Stress levels are soaring as the global economy gets battered by the coronavirus pandemic. The most recent US jobless claims report climbed 53,000 to a seven-week high of 898,000, pointing to more labor market woes. And as everyone knows, the only thing worse than waking up on a Monday morning and heading out to work is waking up on a Monday morning without a job to head out to.

Stress greatly impacts gut health. Research shows an intricate link between stress, digestion and gut bacteria, notes Walter Faulstroh, chief executive officer and co-founder of Hum Nutrition. 

“Gut health is so important to your overall well-being and immunity,” he said. “Given current circumstances, we’ve been actively sharing education to inform consumers how they’re interrelated and ways to boost your natural defenses. With that, we’ve seen an increasing interest in gut health.”

According to Faulstroh prolonged stress can negatively impact the microbiome, as well as brain-gut communication, which may trigger how easily one feels pain, bloating and other gut discomfort. 

“In addition, stress can actually change the composition, diversity, and number of intestinal bacteria along with greater numbers of potentially harmful bacteria,” he added.
 
It Takes Guts

The company’s Gut Instinct supplement supports the immune system and digestion with 10 strains of probiotics and 25 billion organisms in each capsule. The live-strain probiotics are clinically researched to support digestion, balance the gut microbiome, and improve overall health, according to Hum. For instance, Bifidobacterium longum helps stabilize the acidity of the GI tract and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. It’s also one of the species researched for its ability to decrease stress levels and improve memory, according to Faulstroh.

“Seventy percent of your immune cells reside in your gut, and the gut barrier is your first line of defense against pathogens,” he explained. “Since your digestive tract is home to trillions of microorganisms, it’s important to maintain a proper balance to ensure your system works properly. Among many other things, the bacteria living in your intestinal tract help digest food, produce vitamins, regulate hormones and excrete toxins to keep your gut healthy. Your immunity, stress response, sleep, mood, behavior, metabolism, weight, hormones and skin health all depend on the health of your gut.”

Hum Nutrition was born out of Faulstroh's personal struggle with his skin and breakouts. Years of trying topical products and prescription drugs had literally left him scarred emotionally and physically, according to the company webiste. Many of the drugs prescribed worked only on a temporary basis and the breakouts returned year after year. Faulstroh always felt that there was a link between nutrition and his skin but research in the area was hard to come by, with the majority of dermatologists not trained in the field of nutrition. It was only after he met with one of London's most forward-thinking nutritionists that he was able to fix his skin once and for all.

No wonder then, that the Hum Nutrition team includes five nutritionists. When consumers complete the Hum online quiz, a nutritionist analyzes the answers, recommends the best nutrients and provides a detailed nutrition report. Later, the nutritionists can provide advice on formulas, ingredients and product combinations. 

Faulstroh pointed out that there’s a lot of misinformation regarding the connection between inner health and how we look and feel. 

“Between social media influencers, bloggers, celebrities and even brands endorsing specialty ingredients or trends, it can get pretty confusing to know what’s right for you,” he told Happi. “In our view, an emphasis on science, clinical research, and expert-driven education is the way forward. Further, it needs to be shared with consumers in a way that’s digestible and easy to understand. We’ve been working exclusively with registered dietitians to provide the highest level of education to our consumers since we started Hum, which has been widely popular and successful, as they really help consumers make the right choices for their unique needs.”
 
Increasing Sales

Even during the pandemic-forced lockdown in many parts of the world, consumers have been able to make the right choices of Hum products, as the majority of Hum’s business is online. 

“We’ve seen a significant increase in sales since mid-March, driven by a significant uptick in new customers and more frequent purchases from existing ones. To our surprise, all of our products have seen significant growth, which is reflective of an increased desire for people wanting to invest in themselves.”

And that means investing in Hum products. Skin Squad Pre+Probiotic is specifically formulated for (non-cystic) acne-prone skin. HUM selected clinically proven prebiotics and probiotic strains that support skin and gut health and validated the final formula with a dermatologist-supervised study. After 60 days, 88% of participants reported a decrease in breakouts and 81% of participants reported an improvement in digestion, according to Faulstroh. And for anyone looking for a reason to celebrate, Global Prebiotics Week is November 1-7 this year.

Flatter Me is a proprietary blend that supports all major phases of nutrient digestion. Specially formulated with a full spectrum of clinically proven digestive enzymes and herbs, it’s designed to optimize protein, carb, fiber and fat breakdown and to help with nutrient absorption and relief from indigestion and bloating. According to Faulstroh, Flatter Me is the result of a year-long research project, during which Hum researchers analyzed food habits and choices, ultimately looking at more than one million data points to develop the perfect enzyme for a flatter stomach. 

“Our bodies naturally make enzymes to improve digestion and to break down foods,” explained Faulstroh. “However, as we age and if we’re under large amounts of stress, our enzyme levels can decrease, leading to digestive imbalances.”

In an effort to reduce stress levels, Hum offers Big Chill, which is said to help the mind and body cope with stress. It’s formulated with a standardized extract from Rhodiola rosea, a plant that grows in cold environments. Faulstroh describes it is one of the most clinically researched adaptogens with widespread traditional uses. With the ability to aid in regulating cortisol production, it works to stabilize stress levels and promote homeostasis so that the body can easily adapt to physical and environmental strains. 

Stressed-out consumers often have trouble falling asleep, and a lack of sleep leads to more stress and tired-looking skin, too. Hum’s sleep category includes both Beauty zzZz, which helps you fall asleep, as well as Mighty Night which includes ceramides, ferulic acid, CoQ10, and a unique sleep blend to help users stay asleep while promoting overnight cell renewal, according to the company. 

“All of our products have seen a massive increase in demand and Beauty zzZz and Mighty Night are definitely speaking to the needs of current consumers,” said Faulstroh.

With a lineup of supplements to help consumers look and feel better, they just might rest a little easier as they await the second wave of the pandemic.