of more types of bacteriophage”,* Deerland outlines the “compositions that comprise one or more types of bacteriophage and methods of using such bacteriophages as a prebiotic to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria by decreasing harmful bacterial populations and releasing nutrients into the environment for good bacteria in the digestive system of an individual.”
A prebiotic is defined as: “A substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit” (ISAPP 2017). The ingredients are typically fiber or starch-based components that “feed” the good bacteria in the gut.
Deerland describes PreforPro as a “novel prebiotic that supports the growth of healthy bacteria throughout the digestive tract through a mechanism that is not fiber, carbohydrate or starch‐based”. The ingredient reportedly destabilizes the cell wall of certain bad bacteria, resulting in the release of nutrients into the environment which can then be utilized by probiotics and the good bacteria of the GI tract. It is efficacious in small doses within hours, with a broad spectrum of probiotic species, and it does not cause flatulence as large doses of fiber-based prebiotics often do.
The company recently completed a human clinical, and the data in the process of being prepared for publication in a peer-review journal, a spokesperson for the company told us.
“In our research and development, we’ve found that the prebiotic effect of bacteriophage is superior to traditional prebiotic ingredients,” said John Deaton, VP of science and technology at Deerland. “It works at much smaller doses and much quicker.”
*US Patent number 9,839,657