Bifidobacterium animalis

Bifidobacterium animalis is a Gram-positive anaerobic rod-shaped bacterium, which can be found in the intestines of most mammals, including human. It is one of the different species of bifidobacteria in the human large intestine.

Bifidobacterium animalis and Bifidobacterium lactis were previously described as two distinct species. Presently both are considered B. animalis with the subspecies Bifidobacterium animalis subsp animalis and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis.

Both old names B. animalis and B. lactis are still used on product labels, as this species is frequently used as a probiotic. In most cases it is not clear which subspecies is used in the product.

Trade names
B. animalis, strain number DN 173 010, is used worldwide as a probiotic in the product Activia™, produced by the Danone company (known as Dannon in the US). The company uses different trade names in different countries : Bifidus Digestivum (UK), Bifidus Regularis (US and Mexico), Bifidobacterium Lactis or B.L. Regularis (Canada), Bifidus Essensis (Germany, Netherlands, Romania and Austria), Bifidus Activo (Spain) and Bifidus Actiregularis (Argentina, Chile, Italy and Russia).

These are not scientific names but trade names designed to sound and look like scientifically named organisms. The scientific name is Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis DN173010.

Another commonly used strain is marketed as BB-12® (Bb12; Bb-12). This strain is used in products from many different producers worldwide, mainly in dairy products, but also in food supplements (pills). It is marketed by Chr. Hansen Ltd from Denmark. As with the other strain, BB-12® is marketed both as Bifidobacterium animalis and Bifidobacterium lactis, however, the true scientific name of the strain is Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis.

Health benefits
Both strains mentioned above are well studied and ample literature exists on the efficacy of these bacteria. Some recent references are stated below.

Bb12 :
 * Effects of Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 Supplementation on Intestinal Microbiota of Preterm Infants: a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Study. J Clin Microbiol. 2006 November; 44(11): 4025–4031. 
 * Adherence of Probiotic Bacteria to Human Intestinal Mucus in Healthy Infants and during Rotavirus Infection. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol. 2001 March; 8(2): 293–296.
 * Innate mechanisms for Bifidobacterium lactis to activate transient pro-inflammatory host responses in intestinal epithelial cells after the colonization of germ-free rats. Immunology. 2005 August; 115(4): 441–450.

DN 173 010 : A double-blind randomised controlled study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2002; 16: 587-593.
 * A fermented milk with Bifidobacterium probiotic strain DN-173 010 shortened oro-fecal gut transit time in elderly. Microb Ecology Health Dis,2001; 13: 217-222.
 * Bifidobacterium animalis, strain DN-173 010 shortens the colonic transit time in healthy women.
 * Bouvier M, et al. “Effects of consumption of a milk fermented by the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis DN-173 010 on colonic transit time in healthy humans. Bioscience and Microflora, 2001; Vol 20(2): 43-48.