Primer is primarily a prebiotic that aids to assist digestion in the intestine by feeding the intestinal bacteria (good bacteria). It helps to protect against dysfunction of the gut and microbiota to help promote health, appetite control, digestion, metabolism and even fat loss.

In our gut there are trillions of bacteria that are essential for us to thrive and survive. The gut and its microbiome are basically an endocrine organ – by controlling and influencing the entire body and the brain.

Primer contains a plethora of prebiotics and other ingredients that help to feed the intestinal bacteria, prevent inflammation, prevent mucosal injury and help maintain the intestinal barrier (amongst a lot more). These prebiotics were chosen specifically as they have good scientific data backing them and the ability to increase probiotics is not easy with normal “off the shelf” probiotics. Read on for the science

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) – these powerful compounds increase beneficial bacteria (bifidobacterium) by 5-10 fold whilst inhibiting inflammatory responses which in turn improves intestinal barrier function. Plus, they mitigate LPS induced inflammation and protect against stress induced LPS activity

Arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (ANOS) – these are strongly bifidogenic and increase satiety inducing peptides which can decrease weight gain, fat mass and insulin resistance. They also reduce protein fermentation in the gut which spares amino acids for more useful purposes as well as preventing toxic breakdown products.

Xylo-Oligosaccharides (XOS) – these increase butyrate and bifidobacterium which are protective bacterias within the gut and protect against genotoxicity in the colon.

Lactulose – this compound inhibits adipogenesis and fat accumulation by down regulating adipogenic genes and increasing energy expenditure and lipolysis. Lactulose can also decrease intestinal permeability and proteolysis of amino acids in the gut.

Inulin – improves glucose uptake in insulin resistant cells and also increases bifidobacterium and butyrate while reducing protein fermentation.

Resistant Starch 3 (RS3) – this is formed when starchy foods such as potatoes are cooked and then cooled. This turns digestible starches into resistant starches. These can be beneficial and highly prebiotic to ruminococcus bromii, with increases up to 4-fold. It has an ability to degrade this starch, which is most prevalent fermentable carbohydrate in the average diet, making it perfect to act as a cross-feeder for other species.

Amylopectin - has been found to be superior to several other prebiotics for increasing butyrate, as well as butyrate producers faecalibacterium prausnitzii and roseburia

Mucin - mucin is the glycoprotein constituent of the mucus which lines the wall of the intestines and protects it. Several good species of bacteria feed off this. With these bacteria colonizing the mucus and being close to the epithelium, particularly with the butyrate producers, bioavailability for epithelial cell regeneration and barrier function is enhanced.

Rhanmose – this is a sugar, and is the preferred sugar for the pathway or propionate production. Rhamnose has also been found to decrease triglyceride synthesis and serum triglyceride levels

Glutamine - this is the primary substrate of rapidly dividing cells, a category to which the epithelial cells of the digestive tract belong. Glutamine improves intestinal barrier impairment and quells the LPS mediated inflammatory cascade

Calcium Phosphate – this helps to improve intestinal permeability, strengthens the mucosal barrier, reduces inflammation and can alleviate colitis.