It's the standard we hold ourselves to.
Every decision behind Morning Clarity starts with evidence. We evaluate the strength of research, the specificity of each strain, and what the evidence does — and does not — show.
Because meaningful science is not about making more claims. It's about making better decisions.
Many wellness brands say "backed by science." We believe the real question is: what does that actually mean?
For HEXABIOME, science is not a marketing label. It is the process behind every decision. We evaluate research before selecting strains, before choosing formulations, and before communicating benefits.
We give greater weight to human clinical evidence, evaluate strains individually, and acknowledge uncertainty when research is still developing.
Science is a process
Scientific evidence exists on a spectrum. Human clinical trials generally provide stronger evidence for understanding benefits in people than laboratory or animal studies. Randomized controlled trials carry more weight than observational research.
We evaluate both the quality of the evidence and how directly it applies to the specific strain being used. And where a strain has only species-level research — not strain-specific studies — we say so, rather than treating related strains as interchangeable.
Lower on this ladder does not mean less valuable. It means the evidence serves a different role in how we build our formulations.
The gut and brain communicate through neural, immune, and endocrine pathways.† Researchers refer to this relationship as the gut–brain axis.
In simple terms, the gut and brain are connected through ongoing two-way communication rather than operating independently. Research on the gut–brain axis continues to explore how this connection relates to areas such as stress response and everyday wellbeing.
The gut–brain axis is an area of research — not a product category. Within Morning Clarity, B. longum (1714™ / ProbioBrain™) is the strain most directly studied within this research area.
Scientific literature uses the term "psychobiotic" to describe probiotic strains studied specifically for their relevance to the gut–brain axis, beyond digestive health alone.
Research is only the beginning. Evaluation determines what comes next.
Let's take one example. Research into B. longum (1714™ / ProbioBrain™) begins with human clinical studies examining this specific strain. That evidence is then evaluated for strength, relevance, and applicability before influencing formulation decisions.
The result is not a broad promise. It is a carefully defined structure/function statement: "Supports the body's natural response to everyday stress.†"
Every formulation decision follows the same process:
Evidence strength depends on the strain — not just the species.
Morning Clarity includes four named strains selected based on their individual evidence profiles.
The strain most closely connected to Morning Clarity's gut–brain axis research.
One of the world's most documented probiotic strains.
A clinically established probiotic strain with decades of research.
Included for its role in the broader GI environment.
Every strain is sourced from Chr. Hansen A/S and Novozymes A/S, both part of Novonesis Group, and manufactured to potency levels disclosed on every label. Declared potency is maintained through the end of shelf life.
Our Research Library includes the studies that informed HEXABIOME's scientific evaluation and communication framework. It is intentionally curated rather than exhaustive. References are organized by strain, study type, and research focus to help you understand how evidence connects to formulation decisions.
| Strain | Evidence Type | Research Focus | Key Study |
|---|---|---|---|
| B. longum 1714™ |
Human RCT | Stress Response & Cortisol | Allen et al. (2016) |
| Brain Activity / Social Stress | Wang et al. (2019) | ||
| Sleep Quality & Wellbeing | Patterson et al. (2024) | ||
| Mechanistic | Immune Regulation & Gut-Brain Signaling | Groeger et al. (2025) | |
| Stress-Related Behavior (BALB/c) | Savignac et al. (2014) | ||
| Cognition & Anxiety | Savignac et al. (2015) | ||
| L. rhamnosus LGG™ |
Human RCT | Immune Response (Influenza) | Davidson et al. (2011) |
| Upper Respiratory Tract Health | Smith et al. (2013) | ||
| Mechanistic | In Vitro Immune Modulation | Supporting Literature | |
| B. animalis BB-12™ |
Human RCT | Bowel Function & Comfort | Eskesen et al. (2015) |
| Immune Modulation (TLR-2) | Meng et al. (2017) | ||
| Mechanistic | In Vitro Immune Response | Animal/Cellular Studies | |
| Antiviral Defense (Organoid Model) | Stepanyan et al. (2026) | ||
| L. plantarum UALp-05™ |
Human RCT | Metabolic Function | Wastyk et al. (2023) |
| Review | Gastrointestinal Health (Genus-level) | Zare et al. (2024) |
Human RCT: Randomized controlled trial in healthy adults · Mechanistic: Animal or cellular studies
1714™ has been studied in randomized controlled trials for stress response, brain activity, and sleep in healthy adults. Mechanistic research illuminates the immunoregulatory and gut-brain communication pathways underlying these effects.
Translational Psychiatry. 2016;6:e939. PMID: 27801892
Healthy adults (N=22) receiving B. longum 1714™ showed reduced cortisol awakening response—a biomarker of improved HPA-axis regulation—along with EEG changes consistent with altered emotional processing, compared to placebo over 4 weeks.
American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2019;114(7):1152–1162. PMID: 30998517
Healthy adults (N=40) taking 1714™ demonstrated measurable changes in brain activity (measured by magnetoencephalography) during a standardized social stress task, suggesting strain-specific modulation of stress-related neural processing.
Scientific Reports. 2024;14(1):3725. PMID: 38355674
Healthy adults (N=89) supplemented with 1714™ showed significant improvements in objective sleep quality measures and self-reported well-being markers compared to placebo over 8 weeks of daily use.
Current Research in Microbiological Science. 2025;9:100481. PMID: 41140527
Comprehensive rl-mechanistic study combining in vitro cell culture, multiple animal models (LPS endotoxemia, diet-induced obesity, acute stress), and human biomarker analysis. 1714™ produces exopolysaccharides and tryptophan metabolites that suppress inflammatory cytokines and enhance neuroprotective signaling. Human biomarker data from a subset of healthy adults showed increased plasma tryptophan and improved tryptophan metabolism ratios over 8 weeks.
BALB/c mice receiving 1714™ showed reduced anxiety-like behaviors and improved cognition compared to controls, demonstrating strain-specific immunoregulatory effects relevant to stress modulation in preclinical models.
LGG™ is one of the most extensively researched probiotic strains globally, with 30+ years of clinical evidence. Below are the key studies integrated into HEXABIOME's scientific framework, focusing on immune modulation and gut health in healthy adults.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2011;65(4):501–507. PMID: 21285968
Healthy adults (N=50+) receiving LGG™ showed enhanced immune response to live-attenuated influenza vaccine, supporting LGG™'s role as an immune system modulator in healthy populations.
British Journal of Nutrition. 2013;109(11):1999–2007. PMID: 23020819
College-aged healthy adults receiving LGG™ (combined with BB-12™) showed improved quality of life markers during respiratory infection season, suggesting broad immune support in populations with regular environmental exposure.
Supporting rl-mechanistic research demonstrates how Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG™ modulates immune cell function and cytokine production in cellular models, providing foundational understanding of LGG™'s immunoregulatory pathway at the cellular level.
BB-12™ is studied for gastrointestinal comfort, immune modulation, and microbiome function in healthy adults. Research demonstrates strain-specific effects on bowel function and immune markers.
British Journal of Nutrition. 2015;114(10):1638–1646. PMID: 26382580
Healthy adults with low defecation frequency and abdominal discomfort showed improved bowel function markers after BB-12™ supplementation, suggesting digestive system support in healthy individuals.
European Journal of Nutrition. 2017;56(2):649–661. PMID: 26621631
Young healthy adults consuming BB-12™ (in yogurt matrix) showed reduced expression of TLR-2 (toll-like receptor-2) on monocytes and decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, indicating strain-specific immune regulation.
Microorganisms. 2026;14(4):751. PMID: 42075148
BB-12™ primed antiviral defenses and restricted influenza A virus replication in human intestinal epithelial models derived from organoids—providing rl-mechanistic insight into BB-12™'s immune support pathway.
UALp-05™ is studied for gastrointestinal health and metabolic function. The genus Lactobacillus plantarum is extensively researched for its role in gut microbiota composition and GI support.
Gut Microbes. 2023;15(1):2178794. PMID: 36803658
Randomized trial in adults with metabolic concerns (N=39) using a 3-strain probiotic cocktail including UALp-05™. Study demonstrates potential for strain-based approaches to metabolic and microbiota function.
Iranian Journal of Public Health. 2024;53(10):2201–2213. PMID: N/A
Comprehensive narrative review of Lactobacillus plantarum applications in food and health, covering gastrointestinal support, immune modulation, and metabolic roles—providing genus-level context for UALp-05™.
Evidence Type: We distinguish between Human RCTs (randomized controlled trials in healthy adults—gold standard for efficacy claims), Mechanistic studies (which explain how strains work at cellular and animal model levels), and Observational studies (descriptive research on microbiota composition and function).
Strain Specificity: We prioritize studies using the exact strains in Morning Clarity (1714™, LGG™, BB-12™, UALp-05™). Genus-level or species-level studies are included for context only and are clearly labeled.
Intentionally Curated: This is not an exhaustive bibliography. We've selected studies most relevant to our formulation, healthy adult population, and wellbeing claims framework. We welcome questions about any study included or excluded.
If you'd like to go deeper — how probiotics are studied, what strain specificity really means, or how gut–brain research continues to evolve — our Learn section explores these topics in more depth.
Science is never finished. Neither is our commitment to following it carefully.
Key strain-specific studies informing Morning Clarity's communication framework. A curated reference list is available; full citations provided on request.
Hexabiome products are dietary supplements. The statements on this website and on our packaging describe structure/function support and have not been reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
† 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.
The information on this page is intended for general informational and educational purposes only.
You should not use information obtained from this page for the diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or in place of any medication or other treatment prescribed by a physician or other healthcare provider. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have health-related questions and before using any of our products.