Incredible discovery could be answer to gut health issues

A former Toowoomba local and scientist has discovered that an important part of childbirth could be the answer to gut health issues in adults and children.

A former Toowoomba local who is now a La Trobe University Adjunct Nutrition Professor has discovered that an important part of childbirth could be the key to resolving a wealth of gut health issues in adults and infants across the globe.

Dr Craig Patch co-founded the company Vernx, alongside Cornell University’s Dr Tom Brenna and colleague Sarah Crennan, and together they have developed a peribiotic with one key, but surprising, ingredient.

The secret ingredient is the white, waxy fatty acids that appear on newborn babies when they are first born.

“This is something that babies develop on their skin in the womb,” Dr Patch said.

“This comes off in the amniotic fluid and they ingest that.

“That stuff on the baby’s skin is our first meal.”

The innovative “healing” powder is designed currently for people with gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhoea, bloating and constipation.

Dr Patch said for people suffering those symptoms, the first port of call was always a doctor or health professional, but said his peribiotic was aimed at those who had sought medical assistance, but hadn’t found a diagnosis.

Dr Patch said while the peribiotic was paving the way for a new, unexplored type of product, the research had been around a long time.

“This is something that scientists have known for well over a decade,” he said.

“The patent was filed well over 10 years ago.

“It’s something we’ve known about but hasn’t been out there.”

Vernx’s Daily Peribiotics come in powder form and can simply be mixed into water, milk, smoothies or be sprinkled over yoghurt or cereal.

Daily Peribiotics are the first of many innovative products set to be released by Vernx Biotechnology, which will supply the global pharmaceutical, infant formula and supplement market with proprietary branched fat active ingredients.

Dr Patch hopes to continue commercialising the research and developing more products for those in genuine need.

“It’s good to get all this positive feedback, but we’ve got a bigger mission to roll it out to premature infants, sick infants and general infant health,” he said.

Dr Patch and his colleagues began Vernx five years ago, and have spent the past few years developing the game-changing product.

Currently, the peribiotic is available online at vernx.com, however the team hopes to be able to sell the product in local pharmacies in the near future.

Originally published as Incredible discovery could be answer to gut health issues