Bacillus coagulansRANK: SpeciesTAXONOMY: Terrabacteria group -> Firmicutes -> Bacilli -> Bacillales -> Bacillaceae -> Bacillus -> Bacillus coagulans OVERVIEW: B. coagulans, like other lactic acid–producing bacteria, produces enzymes that assist in the digestion of lactose. It also improves the body’s ability to use calcium, phosphorus, and iron, and stimulates both gastric juices and gastric motility. This strain also supports vaginal health in women. One study shows that women who took B. coagulans daily saw improvements in their vaginal pH level, with 91 percent of reporting relief from vaginal discomfort. Synonym: Lactobacillus sporogenes. B. coagulans is often marketed as Lactobacillus sporogenes or a 'sporeforming lactic acid bacterium' probiotic, but this is an outdated name due to taxonomic changes in 1939. Although B. coagulans does produce L+lactic acid, the bacterium used in these products is not a lactic-acid bacterium, as Bacillus species do not belong to the lactic acid bacteria. By definition, lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium) do not form spores. Therefore, using the name Lactobacillus sporogenes is scientifically incorrect. Bacillus coagulans GB-30 has been found to increase the population of another intestinal bacteria, F prausnitzii, possibly due to the production of lactic acid by B coagulans. F prausnitzii has been shown to potently induce production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, specifically IL-10. Similarly, a previous study showed that Bacillus coagulans was able to stimulate the production of major anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10.
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