DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has launched Howaru Calm, a probiotic aimed at helping dietary supplement manufacturers decrease the cycle of consumer stress. 

Calm adds to DuPont’s Howaru portfolio and the company says it’s clinically proven to manage the psychological response to perceived stress. 

The product’s featured strain – L. paracasei Lpc-37, was tested for quality, efficacy and performance. During a clinical study, participants took Lpc-37 daily for five weeks before undergoing an acute stress test. Researchers measured participants’ mood, stress and anxiety levels in response to the five-week intervention with Lpc-37, their perceived and physiological response to the acute stress test at the end of the study, and their overall mood, health and well-being throughout the study, and compared the results to a placebo group. Those participants taking Lpc-37 reported a significant reduction in perceived stress following five-weeks of intervention. 

“Too much stress, or daily chronic stress has become more prevalent in today’s society and can seriously impact our mental and physical well-being and overall health,” said Dr Elaine Patterson, Senior R&D Scientist, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences. “Over the last few years, we have been investigating the links between the gut microbiota and brain health —the so-called microbiota-gut-brain axis. During these investigations, our focus was on discovering a natural probiotic solution targeting brain health, more specifically mood, stress and anxiety. We are proud to finally share the fruits of our innovation and have developed a product that helps consumers target stress at the source so they can prioritize both their mental and physical health.” 

“In the last five years, the industry has seen a 34 percent global increase of new probiotic supplements that help stabilize mood and combat stress, as consumers have begun to recognize the critical impact the gut has on the brain,” said Stephanie Udell, Global Marketing Leader, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences. “By launching Howaru Calm, we’re allowing dietary supplement manufacturers to develop an efficacious end-product that satisfies market demand for probiotic supplements aimed at reducing stress and promoting mental well-being.” 

Howaru Calm can be added to existing dietary supplement products or used to create supplements. It can also be formulated into food and beverage products.