Probiotics, continued

[Polly]

Hi All,

Mike's VSL#3 thread was getting lengthy, so I'm starting a new one on probiotics.

Originally I had decided to try Ultimate Flora, because it is supposed to be dairy-free. However, when I contacted the company, this is the response I received:

Polly,

Thank you for your interest in Renew Life products. Some of the strains use dairy for fermentation purposes but the dairy is filtered from the cultures before going into the product. We do have a statement now on the probiotics that there may be traces of milk protein but if tested it would show it was free of dairy. There is no gluten, yeast, corn, soy or carrageenan in any of Renew Life probiotics. Let us know if you have further questions.



Yours in health,
Sandi Murphy, CNC
Assistant Director of Consumer Affairs
Renew Life/Fiber 35
727-937-6625
Off 1-800-830-4778
Fax 1-866-594-5468
www.renewlife.com

When I sent another email asking if they planned to test the product,, I received this response:

Polly,

We do consider our probiotics as dairy free but we have been disclosing that there “may” be traces of milk protein because of the fermentation process for those who may have extreme sensitivities. I do not know if there are plans to do testing but I will pass on your concerns.

Sandi




Soooooo, I decided not to use this product because I do believe I am extremely sensitive to trace amounts of dairy.

Instead I have just started using the mixed 6-strain probiotic powder from Custom Probiotics (thanks, Mike, for alerting us to this product). I took the first dose this morning - 200 billion bacteria. I am supposed to take this amount for a few days. If tolerated, then I can add more up to a limit of 800 billion bacteria per day (or even more if needed). I had a long phone chat with the owner of this company, and he says they are certified dairy-free (and everything else free, too, for us multiply-intolerants).

I think the biggest difference this time for me on probiotics will be the MUCH higher numbers of bacteria I will be taking.....especially compared to Culturelle. I'm sure I need it too......because of literally months of antibiotics for the sinus infection on top of the underlying colitis. So, I will be experimenting along with Mike and Matthew.

Stay tuned.

Love,

Polly and her new intestinal "friendly" bugs

[tex]

Polly,

Wow! You picked up a lot of new "friends" this morning. I hope all y'all, (the plural form of y'all, for anyone reading this who is not fortunate enough to be from the South, LOL), get along well, 'cause if it comes to a vote, I'm afraid you're gonna be out of luck. LOL.

Seriously, I hope the "treatment" goes well, and they do the trick. You know, you just proved once again that a lot of the things that we accept as truth, in adds, labels, or whatever, aren't always what they seem, when subjected from closer scrutiny. Thanks for checking that out.

Love,
Tex

[CAMary]

Ahhh-

Probiotics! They have become my new friends with my surgery protocol of 10 days of abx following each procedure I am playing "mix 'n match" since, thankfully I am not dairy-intolerant! I figure *any* bugs are good bugs - and perhaps a variety of strains is good, as well (I have ventured out from just Culturelle...). Plus I can eat yogurt (which is cheaper), and makes a probiotic a meal

My friend w/c-diff was recommended a product called "Florastor" by her doc. Not sure if it contains dairy - but she's been loading probiotics - and both her GP and GI recommended this product. (We've come a long way - when I mentioned probiotics, my docs just "whatever" - we'll educate these docs yet!!)

I haven't invested in it yet - but probably will later this month...I found out my *final* procedure will involve one more outpatient surgery/anesthesia - depends on which procedure is used - the one my PS uses involves grafting abdominal skin, hence the OR....I was hoping he did one of the procedures that can be done in-office w/local - no such luck! So as I get back on that merry-go-round it's time to do the probiotic/abx thing!

Mary

[ErinD]

Funny, i just came back from a visit with my massage therapist and she gave me some samples of Advanced Digestive Aid with Probiotics from Isotonix. SHe also tried to get me to take some Aloe Juice as well but i am leary of all these items. Has anyone tried either of these?

[Pat]

Thanks, Polly for the the info. I don't know why I have been so stubborn about continuing to take the VSL#3. I finally looked on their website and under the FAQ's it says very plainly that it may have dairy in it. Well, I am casein intolerant according to Enterolab and I have reflux if I eat dairy. Haven't had the reflux with the VSL#3 but even Prednisone is not completely controlling my D. I have taken my last VSL#3 and ordered from Custom Probiotics. I need the capsules so I ordered the Adult Formula CP-1. I have found if I don't take a probiotic I have discharge. Sorry for so much info. Thanks again. Hope the one you ordered works for you.
Pat

[Polly]

Tex,

HAHAHAHA! You are quite the comedian! "All of us all" seem to be doing OK so far. Actually, when I last took Culturelle, it felt as if an armed insurrection were occuring in my gut (as if the bacteria had taken a vote and gone to war against me) but in retrospect I think it may have been the dairy.

You are so right about inaccurate labels and info. It's why I do best if I can eat only REAL food - nothing processed from a box or bag or can. Sigh.

CA Mary,

You and I have both had a go-round with those antibiotics! I agree with you that taking different strains is a good idea. That's another "strike" against Culterelle - it has only one strain. Good luck with the final surgery. Let us know when it is scheduled.

Erin,

My concern with those products would be that you may be intolerant to some of their ingredients. Apparently the probiotics are mixed in with other things. My general rule is not to take any supplements unless I know exactly what's in them. And it is often impossible to really find out. As you probably, know, a company doesn't have to list something if it is less than 0.5% (I think that's the level) of the product. And many of us, like me, would react to gluten and milk, etc. in low levels like that.

Hi Pat!

I'm wondering why you need the capsules instead of the powder? I think you need to take about 4 of the capsules to be equal to one little scoop of the powder. Actually, I ordered both - I think I'll use the capsules for travelling - more convenient. I hope you get that D under control soon.

Love,

Polly

[Pat]

Well, what would I put the powder in? Water, decaf tea? Yuck! That is the only liquid I drink. No applesauce. Fructose intolerant. No juice. I'm kinda stuck. Any suggestions are welcomed.

Pat

[Polly]

Hi Pat,

Actually, it is recommended to mix the powder into a glass of cold water. That's what I am doing. It dissolves fairly easily - you do have to stir a bit. It looks a little cloudy but seems to have no apparent taste. And believe me, I am very sensitive to taste - I have had 2 colonoscopies so far and neither time could I drink more than 1/3 of the gallon of that awful"swamp juice" for the cleanout. (Luckily, that amount did clean me out).

I would guess that you might be able to add some cold decaf tea (I like Constant Comment) but probably no sugar. The probiotic must be taken on an empty stomach so that there is minimal stomach acid to deactivate the bugs - you have to wait 1/2 hour to eat.

I think that the powder may be the most economical.

Love,

Polly

[tex]

HI have had 2 colonoscopies so far and neither time could I drink more than 1/3 of the gallon of that awful"swamp juice" for the cleanout. (Luckily, that amount did clean me out).

Thanks for mentioning that. For over seven years, I've been feeling like a total failure as a colonoscopy exam candidate, due to the fact that I was only able to get 1/2 a gallon of Golytely down. LOL. I'm relieved to see that I'm not the only one who "cheated the medical establishment" over that stuff. In my case, one more swallow would have almost certainly brought it out the wrong end.

Love,
Tex

[mle_ii]

HI have had 2 colonoscopies so far and neither time could I drink more than 1/3 of the gallon of that awful"swamp juice" for the cleanout. (Luckily, that amount did clean me out).

Thanks for mentioning that. For over seven years, I've been feeling like a total failure as a colonoscopy exam candidate, due to the fact that I was only able to get 1/2 a gallon of Golytely down. LOL. I'm relieved to see that I'm not the only one who "cheated the medical establishment" over that stuff. In my case, one more swallow would have almost certainly brought it out the wrong end.

Love,
Tex

Same here. Blech! The last colonoscopy was the other nasty tasting salty stuff, but seemed more tollerable than the golytely... which isn't saying much. LOL What was terrible with the golytely is I didn't read the instructions and drank more than I had to. It said that after the passing "clean" stools that I could stop, I didn't. :(

Hopefully I won't need to do this for a long time now.

[mle_ii]

Hi Pat,

Actually, it is recommended to mix the powder into a glass of cold water. That's what I am doing. It dissolves fairly easily - you do have to stir a bit. It looks a little cloudy but seems to have no apparent taste. And believe me, I am very sensitive to taste - I have had 2 colonoscopies so far and neither time could I drink more than 1/3 of the gallon of that awful"swamp juice" for the cleanout. (Luckily, that amount did clean me out).

I would guess that you might be able to add some cold decaf tea (I like Constant Comment) but probably no sugar. The probiotic must be taken on an empty stomach so that there is minimal stomach acid to deactivate the bugs - you have to wait 1/2 hour to eat.

I think that the powder may be the most economical.

Love,

Polly

Agreed, I drink it down in about 1-2 cups water, stir it up good (the VSL#3, but I imagine the other is similar) and gulp it down. The only odd bit is the smell, can't think of what it smells like, but I've smelt something similar before.

FWIW, Still doing good. Again a bit "constipated" though in form only. Not constipated in that I'm going 2X a day, normal. No belly aches, little gas (but nothing like before), normal stools. It's all good. :)

Mike

[tex]

Mike,

All my "prep" experiences occurred back in the days before I learned how to read labels. Within a couple of months, I went through three "cleanouts", (sigmoidscopy, barium x-rays, and colonoscopy. Each time they gave me a different prep solution, each time assuring me that this one wouldn't be anywhere near as bad as the previous one. The last one was the Golytely, and when I picked it up, the "Prep Nurse" at the clinic gave me orders to "Take this gallon of liquid home, and drink it all." Since I was sick as a dog, weak as a kitten, and she was bigger than I was, it never dawned on me that I had any other options. LOL.

In fact, after I couldn't get any more of it down, without risking vomiting it back up, I even called the number she gave me and asked if she wanted me to stop at 1/2, or try to drink the rest and vomit it up. She gave me permission to stop where I was. That was back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth, (who was it that used to say that all the time on the old board - she was from New Orleans, I believe? Terry, wasn't that her name?). Anyway, that was back in prehistoric times when I still believed that most GI docs actually knew what they were doing. LOL.

Tex

[Mars]

Makes me shiver just THINKING of drinking that swamp water!!!! I usually stop right at the point of bringing it up the other end - the first colonoscopy I drank the whole gallon but about half came out the wrong way!

I found that eating bland and mostly light and/or liquids the day or two before starting the clean out will allow the Golytely to work at 1/2 gallon!

"still shivering" (and if I looked in a mirror, I'm sure the face I'm making isn't very pretty either)
Mars

[Pat]

Thanks for the info, Polly. Maybe I will try the powder next time. I really am sensitive to taste. I couldn't drink all that stuff for the colonoscopy either!!! For my last one they gave me pills to take and that went down much better. I highly recommend them over the liquid! You get the same results! Ha!

[Polly]

Some more info on probiotics:

I was reading about why you have to keep taking them forever - IOW, why they don't establish themselves permanently in the gut.

We first get our gut bacteria from our mother during the birth process. These bacteria DO establish themselves. However, the reason that probiotics don't do this is because the bacteria have to be "educated" (which means have to first pass through another individual's gut) where they somehow "learn" that they must establish themselves permanently.

Now, most humans have an aversion to coprophagia (eating poop), but I read about some researchers in the UK who are taking bacteria from a human gut and trying to remove any bad bacteria and and then grow the remainder to be made into a probiotic. Theoretically, this bacteria would take up permanent residence in another human's gut. Apparently there is a precedent for this in treating diarrhea in horses and also for treating C. difficile. Interesting, huh?

Mike, did you know about this?

Polly