You’ve heard of probiotics, the living organisms that colonize our gastrointestinal tract and beyond to keep our inner ecology balanced and healthy. Now get ready for the next evolution in human microbial science. Immunobiotics are the new frontier. Defined as “microbes that promote immune system health through activation of gut immunity,” immunobiotics share properties of probiotics but work through specific mechanisms to promote immune function that begins in the gut and impacts the entire body.Immuno-LP20™ is the first natural immunobiotic to emerge on the world market. Already established in Japan where it was developed by Japanese scientists, Immuno-LP20 is a heat-killed strain of Lactobacillus plantarum (L-137), a lactic acid bacteria commonly found in a wide variety of fermented foods. As a live organism, L. plantarum is considered a beneficial probiotic; but its immune-supporting benefits are inhibited by its structure and lack of stability within digestive fluid. Immuno-LP20 is heat treated at a precise moment during the growth phase to break down the cell membrane and components, eliminating the inhibitors and stabilizing the product for survival in the gastric fluids. This allows for a powerful stimulating effect on the production of IL-12, an important factor in immune system function.Research shows that Immuno-LP20 is active within the small intestine, where it passes through the intestinal lumen to stimulate production of IL-2 and IFN-ß. IL-12 in turn, produces T cells and activates effector cells such as NK cells and CTLs. IFN-ß is one of the most important cytokines directly involved in immune defense.Join the thousands of people already blazing pushing the boundaries of natural immune promotion with Swanson Probiotics' Immunobiotic capsules.