The researchers in the US and Canada, some of whom are Cargill employees, evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of a single oral dose of EpiCor in a study involving 30 healthy adults.
“This randomized, placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial in healthy adults has provided new evidence that the consumption of a single dose of EpiCor postbiotic is associated with rapid changes in immune-related biomarkers linked to inflammatory pathways,” the researchers wrote.
Postbiotics could strengthen immune responses
When the gut microbiome becomes imbalanced or inflamed, it can contribute to digestive, metabolic, cognitive and immune disorders. Postbiotics can interact directly with intestinal cells, immune cells and the gut microbiome to strengthen the intestinal barrier and modulate immune responses.
Postbiotic definition
Using the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) definition, the authors refer to postbiotics as a preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confer a health benefit on their host.
EpiCor, the postbiotic produced from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was developed to support immune health, and previous studies have shown that it enhances immune activity, increases mucosal immune protection, reduces inflammatory responses, supports gut barrier integrity, and positively influences the gut microbiome.
Previous human trials also demonstrated rapid changes in immune signaling and immune cell trafficking following a single dose, while longer-term studies reported benefits for immune and gut health. The researchers therefore aimed to build on this evidence by evaluating the acute effects of a single dose of EpiCor on immune function in healthy adults.
Single supplement dose alters immune cells and cytokines
The researchers recruited healthy adults aged 18–60 years, all of whom attended two clinic visits at least one week apart and received either a single 500 mg dose of EpiCor or a placebo (rice flour) in random order.
After a one-hour resting period, researchers collected baseline blood samples before administering the assigned treatment with water and a light snack. Additional blood samples were collected one, two and three hours after ingestion.
Researchers used blood tests to measure immune cells, immune activity markers, and levels of 27 immune-related proteins. They analyzed samples from each participant together to improve accuracy, and then compared changes after EpiCor and placebo over time using statistical tests.
Results showed that a single dose of EpiCor produced rapid changes in several immune markers. Compared with placebo, EpiCor reduced the levels of key inflammatory cytokines.
“The rapid, time-dependent, and selective effects included significant reductions in key cytokines including IFN-γ and IL-1ra after 1 h, followed by decreases in IL-4, IL-7, and IL-8 at two hours; the functional implications of these changes, particularly for IL-1ra, warrant further investigation,” the researchers wrote.
“These changes occurred without broad immune suppression, suggesting targeted modulation of immune responses, initiated at the gut mucosa level after ingestion of the postbiotic, and triggering systemic effects.”
EpiCor also influenced immune cell behavior, reducing the proportion of CD25-positive immune cells, which the researchers suggested activated immune cells moving from the bloodstream into tissues. The changes were most noticeable in NKT cells and non-NK/non-T cells, whereas CD69 expression remained largely unchanged.
“These findings suggest that the use of EpiCor as a dietary supplement may act as an acute nutritional modulator of immune signaling, potentially engaging gut-associated immune and neuroimmune pathways to influence systemic inflammatory status,” the researchers concluded.
They added that future studies should evaluate whether these early immune signaling changes contribute to the long-term health effects associated with EpiCor.
Source: Frontiers in Nutrition doi: 10.3389/fnut.2026.1897550 “A yeast-derived postbiotic fermentate rapidly modulates inflammatory cytokines and immune surveillance markers in healthy adults: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over trial.” Authors: Jensen, G. S. et al.
