Invented by tom Dieck; Heike, Speckmann; Bodo, Evonik Operations GmbH
Most people want to feel healthy, energetic, and in control of their weight. But for many, keeping blood sugar balanced and feeling full after meals can be tough. Imagine if a simple capsule could help your body manage these challenges by working with the natural bacteria in your gut. A new patent application reveals a unique blend that could do just that. In this article, we will break down the background, look at the science and old ideas in this field, and then explore the invention and what makes it special. Let’s dive in.
Background and Market Context
Many people today struggle with weight gain, high blood sugar, and problems like type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. These health issues are more common than ever, especially in countries where processed and sugary foods are easy to find. Over time, these health problems can lead to heart disease, kidney trouble, or even blindness. Doctors and nutrition experts have long looked for ways to help people control their weight and blood sugar. While eating less sugar and getting more exercise are important, sometimes these steps are not enough.
In recent years, scientists have learned that the bacteria living in our gut—called the microbiota—play a big role in our health. These tiny helpers help digest food, make special vitamins, and send messages to our brains and bodies. When our gut bacteria are healthy, we tend to feel better, weigh less, and have steadier blood sugar. But when our gut bacteria get out of balance, we can feel hungry more often, gain weight, and even develop diabetes.
Because of this, products called probiotics and prebiotics have become very popular. Probiotics are “good” bacteria you can swallow to help your gut. Prebiotics are foods that help those good bacteria grow. Some products mix both, and these are called synbiotics. Many people now take these as pills, powders, or foods like yogurt, hoping to boost their gut health.
There’s a growing market for products that support the gut and help with weight and blood sugar. Companies and researchers are racing to find new blends that really work. But many of the old products either don’t help enough, cause stomach pain, or are hard for people with sensitive guts to use. There is a real need for a new, gentle, and effective way to help people feel full, control their blood sugar, and support their gut—without side effects.
This is the world into which the new patent application enters. It aims to provide a new kind of synbiotic—a mix of good bacteria and special nutrients—that supports gut health, helps the body manage hunger hormones, and keeps blood sugar in check, all while being gentle on the stomach.
Scientific Rationale and Prior Art
To understand why this invention matters, we need to know a bit more about how the gut and certain hormones work. The gut is not just a tube for food. It’s full of bacteria that help break down what we eat. As these bacteria do their job, they make special substances called short-chain fatty acids, including one called butyrate. Butyrate is very important. It feeds the cells in the colon, helps keep the gut wall strong, and even lowers swelling and inflammation in the body. Some studies suggest butyrate also helps people feel full and keeps blood sugar steady.
The problem is, not every gut has enough butyrate, especially in people with gut troubles or those eating low-fiber diets. Old ways to boost butyrate involved eating more fiber or special types of carbohydrates called FODMAPs. But FODMAPs can cause bloating and pain, especially in people with irritable bowel syndrome. Another approach was to take butyrate directly, but it smells bad and is hard to get to the right part of the gut. Scientists also tried to use special bacteria that make butyrate, but these bacteria are hard to keep alive in pills.
Hormones called GLP-1, PYY, and CCK are made in the gut and tell the brain when you’re full. They also help control blood sugar by telling the pancreas to release insulin. In people with diabetes or obesity, these hormones can be out of balance. Some treatments try to boost these hormones, but it’s tricky. Sometimes, lowering these hormones at certain times—like when fasting—can mean that the body is getting healthier, especially after weight loss.
Old inventions tried to help with these hormones by using fiber, certain bacteria, or even medications. Some success was seen in studies with Lactobacillus probiotics, which helped lower cholesterol, while other “next generation” bacteria could make butyrate but were hard to use in real products. One earlier patent (EP3784807A1) mixed Bacillus subtilis with a nutrient called alanyl-glutamine in a special capsule to make butyrate, but didn’t focus on how this blend could also help control hunger hormones or blood sugar in people at risk for diabetes.
So, the field needed something new: a product that could boost butyrate, help with hunger hormones, support blood sugar, and be easy for people to take—without causing stomach problems.
Invention Description and Key Innovations
This invention introduces a new synbiotic preparation. It mixes at least one strain of the probiotic Bacillus subtilis with at least one dipeptide (a small protein made of two amino acids), which contains glutamine or glutamic acid. The main goal is to help the body balance hormones like CCK, GLP-1, and PYY that tell us when we’re full, while also helping to manage blood sugar levels.
Let’s break down what makes this invention different and important:
1. Unique Synbiotic Blend
The preparation uses a specific strain of Bacillus subtilis—such as DSM 32315, DSM 32540, or DSM 32592—and pairs it with a dipeptide like alanyl-glutamine. Unlike some probiotics, Bacillus subtilis is tough: it forms spores, which means it can survive in pills and make it safely to the gut. This strain, when mixed with the right dipeptide, helps the gut bacteria make more butyrate.
The dipeptides used are not only safe and easy to digest, but they also serve as special food for the gut bacteria, helping them make more butyrate without using FODMAPs. This means that even people who get stomach pain from fiber or certain carbs can use this product without trouble. The patent covers several types of dipeptides, including glycine-glutamine and alanine-glutamine, and even allows for special versions called acetylated forms.
2. Tailored Dosage and Formulation
The invention sets clear dosages: at least 1 billion CFU (colony-forming units—a way of measuring live probiotics) and at least 250 mg of dipeptide per day, usually split into two capsules. In some cases, the blend also includes plant extracts like curcuma (turmeric) and green tea, as well as vitamins and minerals. This adds extra health benefits, such as lowering inflammation and supporting the immune system.
The capsules have a special “enteric” or colonic coating. This coating only dissolves when it reaches the right part of the gut—usually the colon—so the ingredients are released where they are needed most. The coating is made from safe polymers, like methyl methacrylate and methyl acrylate, which are well-known in the supplement industry. This smart coating stops the probiotic and nutrients from breaking down too early in the stomach.
3. Clinical Proof and Measured Benefits
In studies, people who took the preparation saw amazing results. In one trial with 18 healthy people, three started with prediabetic blood sugar levels. After four weeks, all had normal blood sugar, and their levels of GLP-1 and PYY dropped, suggesting better hunger control and improved metabolism. People also lost weight—over 1 kilogram on average—without changing their diet or exercise. Cholesterol levels, especially the “bad” LDL type, also went down.
Even more exciting, the preparation seemed to increase the amount of a helpful gut bacteria called Collinsella aerofaciens, which can make butyrate, adding another layer of benefit.
The product worked especially well for people with high fasting blood sugar or prediabetes. These people saw a bigger drop in their blood sugar and a better response after eating sweet foods, compared to those who started with normal blood sugar. It seems the higher the starting blood sugar, the more they benefited.
4. Flexible and Gentle for Users
The preparation can be taken with or without food, and the smart coating means it’s gentle, even for people with sensitive stomachs. Because it does not use FODMAPs, it avoids the bloating, gas, and pain that many older products cause.
5. Multiple Uses and Broad Protection
The patent covers not just the product, but also the methods of using it to help with obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and even lowering fasting blood sugar and improving how the body handles sugar after a meal.
6. Backed by In-Depth Testing
The invention is supported by both human studies and lab tests. In lab tests, the combination of Bacillus subtilis DSM 32315 and alanyl-glutamine led to much higher butyrate production than other blends. The enteric coating was shown to deliver ingredients to the right place in the gut, and different doses were tested to find the best results.
All together, these details make this invention a big step forward. It brings together a tough, effective probiotic, a smart nutrient, and a delivery system that works in real people. It targets the gut, hunger hormones, and blood sugar, all at once, and does so gently.
Conclusion
In a world where many people struggle with weight, blood sugar, and gut health, this new synbiotic preparation offers real hope. By combining a hardy probiotic strain with a targeted dipeptide and a smart capsule coating, it helps the body make more butyrate, manage hunger hormones, and keep blood sugar steady. The proof from clinical studies is clear: people saw lower blood sugar, lost weight, and had better cholesterol—all without changing their diet or exercise.
This invention goes beyond old approaches by avoiding common side effects, being easy to take, and specifically helping those who need it most—people with prediabetes or sensitive guts. As science continues to reveal the deep connections between our gut and the rest of our health, inventions like this pave the way for safer, more effective, and more user-friendly solutions. If you are looking for a new path to better health, keep an eye on this new generation of synbiotic products—they may be just what your gut, and your whole body, needs.
Click here https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/ and search 20250228904.