Wait Until After Your Cuppa ☕️ To Take Your Oral Probiotics

It can be a blimmin’ nuisance having to wait till after your cuppa to take your Zestt lozenges. Yes, I know, I have been caught out a few times myself. So let me explain the world of oral probiotics so you can understand why we give you these instructions.

Zestt lozenges contain oral probiotics (BLIS K12 and/or BLIS M18). These are live bacteria that are beneficial for your mouth and upper airways.

In lozenge form, the probiotics have been carefully freeze-dried so that they are alive but dormant.

When you suck on Zestt lozenges, the saliva from your mouth activates the probiotics - they are ready to go!

That first 30 minutes of activation is important for the colonisation of the good oral bacteria. They need the chance to establish themselves by attaching to your mouth and upper airway tissue. A cuppa or a snack in that window washes them down before they've had a chance to stick.

Once the oral probiotics have colonised your mouth and upper airways, this is how they work to support your health:

Crowding out: BLIS K12 and BLIS M18 take up the space and crowd out problematic bacteria like the bacteria that cause strep throat.

Targeted defence: Oral probiotics produce BLIS proteins (bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances) that act on specific problematic bacteria.

Immunity: Your oral microbes help tell your body and immune system what is a threat and what is not; there is emerging evidence that BLIS K12 helps regulate your immune system in your mouth and upper airways.

Reduce inflammation: when you are exposed to pathogens, you need a response, but not an overreaction; oral probiotics help ensure the response you make is appropriate to the threat by playing a part in regulating IL-6, an inflammatory signal.

Yes, it can be fiddly knowing when to take your Zestt lozenges, but it’s worth it for your immunity and health; after all, your mouth is the gateway to your gut, immune, respiratory and cardiovascular systems, so it’s worth looking after!