New Data Show Seed's Co-Biotics Increase Bioactive Vitamin B3, Gut-Brain Metabolites, and Sleep-Related Tryptophan Through the Microbiome

Presented at NUTRITION 2026, three preclinical studies show how each Co-Biotic formulation engages distinct microbiome-mediated pathways relevant to nutrient metabolism, gut-brain signaling, and sleep-related biology

The findings establish a mechanistic foundation for Co-Biotics as a new category of daily supplementation, engineered for both human and microbial biology

NEW YORK, July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Microbiome science company Seed Health presented new data demonstrating that its Co-Biotic formulations can modulate the gut microbiome in distinct ways—increasing bioactive vitamin B3, key short-chain fatty acids involved in gut-brain signaling, and tryptophan availability—in a validated model of the human gut. Presented at NUTRITION 2026, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, the findings suggest that supplements designed for both the body and its microbiome can engage distinct, complementary pathways that conventional supplements may leave unaddressed.

Using a validated ex vivo gastrointestinal model with SIFR® technology (Cryptobiotix, Belgium), researchers evaluated the effects of Seed's three Co-Biotic formulations, DM-02™ Daily Multivitamin, AM-02™ Energy + Focus, and PM-02™ Sleep + Restore, on microbiome composition and function.

"With Co-Biotics, we set out to unlock more of the microbiome's potential in everyday health," said Cathrin Bowtell, Chief Executive Officer of Seed Health. "Meaningful innovation requires more than a new idea—it requires designing products differently, studying them rigorously, and continually deepening our understanding of how they work. That's the standard we hold ourselves to, and one we hope will continue to shape the future of consumer health."

"For decades, supplements have largely been designed around human biology alone," said Dirk Gevers, Chief Scientific Officer at Seed Health. "Co-Biotics are built on a different design philosophy—one that recognizes the microbiome as an active participant in how supplements engage human biology. These findings provide formulation-level evidence that designing for both you and your microbiome can produce distinct, targeted microbial responses across nutrition, energy, and sleep."

Presentation Highlights

DM-02™ Daily Multivitamin increases bioactive vitamin B3 and lowers colonic pH via the microbiome

DM-02™ is a daily multivitamin formulated for both the body and the microbiome, recognizing the microbiome's essential role in how nutrients are metabolized and made available to the body. In the ex vivo model, DM-02™ increased the bioactive form of vitamin B3 and lowered colonic pH through the microbiome, suggesting that DM-02™ may support nutrient metabolism by engaging the microbiome to increase nutrient availability and beneficial microbial activity.

Key findings include:

• 10x more bioactive vitamin B3: DM-02™ increased nicotinic acid abundance approximately 10-fold versus an equivalent dose of nicotinic acid alone (p<0.05) and approximately 42-fold versus untreated control (p<0.001).
• Increased SCFA production and lower colonic pH: DM-02™ significantly increased total SCFA production (p<0.001) and decreased colonic pH (p<0.0001), without increasing gas production.
• Enriched native vitamin-B-producing microbes: DM-02™ increased two native bacterial groups associated with vitamin B production by five- to sevenfold.

AM-02™ Energy + Focus increases acetate and butyrate to target the gut-brain axis

AM-02™ is a caffeine-free formulation designed to target the gut-brain axis and tap both human and microbial pathways involved in sustained energy and focus. In the ex vivo model, AM-02™ increased microbiome production of acetate and butyrate—two short-chain fatty acids involved in gut-brain signaling—suggesting the formulation may support this pathway through microbiome-mediated mechanisms.

Key findings include:

• Increased SCFAs, acetate and butyrate: AM-02™ increased total SCFA production by 11% (p<0.0001), including a 12% increase in acetate (p<0.001) and a 20% increase in butyrate (p<0.01).
• Enriched acetate-producing bacteria: AM-02™ increased a native acetate-producing bacterial species eightfold (p<0.05).
• No increase in gas production (p=NS) during colonic simulation.

PM-02™ Sleep + Restore increases tryptophan availability and gut barrier function to target the gut-sleep axis

PM-02™ is a nightly formulation designed to target the gut-sleep axis to support deeper, more restorative sleep. In the model, PM-02™ increased availability of tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, and strengthened the gut barrier under stress, supporting its microbiome-targeted approach to sleep health.

Key findings include:

• 48% greater tryptophan availability: PM-02™ increased colonic tryptophan availability by 48% (p<0.05), alongside increases in tryptophan-producing bacteria and L-tryptophan biosynthesis pathways.
• Increased SCFA and butyrate: PM-02™ significantly increased total SCFA production (p<0.01) and butyrate specifically (20%, p<0.01), without increasing gas production.
• Improved gut barrier function and reduced inflammation under stress: In a complementary in vitro model under bacterial-endotoxin challenge, PM-02™ improved gut barrier function by 18% (p<0.05) and reduced measured pro-inflammatory cytokines by 31% to 44%.

Collectively, the findings suggest that intentionally engaging the microbiome alongside human biology may expand the biological mechanisms through which daily supplementation can support health.

About Seed Health
Seed Health is a microbiome science company pioneering clinically validated innovations for gut and whole-body health. Rooted in rigorous research and peer-reviewed studies, Seed is setting new standards for efficacy, safety, and trust in the biotics category. Our flagship innovation, DS-01® Daily Synbiotic, is a pre- and probiotic studied in multiple human clinical trials—including the largest clinical trial for a probiotic on bloating and gas in healthy adults—and trusted by over two million people for its impact on gut and whole-body health. Our pipeline of gut-directed innovations, developed in collaboration with world-renowned researchers and clinicians, harnesses the microbiome as a driver of longevity, systemic health, and daily well-being. Grounded in the ethos that human and planetary health are interconnected, our environmental research division, SeedLabs, advances microbial interventions to enhance biodiversity and help restore ecosystems impacted by human activity.

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SOURCE Seed Health