This blog has been updated for quality and relevancy on January 26, 2026.
It’s one of nature’s rarest gifts, a powerful spore-forming probiotic that does double duty producing highly bioavailable antioxidants. HU36, a unique patented strain of Bacillus indicus, brings all of the benefits of a gut-supportive probiotic plus the crucial cellular protection of a 15-in-1 antioxidant factory.
What’s more, Bacillus indicus HU36™ also produces essential nutrients, including vitamin K2 and a range of B vitamins. And while all of those nutrients are important, K2 brings bonus powers here: It stabilizes and amplifies the powers of the antioxidants produced by HU36 – a perfect combination created by nature…
And all of this can be found in every capsule of Just Thrive Probiotic.
Strong Antioxidant Support with HU36™
Researchers are getting excited about Bacillus indicus HU36™ and the range of antioxidants it can produce. HU36 has been shown to generate 15 distinct orange and yellow antioxidant pigments, creating a sort of super-charged carotenoid “cocktail.”[1]
Those carotenoids are designed to fight free radicals, the destructive substances that attack cell membranes and DNA by causing oxidative stress (which acts sort of like rust inside your body). The carotenoids fight the good fight by both preventing and repairing oxidative damage to help keep your cells healthyWithout both of those factors, your body simply can’t use the carotenoids.
And among the antioxidants HU36 produces are five of the most healing and protective carotenoids known to science[2,3]:
- Lutein
- Zeaxanthin
- Astaxanthin
- Beta-Carotene
- Lycopene
All of these carotenoids have been well studied for their powerful antioxidant ability to deactivate those damaging free radicals. Even better, the way HU36 delivers its antioxidant support works to amplify their effectiveness...
Absorption Is Key
You can take in plenty of carotenoids through diet and vitamin supplements, but consuming any old carotenoid is no guarantee that your body will get a supply it can actually USE.
It takes heat to release carotenoids from foods, and fat to escort them through your digestive system. Without both of those factors, your body may not be able to use the carotenoids you take in.
That means eating carrot sticks, or a garden salad with low-fat dressing, or fresh summer fruit like apricots makes it seem like you’re getting plenty of these precious antioxidants… But without the proper heat and fats, they’re may not get through to the cells and organs that need them.
Bacillus indicus HU36™ to the Rescue
HU36 delivers fresh, potent, absorbable carotenoids directly to your body’s delivery system. Studies show that these carotenoids are more stable – even in the face of heat and gastric juices – than their counterpart food-based compounds.[4,5]
And because the antioxidant production actually takes place inside your gastrointestinal tract, they work more effectively to fight the free radicals that are naturally created during digestion (especially where fats are concerned).
But the carotenoids created by HU36 don’t stop working in your digestive tract. They help promote optimal health throughout your whole body. And while each of these antioxidants can multi-task in several body systems, each has its own specialized area where it really shines.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin: The Eye Team
Age-related vision loss affects millions of older adults, and the specific low level radiation known as high-energy visible light (HEV, a blue light) emitted by our electronics—smart phones, tablets, TVs—can speed that process. And that’s on top of the oxidative damage to your eyes that happens naturally all the time.
You see, your retinas (the delicate tissues in your eyes that create visual images) need a lot of oxygen to do their jobs. That oxygen comes at a high price: oxidative damage. And damaged retinas can lead to a whole host of vision issues, from annoying “floaters” to difficulty reading small print to poor night vision.
Lutein and zeaxanthin can help protect your vision from HEV exposure and other assaults on your eyes. Their bright golden pigments create a barrier called MPOD (macular pigment optical density) that helps shield your retinas from oxidative stress. Many studies show that these two eye-friendly carotenoids drive healthy vision in many ways, including:
- Glare reduction,
- Sharper eyesight, and
- Faster flash recovery (like when a bright light is shined in your eyes).
And because the lutein and zeaxanthin produced by HU36 are so bioavailable, they’re more easily absorbed, supporting their ability to carry out their function of supporting your eyesight.
Astaxanthin Gets Straight to the Heart
Free radicals love to attack lipids (special fats), especially cholesterol. When that happens, those lipids become oxidized, which makes them more sticky. Sticky lipids attach more easily to the walls of your blood vessels, which can weaken circulation and affect your whole cardiovascular system.
That’s where astaxanthin really shines. One of its superpowers its ability to prevent free radicals from oxidizing cholesterol, which is important for healthy cardiovascular function.
On top of stopping lipid oxidation, astaxanthin has many other positive effects on your heart and blood vessels. According to human and animal studies, this powerful pink carotenoid may:[6,7,8,9]
- Promote healthy inflammatory responses
- Support HDL (good) cholesterol levels
- Help maintain healthy blood pressure
- Support healthy blood vessels and heart muscle
HU36 helps you get the most out of this unique pink carotenoid, supplying plenty of fresh astaxanthin to keep your blood flowing smoothly.
Beta-Carotene: Your Natural Sun Shield
Beta-carotene works as a pro-vitamin A compound, meaning that your body turns this bright orange carotenoid into vitamin A as needed. Vitamin A is critical for immune function, healthy vision, and beautiful, smooth skin.
That’s why beta-carotene is the preferred source of vitamin A, because your body uses this carotenoid to create the exact amount of vitamin A it needs. So, getting highly bioavailable beta-carotene from HU36 offers up the protective benefits of vitamin A, especially when it comes to beautiful skin.
Beta-carotene helps keep your skin looking fresh and young, offering a shield against premature wrinkles and in-house protection against sun exposure.
Lycopene Protects DNA
Best known as the "prostate protector," bright red carotenoid lycopene offers super-powered free radical deactivation that benefits your body in several important ways. Most important, though, is the way lycopene protects your DNA.
Every cell in your body contains DNA, a sort of instruction manual that tells each cell what to do and how to do it. DNA is very delicate though, and vulnerable to damage from free radicals, which are impossible to avoid entirely.
Lycopene comes in a unique molecular shape, which makes it extra effective in shielding your cells from a particularly nasty type of free radical called singlet oxygen. By deactivating this and other harmful free radicals, lycopene helps your cells divide and reproduce. That translates into fresh, healthy cells throughout your body.
Like other carotenoids, it’s hard to get enough lycopene power from food alone because only a portion of it (if any) can be well absorbed. HU36 creates the lycopene supply you need right where you need it to help keep your cells and your DNA in top shape.
Harness the Probiotic-Plus-Antioxidant Power of HU36 with Just Thrive
To get the most bioavailable antioxidant support, you need to go straight to the source: Just Thrive Probiotic!
It contains four clinically studied spore probiotics guaranteed to arrive 100% alive in your gut. Plus, it is the only retail available probiotic to feature HU36™ – the “antioxidant factory." This super-strain produces antioxidants at the site of peak absorption for strong digestive, immune, and total-body support.
>> Power your antioxidant factory with Just Thrive.
Not sure if these Just Thrive Probiotic will work for you? We’re confident that you'll love the way you feel, but if you’re not 100% happy, we’ve got your back.
If you’re not satisfied with your Just Thrive purchase for ANY reason, you can take advantage of our “Bottom of the Bottle” Money Back Guarantee:
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Sources
- Sy C, Dangles O, Borel P, Caris-Veyrat C. Interactions between Carotenoids from Marine Bacteria and Other Micronutrients: Impact on Stability and Antioxidant Activity. Mar Drugs. 2015;13(11):7020-7039. Published 2015 Nov 19. doi:10.3390/md13117020
- Crupi P, Faienza MF, Naeem MY, Corbo F, Clodoveo ML, Muraglia M. Overview of the Potential Beneficial Effects of Carotenoids on Consumer Health and Well-Being. Antioxidants (Basel). 2023;12(5):1069. Published 2023 May 10. doi:10.3390/antiox12051069
- Johnson EJ. The role of carotenoids in human health. Nutr Clin Care. 2002;5(2):56-65. doi:10.1046/j.1523-5408.2002.00004.x
- Sy C, Dangles O, Borel P, Caris-Veyrat C. Stability of bacterial carotenoids in the presence of iron in a model of the gastric compartment - comparison with dietary reference carotenoids. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2015;572:89-100. doi:10.1016/j.abb.2014.12.030
- Sy C, Dangles O, Borel P, Caris-Veyrat C. Interactions between Carotenoids from Marine Bacteria and Other Micronutrients: Impact on Stability and Antioxidant Activity. Mar Drugs. 2015;13(11):7020-7039. Published 2015 Nov 19. doi:10.3390/md13117020
- Fassett RG, Coombes JS. Astaxanthin, oxidative stress, inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Future Cardiol. 2009;5(4):333-342. doi:10.2217/fca.09.19
- Xia W, Tang N, Kord-Varkaneh H, et al. The effects of astaxanthin supplementation on obesity, blood pressure, CRP, glycemic biomarkers, and lipid profile: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pharmacol Res. 2020;161:105113. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105113
- Kishimoto Y, Yoshida H, Kondo K. Potential Anti-Atherosclerotic Properties of Astaxanthin. Mar Drugs. 2016;14(2):35. Published 2016 Feb 5. doi:10.3390/md14020035
- Leung LY, Chan SM, Tam HL, Wong ES. Astaxanthin Influence on Health Outcomes of Adults at Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2022;14(10):2050. Published 2022 May 13. doi:10.3390/nu14102050
