Align(R) and Celebrity Nutritionist Ashley Koff Partner to Give Consumers a Digestive Health Makeover from the Inside Out
CINCINNATI, May 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Every day, millions of Americans endure episodic digestive upsets such as constipation, diarrhea, urgency, gas and bloating. The conditions are so unpredictable that sufferers often have to plan their life around finding athe closest bathroom. Today, Procter & Gamble (P&G) announced that Align, a daily probiotic supplement clinically proven to naturally defend against a spectrum of digestive upsets, is available on store shelves nationwide. Previously only available on-line and through special order from pharmacists, Align is already the #1 gastroenterologist recommended probiotic supplement in the country. ***
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that aid digestion and support a more desirable balance of healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Align is the only supplement that contains the natural probiotic strain, Bifantis(R) (Bifidobacterium infantis 35624), which has been clinically proven to help promote the balance of healthy bacteria in the digestive system and to help build and maintain an ongoing natural defense against the five signs of episodic digestive imbalance -- constipation, diarrhea, urgency, gas and bloating.*
“We know there are millions of consumers who suffer from episodic digestive upsets that are looking for a solution that really works,” said Tom Kuhn, Align Brand Manager. “While we are proud of strong clinical evidence behind Align, it’s really the level of enthusiasm and satisfaction we’ve seen from consumers who have already found success with Align that makes us so thrilled to bring it to stores nationwide.”
Powerful Proof Backs Align and Bifantis
Bifantis has been independently tested and evaluated in randomized, controlled human clinical trials. The resulting data has been published in top medical journals such as the American Journal of Gastroenterology. Peer-reviewed journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, continue to cite the benefits and clinical effectiveness of Bifantis as a way to help build and maintain an ongoing natural defense against digestive imbalance. In a recent study evaluating 16 different probiotic studies, only Align was found to have efficacy against digestive upsets such as abdominal pain, bloating and bowel movement difficulty.(1)
Bifantis was discovered in the early 1990s by microbiologists at Alimentary Health in Cork, Ireland in partnership with P&G. Alimentary Health is a global leader in the discovery, development and commercialization of proprietary probiotic and pharmabiotic treatments for GI disorders and other inflammatory conditions. Barry Kiely, Chief Executive of Alimentary Health said, “The U.S. launch of Align is another testament to the successful collaboration between Alimentary Health and P&G. We are proud to be in a partnership that has resulted in making a first-of-its-kind, clinically proven, probiotic technology available to American consumers.”
Additionally, Align fully meets the recent guidelines developed by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) to help consumers choose a credible probiotic product. The guidelines emphasize specific probiotic strains, clinical proof, high quality packaging, sufficient quantity of live bacteria and quality of product.
Susan Abeln, Principal Scientist at Procter & Gamble said, “There are literally hundreds of probiotic supplements on the market today; however, many factors influence how well a probiotic works, and there are critical differences between strains that many consumers may not be aware of. Procter & Gamble has spent years ensuring that Align is of the highest quality and delivers excellent results.”
Align(R) Partners with Celebrity Dietician Ashley Koff for Nutrition Tips and Offers “Digestive Makeover” Essay Contest**
An ever expanding market, digestive health is not only a key health trend for 2009(2), but also the foundation for overall health. A recent survey found that 75 percent of women were interested in getting a digestive health “makeover” with health experts as a way to strengthen gastrointestinal health while avoiding uncomfortable episodic digestive upsets that impact their daily life. Because of this, P&G has partnered with celebrity nutritionist Ashley Koff, R.D. to launch the Align(R) My Digestive Makeover Contest** to help educate consumers about the importance of digestive health with Align.
Through the Align(R) My Digestive Makeover Contest**, consumers can take a moment to share how Align has helped them manage their episodic digestive upsets while entering for a chance to win a trip to the 36th Annual People’s Choice Awards and After Party. The grand prize winner will also receive free nutritional tips and digestive makeover advice from Ashley Koff, R.D., who will be helping the contest winner feel as great as her celebrity clients do -- from the inside, out.
“I’m constantly asked what people can do to have their insides feel as good as their outsides. As a nutritionist, I work to address the root causes of digestive issues and recommend choosing foods directly from nature, and maintaining an inner balance of healthy gastrointestinal bacteria through probiotics as a way to prevent upsets,” said Koff R.D., “The results are bound to wow you. I’m glad to be working with Align to launch the contest and help people understand the importance of digestive health.”
Visit www.MyDigestiveMakeover.com for more great digestive health tips from Ashley Koff, R.D. and information on the Align(R) My Digestive Makeover Contest**. For more information on Align, please visit www.AlignGI.com
Where to Find Align
Align can be found at most major retailers nationwide and online in a package featuring proprietary individual blister packs that ensure each capsule maintains its potency and efficacy. In addition, each box of Align comes with a daily digestive tracker that educates and informs consumers about probiotics and helps them identify personal digestive triggers as a way to follow their gastrointestinal health progress
About Align(R)
Align is a daily probiotic supplement that helps build and maintain a strong and healthy digestive system*. Align works by providing a natural defense against episodic digestive upsets such as constipation, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, urgency, gas and bloating. Align is the only probiotic supplement containing the probiotic ingredient Bifantis (Bifidobacterium infantis 35624). Visit www.AlignGI.com for more information.
About Bifantis(R)
Bifantis (Bifidobacterium infantis 35624) is a probiotic strain that can help strengthen the body’s natural defenses and play an important role in basic digestion, proper metabolism and overall well-being. Bifantis is the only natural probiotic strain found in Align. Bifantis has clinically demonstrated that, when taken regularly, it can help promote normal digestive health. Capsules containing Bifantis deliver millions of good bacteria to the digestive system to restore intestinal balance and maintain normal digestive health. Visit www.Bifantis.com for more information.
Bifantis was developed by Alimentary Health.
About Procter & Gamble
Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers(R), Tide(R), Ariel(R), Always(R), Whisper(R), Pantene(R), Mach3(R), Bounty(R), Dawn(R), Pringles(R), Charmin(R), Downy(R), Lenor(R), Iams(R), Crest(R), Oral-B(R), Actonel(R), Duracell(R), Olay(R), Head & Shoulders(R), Wella(R), Gillette(R), and Braun(R). The P&G community consists of almost 140,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.
About Alimentary Health
Alimentary Health is a development stage specialty biotechnology company located in Ireland. The Company is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of proprietary probiotic and pharmabiotic treatments for gastro-intestinal disorders and other inflammatory conditions. Alimentary Health is the foundation industry partner of the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre based at University College Cork, Ireland. www.alimentaryhealth.ie.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
**NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. This promotion is open only to residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Void where prohibited. Contest begins at 12:00 Noon (ET) on 5/4/09 and runs through 11:59 PM (ET) on 7/31/09. See Official Rules (by which all entrants are bound), for complete entry details.
Sponsor: The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, One P&G Plaza, Cincinnati, OH 45202, USA.
***Among those who recommended probiotics in a Wolters Kluwer survey in 2008.
(1) Darren M Brenner, Matthew J Moeller, William D Chey, et al, The Utility of Probiotics in the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review; Am. Journal of Gastroenterology, 2009:104: 1033-1049
(2) 10 Key Trends in Food, Nutrition & Health 2009. Available at: http://www.new-nutrition.com/BROCHURES/10kt09%20brochure.pdf. Accessed 3/30/2009
CONTACT: Velvet Gogol Bennett, Procter & Gamble, +1-513-622-4734,
gogolbennett.vc@pg.com; or Jaclyn Buccellato, MS&L Worldwide,
+1-212-468-3839, jaclyn.buccellato@mslworldwide.com
Web site: http://www.pg.com/
