Pre-/Probiotic Recommendations?

[MBombardier]

My gastro MD recommended bifidobacterium infantis as a probiotic, and told me that the billion l. acidophilus with prebiotics that I am taking wouldn't cut it. He's right--I want to take a better pre- and probiotic in combination or by themselves. So I am looking for recommendations of what works well for others. Suggestions?

[tex]

Well, the good news is that even Dr. Fine recommends a good probiotic, and research shows that it should be beneficial for anyone with an IBD.

The bad news is that most of us are unable to find one that provides us with any benefits, and many of us can't even find one that we will not react adversely to. Dr. Fine, (at last report), still hasn't found one that he would recommend. We have, (at last count, I believe), 2 members who claim to have actually consistently benefited from probiotics. For many of us, probiotics just seem to make us sicker.

Prebiotics is another concept that is highly recommended, and sounds good, when you read the claims. However, most prebiotics are based on fructo-oligosaccharides, (FOS), and usually contain inulin, and most of us have found that if we have a bacterial imbalance causing our problems in the first place, then the FOS doesn't just feed the good bacteria. Instead, it just makes the bad bacteria that much healthier, so that they are even better able to multiply and dominate the good bacteria. IOW, prebiotics are another good idea that simply doesn't work for us.

Elaine Gottschall, author of Breaking The Vicious Cycle, has a lot to say about FOS. A couple of her observations are quoted below:

Manufacturers claim that Inulin/FOS specifically feeds only good
bacteria. The reality of the situation is much different. If you examine
the scientific literature about Inulin/FOS, you will find that this is
untrue. The best example is concerning Klebsiella. Recent studies have
shown that Inulin/FOS encourages the growth of Klebsiella, a bacterium
implicated in Ankylosing Spondylitis and increased intestinal
permeability. Inulin/FOS may indeed promote the growth of lactobacillus
bacteria, but what other potentially harmful bacteria are we feeding as
well? Furthermore, we have not even addressed the issue of yeast. Many
different species of yeast are able to utilize Inulin/FOS for energy.

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info ... arides.htm

Remember, most doctors believe what the drug companies tell them, without bothering to spend time verifying what they are told. We're always open to new developments, though, so if you have success with either of these concepts, please keep us updated. We need to utilize any techniques we can, in order to get the upper hand on MC as quickly and as reliably as possible.

Tex

[JLH]

I took some very expensive probiotics that were recommended on this site to keep from getting C. diff. The damn oral surgeon gave me just the antibiotic I asked not to be given while I was under and out. (In retrospect, I should have asked him to pay for them.)

I'll try to find the name for you.

[JLH]

I kept the box.....It was Flora-Q, expensive but gluten free.

[Gloria]

I have been taking Dairy-free Culturelle. I'm not sure if it's helping, but I don't think it's hurting me.

Gloria

[MBombardier]

Thanks for everyone's input. Tex, I always appreciate seeing your name because I know that I am going to learn something.

Joan, thanks for your suggestion. I think my husband has an overgrowth of yeast, but other than enjoying salads, he's probably the most unhealthy eater I know and he would poo-poo me broaching that subject with him. Oh, I guess I made a pun there. I feel sort of like I have a typhoid-Mary in my own house, only with yeast.

Gloria, thanks for your suggestion, too. I read up on Culturelle, and it sounds like a good product.

I bought some kefir grains, so I think I am going to embark on that adventure and see what happens. A friend suggested that I do kefir with coconut milk (she has multiple intolerances). I have some other friends that soak grains in kefir to "sprout" them and eliminate the phytic acid. I've seen the suggestion to use kefir instead of the buttermilk in cornbread (and use it to rid the cornmeal of phytic acid.)

I really don't have time for all this, but I guess it is sort of like exercise. If you don't think you have time to exercise then you really don't have time to be sick.

Thanks again...

[Jan]

For a long time my GI recommended Flora Q. I took it for quite a while and it seemed to help. It only got real expensive when they changed something in the formula. You can buy it online. The last time I was in (for my annual check up) they were now recommending the Culturelle. I found one at my local pharmacy that mimic both of them and was less expensive. I don't take one every day, just when things get out of wack from too much salad or popcorn.

[Zizzle]

I take Culturelle too. It worked wonders for my family when we travelled to Guatemala, and I convinced a friend to use it while he works for 2 years in Liberia. He credits never getting sick in Africa to Culturelle. Of course, I only remember to take it 3-4/week! What's wrong with me?! It's right there when I open the fridge!!!


I see my celiac-specialist dietician again today and will ask her for recommendations.

[Ginny]

Marliss (love that name), I took Culturelle over a year ago and did not see any difference. I do have a bottle of probiotics in my frig that I have not tried yet that is completely, GF/DF/CF/SF by Bluebonnet. I've always been skeptical about taking probiotics just from prior threads on this website.

I also tried Kefir and I actually felt worse and I use to love any kind of milk product but thought that Kefir (know matter what you do with it) tasted terrible. However, the group of us that tried Kefir, I was the only one who had a negative effect. With this disease you will try anything to improve! Ginny

[tex]

Marliss,

VSL3 is a highly-recommended probiotic. For one thing, it is a lot more potent than most brands. Be sure you buy the uflavored version, though.

http://thefooddoc.blogspot.com/2008/01/ ... -free.html

Doctor Lewey is one of the top-rated celic/MC/gluten-sensitivity docs in this country, and I believe we have at least 2 members who are his patients.

Tex

[Pat]

I took VSL #3 for well over a year and no luck. I was under the effects of Neomycin at the time and it made me really sick for about 3 years. Imodium wouldn't even work during that time and I haven't tried it since then. It is expensive as well. One has to order it on the internet.

Pat

[Zizzle]

My dietician recommended VSL3 and Align, saying they were the most researched of all the options. I asked her if taking so many dead bacteria could be an issue (since few live ones actually make the trip in the box and thru your digestive tract). She said research shows even the dead ones may have a positive effect, perhaps due to their genetic material still being there. She agreed that inulin/FOS feeds good AND bad bacteria, so there is probably no benefit. I finally remembered to take Culturelle yesterday after many days of forgetting, and ended up with watery D. Not sure it's related, but I don't think my diet was to blame.

[IDreamInColor]

I've been taking one called Sustenex, it claims to be 10x's more powerful than yogurt. I've been taking it for 3 months now, I think it helps, but it's hard to tell when you have this disease, it's definately not hurting.

[Pat]

I looked at the HFS today at all the probiotics and most contain FOS. Fructoogliosaccharides ( I may have misspelled) and that is a no-no when someone is fructose intolerant. Also many have inulin and that is also bad for fructose intolerant. I think I may be the only one on here that is so sensitive to fructose, but I thought I would pass it along anyway. Any sugar seems to be a problem for me. I have tested it many times. It is worse than wheat for me.

Pat

[MBombardier]

Hi ! I am sorry it has taken me a while to respond to this. Life happened. Thank you for the recommendation of VSL 3. I had never heard of it, nor of Dr. Lewey. Thank you very much. I have told a number of people about what I am learning on this forum. I confess that I am more than a little overwhelmed. But we are taking December off from school, so I hope to spend a great deal of time assimilating.

Thanks again!