Short answer: Bifidobacterium bifidum is one of the bifidobacteria, a group of bacteria named for their forked, Y-shaped cells. Bifidobacteria were first described in 1899 and live naturally in the human gut. They're a different group from Lactobacillus, so they're listed separately on labels. Natren's B. bifidum strain is Malyoth, found in Bifido Factor, Healthy Trinity and the Healthy Start System.
What is Bifidobacterium bifidum?
"Bifidum" comes from the Latin for "split in two", after the branched shape of the cells under a microscope. Like lactobacilli, bifidobacteria produce acids from sugars, but they belong to a separate branch of the bacterial family tree.
- Where it's found: naturally in the human intestine, from infancy onward.
- What it needs: bifidobacteria are anaerobes: they grow without oxygen, which is part of why careful manufacturing and storage matter.
- What it makes: lactic and acetic acids from the sugars it ferments.
A short history
In 1899, Henri Tissier, a French pediatrician working at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, described a Y-shaped bacterium in the stools of breastfed infants and named it Bacillus bifidus. Its name changed several times over the following decades as scientists learned more, and the bifidobacteria eventually got their own genus, Bifidobacterium. Unlike many lactobacilli, they weren't renamed in the 2020 Lactobacillus reclassification.
Bifidobacteria vs lactobacilli
- Different genera: Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus are separate groups of bacteria, not two names for the same thing.
- Different oxygen needs: bifidobacteria are strict anaerobes; many lactobacilli tolerate some oxygen.
- Different strains: as with any probiotic species, each strain is its own culture. Natren uses B. bifidum Malyoth alongside L. acidophilus NAS and L. bulgaricus LB-51. Read about those in our acidophilus and bulgaricus guides.
Why the strain matters
"B. bifidum" names only the species. Within it there are many strains, and they can behave differently, so research on one strain can't simply be applied to another. The strain code, such as Malyoth, tells you exactly which culture a product contains. Our strain guide explains all of Natren's strain names.
Natren's Malyoth strain
Bifidobacterium bifidum Malyoth is Natren's B. bifidum strain. Here's how Natren handles it:
- Grown by Natren in its own manufacturing facility in California.
- Supernatant fortified in Bifido Factor: the culture medium Malyoth is grown in is kept in the finished product rather than filtered out.
- Kept cold: Malyoth products are refrigerated and shipped cold, and should be kept refrigerated at home, not frozen.
- Counts guaranteed through expiration when stored as directed.
Which Natren products contain Malyoth
- Bifido Factor, the single-strain Malyoth product, at 2 billion CFU per capsule or per 1 g serving of powder. Choose capsules (30, 60 or 90), dairy powder (2.5 or 4.5 oz) or vegan powder (3.0 oz). Natren's product copy describes Bifido Factor as supporting regularity and colon health.*
- Healthy Trinity, where Malyoth is the largest declared count: 20 billion CFU per capsule in the 30- and 60-capsule bottles and 25 billion in the 90-capsule bottle, alongside NAS and LB-51 in an oil-based capsule.
- The Healthy Start System, which includes Bifido Factor with Megadophilus and Digesta-Lac, each in its own bottle.
Compare them in the bifidobacteria collection.
Taking and storing a Malyoth product
- Follow the label for the serving and timing. Bifido Factor's directions suggest starting with one serving daily; sensitive users may start every other day for the first week.
- Powders mix into unchilled filtered water.
- Keep it cold: refrigerate as soon as it arrives, with the lid tight. Read more in our guide to refrigerated probiotics.
- Be consistent: see our guide to the best time to take probiotics.
FAQ
Is Bifidobacterium a type of Lactobacillus?
No. They're separate genera. Both are often found in probiotic supplements, but bifidobacteria belong to a different branch of the bacterial family tree.
What's the difference between B. bifidum and B. infantis?
They're different species within the same genus. Natren uses B. bifidum Malyoth in Bifido Factor and Healthy Trinity, and B. infantis NLS in the Life Start family. See the strain guide for both.
Is there a vegan B. bifidum product?
Yes. Bifido Factor comes as a vegan powder. See all vegan probiotics.
Can I take Bifido Factor with other probiotics?
Many people do. Healthy Trinity combines Malyoth with two other strains, and the Healthy Start System packages three single-strain products together. If you take medicines or have a health condition, check with your healthcare provider first.
*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.
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