Probiotics: Caveat Emptor Part 2

After I posted about the new data on the apparent importance of intestinal microorganisms and weight management, I received some very helpful comments and emails.

If you look at the "comments" section of the post, you will see this:

"www.Probiotic-Lab.com is manufacturing and distributing Bacteroidetes as a natural bacteria supplement for weight loss."
Posted by an "R.Russell"

Now I have previously reported on a conference in London at which a number of experts expressed concern about some probiotics available in the United Kingdom. So on your behalf, I not only posted the following response, but also emailed the company. First, because there is nothing on their website about marketing probiotics for weight loss and second because it is important to have these questions answered whether they are marketing probiotics for weight loss or for skin care.

This is what I wrote on the blog and also in my email to the company:

On behalf of my many readers may I ask www.Probiotic-Lab.com two questions?
1. In my posting I referred to a short piece that I wrote about a conference in London, at which some of the speakers warned that some products on the market did not contain the active ingredients claimed on the label. How do you guarantee the activity of your preparations?

2. Though I am very familiar with the use of probiotics – I first used them in, I think, 1982 – I am intrigued that you are already distributing Bacteroidetes as a natural bacteria supplement for weight loss. What evidence do you have that they are effective? I could not find anything on your website or from a search of the literature. If you have some data to share I would love to analyze it, and if it’s of good quality I will go ahead and write about it, both here and in my articles.

Kind regards,

RP

I wanted to give them time to respond because of the holidays.

But as of today – seventeen days later – there has still been no response to my communications.

I also checked the scientific references on the front page of Probiotic Lab’s website. The first does not have anything to do with weight or skin infections, but actually refers to a study of ear infections. The second reference is problematic: it refers to the "American Medical Journal." But sadly I am not familiar with a journal of that name. I have looked at a range of American Medical Journals in case the journal name or date is wrong. But again I can find nothing.

I shall be delighted if someone can help.

I also looked to see if there is any published peer-reviewed literature on the use of probiotics and either weight management or skin disease, and again I have not been able to find anything.

So you can draw your own conclusions.

Should any data come to light I shall report it. Or if the company responds, I shall post what they say.