Probiotics

As I recall, placebo average is about 15% improvement, and that is if you are aware that you are taking a placebo.

More recently, probiotics has been applied to some relatively serious medical conditions with impressive success. I am a firm believer in getting real dirty often and spending lots of quality time with my Labrador so I don't have any issues in this vein, gratefully. :)
 
Syzygys said:
I started the already quoted similar thread a year or so ago. Its conclusion was that it could help people after surgery or gastronomical problems, although there is a serious placebo effect.

Recently I started to research the issue again, because of well, let's just say gas problems. If you Google "gas probiotics", it gives you a few clues what type one might need. I got one from the store and ordered another from Amazon. (I will quote what types later). So anyhow, after 3 days of taking it and also eating Greek yogurt 1-2 times a day, I think it does work. Usually after drinking beer I get gas (to put it mildly) and I had 2 different types of beers the other day and almost no gas. Also in the Google results another person said his gas strength went down from 10 to 4, which is a big improvement. Since I am eating yogurt and taking the Probiotics at the same time, it is hard to tell which one is more effective. What I try to do is, eating a little yogurt before eating something gas producing.

I will report back from time to time. I guess the general answer is that Probiotics could help but not everybody and not for everything. People have different gut flora and different issues....

P.S.: I am eating the strawberry flavored yogurt which is actually pretty tasty. I am not sure if this one is made with real sugar (not very good against gas) or some substitutes...
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Sounds like an interesting experiment and I do want to hear the results. But have you considered giving up on drinking beer?:D
 
Stoniphi said:
As I recall, placebo average is about 15% improvement, and that is if you are aware that you are taking a placebo.
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Generally I don't mind if it is placebo effect only, but I know, my wife does. So I am sure she will know if it is working or not... :)

About yogurt, my wife eats Fage, which is zero fat Greek strained yogurt and it is quite expensive. I eat Chobani, and I don't see any sugar among the ingredients. It says, no artifical sweeteners. More protein than in normal yogurt. The bacterias in it are:

L.Acidophilus, Bifidus, S.Thermophilus and L.Bulgaricus

These are pretty much the ones, that are in Probiotics....
 
About the Probiotics vs. yogurt thingy:

Lots of different companies make Probiotics in different ways, so it is possible that one would work while the other wouldn't. The problem is that Probiotics are fairly expensive, can cost as much as $1 per day.
So for a trial run, I would suggest eating yogurt first. The earlier mentioned Fage is like $7 for a big bucket, but the Chobani is only half of that and tastes better. I would say that 32 oz bucket can last for a week but for 5 days at least, so it is 70 cents per day, and more natural than taking a dry pill.

I looked up S.Thermophilus, (that's what I ordered online) and the interesting part from Wiki:

Yogurt production

As long ago as the early 1900s, S.s. thermophilus has been used to make yogurt. Many of the yogurts sold in grocery stores today do not contain many live cultures of S.s. thermophilus because pasteurization destroys these beneficial organisms.[dubious – discuss] Nonetheless, S.s. thermophilus is required by law to be present in yogurt. Its purpose is to turn lactose, the sugar in milk, into lactic acid. The increase in lactic acid turns milk into the gel-like structure characteristic of yogurt.

Nomenclature

Streptococcus derives from a Greek term meaning "twisted berry" and refers to the way the bacterium is grouped in chains that resemble a string of beads. "Thermophilus" derives from the Greek term thermotita meaning "heat". It refers to an organism's ability to thrive at high temperatures.

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea

Strains of S.s. thermophilus have also reduced risks of AAD (antibiotic-associated diarrhea), an issue that results from taking antibiotics. Antibiotics can have the adverse effect of destroying beneficial bacteria and causing harmful bacteria to multiply, which invokes diarrhea.

Cancer

...commercially-available yogurt containing S.s. thermophilus and L.d. bulgaricus was fed to mice. After these mice were injected with cancer cells, the incidence of lung cancer in the yogurt-fed mice was one-third less than expected.
 
KilljoyKlown said:
Personally I prefer to skip the mud and poop diet to get my required gut bacteria.:D
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Well, there is another option:

"Probiotics are also delivered in fecal transplants, in which stool from a healthy donor is delivered like a suppository to an infected patient." :)

About Activia:

"Activia products contain Bifidobacterium animalis DN 173 010, a proprietary strain of Bifidobacterium, a probiotic which is marketed by Dannon under the trade names Bifidus Regularis, Bifidus Actiregularis, Bifidus Digestivum and Bifidobacterium Lactis. Activia is classified as a functional food, designed to improve digestive health."
 
Syzygys said:
Well, there is another option:

"Probiotics are also delivered in fecal transplants, in which stool from a healthy donor is delivered like a suppository to an infected patient." :)

About Activia:

"Activia products contain Bifidobacterium animalis DN 173 010, a proprietary strain of Bifidobacterium, a probiotic which is marketed by Dannon under the trade names Bifidus Regularis, Bifidus Actiregularis, Bifidus Digestivum and Bifidobacterium Lactis. Activia is classified as a functional food, designed to improve digestive health."
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Forget the fecal transplants. Costco sells several brands of Yogurt and Activia is one of them. Also, one doesn't need a daily dose for it to be effective. Two or 3 times a week should work fine and save money too.
 
There isn't a single probiotic that works for everyone. The good bacteria is essential and plays a role within each system of the body; not just the digestive system. Broad-spectrum antibiotics destroyed my immune system and damaged my small intestines when I was young, as a result the regular yogurt is a no-go for me because the dairy makes the problem worse for me. But what I have found that works for me is amande cultured almondmilk yogurt that is sweetened with fruit juice. Amande contains L. acidophilus, B. bifidum, L. bulgaricus, L. casei, S. thermophilus and L. rhamnosus. Kimchi is also part of my regular diet. I enjoy pure dark chocolate so to me adding probiotics do chocolate is a waste of chocolate as they are not a natural part of the cacao bean. Prebiotics also help because they help the good bacteria thrive. For that greens, legumes and garlic are staples in my diet.
 
I have been taking probiotics and I got 2 different kind. I think I am getting less bloated, so there is a positive effect...
 
brie said:
There isn't a single probiotic that works for everyone. The good bacteria is essential and plays a role within each system of the body; not just the digestive system. Broad-spectrum antibiotics destroyed my immune system and damaged my small intestines when I was young, as a result the regular yogurt is a no-go for me because the dairy makes the problem worse for me. But what I have found that works for me is amande cultured almondmilk yogurt that is sweetened with fruit juice. Amande contains L. acidophilus, B. bifidum, L. bulgaricus, L. casei, S. thermophilus and L. rhamnosus. Kimchi is also part of my regular diet. I enjoy pure dark chocolate so to me adding probiotics do chocolate is a waste of chocolate as they are not a natural part of the cacao bean. Prebiotics also help because they help the good bacteria thrive. For that greens, legumes and garlic are staples in my diet.
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Welcome to the forum.

I've never heard of antibiotics destroying an immune system or damaging small intestines before, but whatever the reason it seems you have learned what works best for you. I imagine you went through much trial and error, before you found what worked best for you. I don't believe I've ever seen Amande being sold any where before. May I ask where you get yours? Kimchi, isn't that a Korean food? I've tasted it before but never went out of my way to eat it. So I would guess you grew up with it.
 
KilljoyKlown said:
Well I see yogurt seems to be the popular choice. Maybe I'll try some, but I haven't been a big yogurt fan.

In any event the gut is not the only place good bacteria live in harmony with humans. The skin is also, a place where good bacteria help protect us. Mostly by not allowing bad bacteria any space to grow. But I've been wondering if skin problems may not be caused in part, by the wrong mix of those type bacteria on the affected individual?

If you try and search on skin probiotics, you come up with many fake probiotic claims and I'm beginning to think there is no real skin probiotics on the market that offer any real value. If anyone knows different please provide a link.
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Research seems to show the importance of probiotics in the nose to help against harmful sinus infections.

http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/201...roblems-a-dose-of-good-bacteria-may-help?lite
 
KilljoyKlown said:
Welcome to the forum.

I've never heard of antibiotics destroying an immune system or damaging small intestines before, but whatever the reason it seems you have learned what works best for you. I imagine you went through much trial and error, before you found what worked best for you. I don't believe I've ever seen Amande being sold any where before. May I ask where you get yours? Kimchi, isn't that a Korean food? I've tasted it before but never went out of my way to eat it. So I would guess you grew up with it.
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Thank you.
I usually get it at a local co-op, but here in the NW it is widely available. Best bet in other areas of the country is Whole Foods. There is also a store locator on their website www.anandeyogurt.com
Kimchi is Korean. It is a spicy fermented cabbage usually used in cooking (sorta like sauerkraut.)

With large amounts and/or prolonged use of antibiotics destroying the bacteria so extensively they damage the organs with the strongest original concentrations of bacteria. The damage it caused to the small intestines causes food particles to leach out through the wall designed to contain then. The immune system then develops antibodies to fight the food particles that find themselves outside the intestines. The more someone eats one of those particular foods, the more anti-bodies the immune system develops. It is a common underlying cause of autoimmune disorders where the immune system attacks the body.
 
brie said:
Thank you.
I usually get it at a local co-op, but here in the NW it is widely available. Best bet in other areas of the country is Whole Foods. There is also a store locator on their website www.anandeyogurt.com
Kimchi is Korean. It is a spicy fermented cabbage usually used in cooking (sorta like sauerkraut.)

With large amounts and/or prolonged use of antibiotics destroying the bacteria so extensively they damage the organs with the strongest original concentrations of bacteria. The damage it caused to the small intestines causes food particles to leach out through the wall designed to contain then. The immune system then develops antibodies to fight the food particles that find themselves outside the intestines. The more someone eats one of those particular foods, the more anti-bodies the immune system develops. It is a common underlying cause of autoimmune disorders where the immune system attacks the body.
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I've lived a long life and taken many kinds of antibiotics over the years, and never had any of the problems you are describing. Are there any web sites that discuss antibiotic damage to the immune system? I'd be very interested in reading about it. Oh! I now take probiotics during and after using antibiotics now and find I tend to feel better sooner than I would have without using them.
 
KilljoyKlown said:
I've lived a long life and taken many kinds of antibiotics over the years, and never had any of the problems you are describing. Are there any web sites that discuss antibiotic damage to the immune system? I'd be very interested in reading about it. Oh! I now take probiotics during and after using antibiotics now and find I tend to feel better sooner than I would have without using them.
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It doesn't happen in every case. But it is common w/ those who have had long-term broad spectrum antibiotic and ongoing antibiotic treatment. I had both.

Here are some websites. But I will tell you; just because something is posted on the internet does not make it true. These are reliable sources.

http://www.crohns.net/Miva/education/leakygut.shtml

http://www.stopleakygut.com/causes

http://www.gaia-health.com/articles401/000445-antibiotics-damage-immune-system.shtml

http://www.livescience.com/15740-helpful-bacteria-antibiotics.html

http://immunedisorders.homestead.com/antibiotics.html
 
Stoniphi said:
clostridium difficile is the culprit in most cases these days.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/clostridiumdifficileinfections.html

Basically, you get sick, the docs gives you a script for antibiotics that kills off your internal flora and they are replaced by c. difficile which tries very hard to kill you. :eek: Hospital is a great place to contract that.
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That is common, but mostly in the elderly and those who already have a compromised immune system. But it is one of several. This website lists the treatment as more antibiotics. To be effective it would have to be low dose and be accompanied by probiotic saccharomyces boulardii to prevent recurrence.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/c-difficile/DS00736/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
 
brie said:
It doesn't happen in every case. But it is common w/ those who have had long-term broad spectrum antibiotic and ongoing antibiotic treatment. I had both.

Here are some websites. But I will tell you; just because something is posted on the internet does not make it true. These are reliable sources.

http://www.crohns.net/Miva/education/leakygut.shtml

http://www.stopleakygut.com/causes

http://www.gaia-health.com/articles401/000445-antibiotics-damage-immune-system.shtml

http://www.livescience.com/15740-helpful-bacteria-antibiotics.html

http://immunedisorders.homestead.com/antibiotics.html
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When I was in high school I took tetracycline for a couple of years. But then tetracycline is not the strongest antibiotic in the list of antibiotics. At one time I remember taking something that was intended to wipe all bacteria in my body and I really did feel different and the doctor did prescribe probiotic supplements to take with it.
 
Syzygys said:
I have been taking probiotics and I got 2 different kinds. I think I am getting less bloated, so there is a positive effect...
Click to expand...

Reporting back. The 2nd type won, it is Saccharomyces Boulardii (the other was Lactobacillus acidophilus) . I don't take it continuously anymore, just when I eat something that would make me gasy (beer, bread, beens,etc.) It has cut down on the strength of the fragrance by 80% or more...Don't believe me, just try it! :)

"Probiotics, however, are believed to have the largest influence on a person's need to fart. Probiotics are thought to be an effective reducer in flatulence when they are used to restore the balance of intestinal flora that are naturally occurring. Probiotics such as live yogurt contain actic bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus. These probiotics are thought to make the intestines more acidic. This increased acidity is though to help the fermentation process. Probiotics are very different from prebiotics, which are suspected to cause an increase in the need to fart among people who suffer from lactose intolerance. The benefits of probiotics, however, are not limited to the treatment of a fart. Probiotics are also used to treat Lactose intolerance, prevent colon cancer, lower cholesterol, treating hypertension, reduce inflammation, aid in the absorption of minerals, improve the immune function of individuals, help to prevent infections from developing, treat irritable bowel syndrome and colitis, and help reduce the rate of urinary tract infections and bacterial vaginosis."

http://disease.disease.com/Signs/Flatulence/Flatulence-Treatment.html
 
Syzygys said:
Reporting back. The 2nd type won, it is Saccharomyces Boulardii (the other was Lactobacillus acidophilus) . I don't take it continuously anymore, just when I eat something that would make me gasy (beer, bread, beens,etc.) It has cut down on the strength of the fragrance by 80% or more...Don't believe me, just try it! :)

"Probiotics, however, are believed to have the largest influence on a person's need to fart. Probiotics are thought to be an effective reducer in flatulence when they are used to restore the balance of intestinal flora that are naturally occurring. Probiotics such as live yogurt contain actic bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus. These probiotics are thought to make the intestines more acidic. This increased acidity is though to help the fermentation process. Probiotics are very different from prebiotics, which are suspected to cause an increase in the need to fart among people who suffer from lactose intolerance. The benefits of probiotics, however, are not limited to the treatment of a fart. Probiotics are also used to treat Lactose intolerance, prevent colon cancer, lower cholesterol, treating hypertension, reduce inflammation, aid in the absorption of minerals, improve the immune function of individuals, help to prevent infections from developing, treat irritable bowel syndrome and colitis, and help reduce the rate of urinary tract infections and bacterial vaginosis."

http://disease.disease.com/Signs/Flatulence/Flatulence-Treatment.html
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Thanks, what brand and how much are you paying for it?
 
Baby Yogurt?...

I want to ask about baby yogurt. There tummies are just developing. Do they really need the probiotics in yogurt?
 
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