What is Bifidobacterium lactis HN019?

Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 is an extensively researched live bacterial strain, originally isolated from yoghurt in New Zealand.

It has been the subject of more than 180 scientific publications, including research investigating digestive health, gut microbiome interactions and immune responses. The strain is recognised for its ability to tolerate stomach acid and bile, allowing it to survive passage through the digestive system and reach the intestines alive.

What makes this strain distinctive?
One of the most interesting characteristics of Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 is its relationship with gut transit time - how long it takes material to move through the digestive tract.

Human clinical research has demonstrated that HN019 can reduce whole-gut transit time, while experimental research has explored how the strain influences intestinal motility, the muscle contractions that move contents through the gut.

In one laboratory study using isolated intestinal tissue, an extract of HN019 altered patterns of colonic muscle contractions involved in moving contents through the large intestine.

Like other bifidobacteria, HN019 also produces acetate and lactate during carbohydrate fermentation. These compounds can be used by other gut microorganisms through a process called microbial cross-feeding.

For example, acetate can be used by butyrate-producing bacteria, including Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, while certain other gut bacteria can convert lactate into butyrate. This short-chain fatty acid provides an important energy source for cells lining the colon and helps maintain the intestinal barrier.

Short-chain fatty acids also act as signalling molecules, interacting with receptors and pathways involved in intestinal motility. Researchers continue to investigate whether these mechanisms contribute to the effects observed with HN019 in human studies.

Scientific Research: Bifidobacterium lactis HN019

With more than 40 human clinical trials, Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 has been investigated extensively across several areas of digestive and immune health.

Human research has examined:

• Gut transit time: In a randomised clinical trial involving 100 adults, HN019 significantly reduced average whole-gut transit time after 14 days. Reductions of approximately 19 and 28 hours from baseline were observed at the two doses studied, compared with no significant change in the placebo group.
• Digestive comfort: Research has examined bloating, abdominal discomfort and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
• Immune responses: Human studies involving older adults have demonstrated changes in the activity of immune cells, including natural killer cells and phagocytes.

Alongside human clinical trials, laboratory research has explored the strain's interactions with intestinal motility, microbial fermentation and the gut barrier.

You can browse a selection of published studies in our research library..

Why we selected HN019 for EVIDOSE®

When it comes to live bacteria supplements, the specific bacterial strain matters just as much as the dose. Different strains have distinct biological properties and have been studied for different health outcomes.

We selected Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 for its extensive human clinical research, particularly its investigation in gut transit time, bowel regularity and digestive comfort.

It is one of four carefully selected strains in EVIDOSE® Live Biotic Daily+, each chosen for its strain-specific clinical evidence and included at a dose investigated in human studies.