Your gut biome is a biological mirror of a big city with its bustling residents, exchanges and events. Our gut's residents include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and an often-overlooked yet ancient ally making a resurgence: bacteriophages.

The use of probiotics has focused mainly on bacteria. Its success in helping with gut inflammation, brain fog, depression, and metabolism has been nothing short of impressive.

On the other hand, there’s been a stagnation when it comes to furthering health with probiotics. 

Many who take probiotics have mentioned how they stop working over time.

The focus needs to shift towards thinking of the gut microbiome and all its residents–including bacteriophage.

Bacteriophages–What Are They?

Surprisingly, they’re the most common microscopic agent in the biosphere. Everywhere you see life on this planet, bacteriophages are present. 

Even within our gut an astounding ~1013 bacteriophages can be found. They make up the largest part of our gut virome. Because they only target bacterial receptors, bacteriophages have no effect on us. 

Even fermented foods or probiotics will come with their own serving of known and unknown bacteriophages. A general rule of thumb is wherever there are bacteria, there are also bacteriophages. 

The right kind of bacteriophage can make a huge difference in our health. This has been known for over a century with many eastern countries having done rigorous clinical trials looking at the effects of bacteriophage on the health of the gut (1). 

With the advent of molecular techniques, bacteriophage therapy has become more precise. Mitolife is capitalizing on this improvement by including clinically vetted bacteriophages to enhance the gut biome, overcome leaky gut, and supercharge your health. 

Scientists of the Kharkiv Mechnikov Institute isolating bacteriophage from bacterial cultures, 1935 (2). 

The Developing Tide of Phage Therapy and Its Resurgence

When Felix d’Herelle discovered bacteriophages, he thought it could one day be used for the difficult bacterial diseases which plagued people of his time. d’Herelle wasted no time proving this point by treating patients with dysentery in Hôpital des Enfants-Malades within Paris.

In the early 1920s, Georgian microbiologist George Eliava met d’Herelle and was inspired by his work with phages. The two maintained corroboration all throughout the 1920s to 1930s with their work paying off during World War II. 

George Eliava on the left, and what may be Felix d’Herelle (his photograph) on the right, in 1934 during a visit to Georgia.

Antibiotics were scarce around the time of WWII and it was Eliava and d’Herelle’s prior works on phages that allowed countries to save thousands of soldiers' lives. 

 

Eliava and the institute he founded in 1923, along with the clinical research done during WWII, inspired further clinical research on phages by the soviets post war. 

On the other side of the world, western medicine dropped phages after the discovery of Penicillin, the first antibiotic, because of its ease of mass production and distribution. 

Antibiotics continued to grow in number and diverse applications, such as the use of antibiotics for certain cancers, leading to phage-therapy being put on the virology backburner… until antibiotic resistance became a concern. 

And now, with the advent of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, we’re paying the price.

 

Bacteria on a petri dish showing adaptation to antibiotics (white tablets) by growing over them instead of the defined growth around them. 

It’s Time That Phage Therapy Made a Comeback! 

Mitolife is innovating with a new, clinically studied bacteriophage blend that is being combined with spore-forming bacteria. Creating a whole new probiotic type that has the potential to reverse the gut problems of modernity such as irritable bowel disease, and even the antibiotic-resistant mayhem. 

PreforPro® is a cutting-edge prebiotic transforming the field of phage therapy with its unique blend of clinically studied bacteriophages. These phages—LH01, LL5, T4D, and LL12—are from the Myoviridae and Siphoviridae families and are highly selective in their interactions, acting like precise, targeted soldiers within the gut.

Each one targets specific strains of unwanted bacteria, attaching to them like a homing missile and ignoring the helpful bacteria nearby. Here’s a closer look at how these phages keep the peace:

• Attachment & Entry: Each bacteriophage is designed to lock onto precise receptors on the surface of certain harmful bacteria. This targeting keeps the beneficial bacteria in our gut safe, while the phages zero in on the troublemakers.

• Bacterial Cell Lysis: Once a phage attaches, it injects its genetic material into the bacterial cell, taking over its machinery. This results in a massive production of new phage particles, eventually causing the bacterial cell to burst open (or “lyse”), releasing even more phages to continue the job.

• Release of Nutrients for Beneficial Bacteria: When the phages burst open harmful bacteria, they release a variety of nutrients—like amino acids and lipids—into the gut environment. These nutrients fuel the beneficial bacteria, helping them flourish and strengthen the gut.
  
  
• Microbiome Modulation: By selectively clearing out undesirable bacteria, PreforPro® gives beneficial bacteria the upper hand, promoting a balanced gut. This shift away from harmful strains can help reduce toxin production and encourage a healthier gut microenvironment.
  
  
• Reduced Gut Inflammation: Certain “bad” bacteria are known to trigger inflammation in the gut. By targeting these strains, the phages in PreforPro® indirectly lower inflammation, which can ease GI discomfort and improve overall gut health.

PreforPro® is a specialized prebiotic that works differently from typical prebiotics or probiotics. It precisely targets harmful bacteria in the gut, eliminating them, while also creating an optimal environment for beneficial bacteria to grow and flourish.

Combining PreforPro® with the Bacillus Brigade

Alongside PreforPro®, Flora-Form has our original powerhouse Bacillus blend: Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus coagulans, and Bacillus clausii. Each has a special skill that makes it ideal for supporting your gut health.

Bacillus subtilis: The Resilient Renegade

Bacillus subtilis is a spore-forming bacterium that survives all the way to the lower intestines, where it then begins activating.

This species of Bacillus produces bacteriocins–proteins that fend off bad bacteria. Alongside other bacteria, it helps shift the favor towards the good guys to repopulate the gut in a healthy way. 

Bacillus coagulans: The Acid-Tolerant Ally

Like subtilis, Bacillus coagulans is able to survive stomach acid, reaching the intestines where it works its magic. 

Coagulans has the special capability of surviving in both oxygen rich and oxygen deprived settings. This proves useful because it’s able to work in oxygen deficient environments where bad bacteria thrive, and crowd them out. 

Bacillus clausii: The Antibiotic-Resistant Defender

Bacillus clausii is a steadfast ally, able to hold its ground even when antibiotics are in play. Its natural antibiotic resistance means it can continue to support your gut health during treatments that typically disrupt the microbiome. B. clausii has also been shown to boost immune response, helping protect the gut from pathogens and keeping your microbiome resilient.

The Microbial Symphony: How They Work Together

Think of your gut as an orchestra, with each microorganism playing its part. PreforPro® acts like the conductor, setting the rhythm by modulating the microbial environment and clearing out the “noise” of unwanted bacteria. Then, our Bacillus trio comes in with their strengths, hitting the right notes to keep the gut ecosystem in perfect harmony.

If your digestive system feels a little "off-key", it may need a tune-up with Flora-Form.

At Mitolife, we've carefully curated targeted ingredients that make strategic supplementation a game-changer. Our approach is all about giving your body exactly what it needs to thrive, with precision and purpose. A balanced gut isn’t just about adding more—it’s about understanding the big picture and implementing the tools that will have the greatest return.