probiotics............... I'm just not sold on them

[Denisemomof4]

All the latest research show them being liquid gold, so to speak, but not only have I never noticed a difference in myself, they did NOTHING for my mother whom I cared for in my home. Do you think probiotics REALLY work? Do you actually see a difference in your body?

 

I've tried SEVERAL different brands. The latest, and most expensive, has done NOTHING for me.

 

Does anyone else think they're quackery?

 

They DON'T keep ANY sickness away from our family, and they make no difference in ANYway at all.

 

Anyone else?:bigear:

[Snickerdoodle]

Make your own kefir, kombucha or fermented veg. (sauerkraut, pickles, etc.)

 

Cheap and easy.

[Jenny in Atl]

I haven't taken many different brands, so I can't really say if they are the bomb or not. I'm currently taking Florastor, and the difference has been amazing. Nothing has given me the results I've gotten with this stuff. Now, I have no idea if it's doing anything to keep me from getting sick... but it's sure made me um, digest things better :blush:

 

It's actually some kind of yeast. I guess given my kid's GF diet, I wasn't getting enough?

[mama2cntrykids]

Well, I use them for thrush (yeast) and I've noticed a difference when using Acidolphius (sp?) and Coconut Oil together. Almost no burning sensation in a couple unmentionable areas (lol...sorry tmi). I had huge thrush issues with my youngest dd when she nursed and I'm hoping to combat it with the newest baby. Not an experience that I *ever* want to repeat.

[LG Gone Wild]

I've never really thought twice about them but the shake I am taking happens to have them and yeah, digestion is better.

[Homemaker]

I had been taking the garden of life brand, but I think they were giving me hives. I started taking them because I ordered them for my husband (I don't have any digestion issues). I may try another brand later. They seem to help my husband.

[WishboneDawn]

Not sold on them either. I have no doubt they're useful in some limited context but they seem to be slapping the probiotic label on any vaguely edible these days. Thing is, they're just bacteria we should have anyway. If you're healthy then you probably shouldn't expect much of a difference.

 

I'm troubled by the whole thing though. Probiotics are not all equal. There are different strains and not a lot of research of many if not most. Lacking research who knows what results are from the probiotics and what are simply eating a little more healthy or even placebo?

[meggie]

I think what often happens is that science discovers something great and companies market it to death, claiming it to be some sort of "liquid gold". Sure I think probiotics are great. But if all you ever ate was yogurt and kefir and kombucha, you'd still be malnourished. Possibly in the bigger picture there's something else you need? Fiber, water, exercise? (I honestly don't know, since I don't know you, but those are things that also help with digestion). Maybe you are already doing all those things great and there's not much that needs to be improved, so the effect of probiotics is minimal.

[Gratia271]

I haven't used them, but my mom who has multiple auto-immune diseases has been advised by her rheumatologist to take them regularly. He as well as his colleagues have found them to be quite beneficial among their patient base. I am unsure which one she uses, but it has helped her tremendously in relation to her microscopic colitis.

[Sugarfoot]

My DH has put a ton of REAL research into probiotics for his IBS patients. Those are the people who seem to benefit from them the most. I don't have IBS, though, and I feel like they help me quite a bit.

 

There are specific quantities of specific ingredients that need to be there. They are not all created equal. He actually has his own manufactured in a lab so that he knows they're pharmaceutical-grade-perfect.;) Patients were spending a small fortune at Wal-Mart trying to get all of the ingredients they needed, and then there were no guarantees where those ingredients were coming from. This way, he knows for sure what they're taking, and their cost is far less than with any other brands.

 

He's actually written a guide to IBS and probiotics if anyone is interested. It's gripping...:lol:

Edited May 17, 2011 by Sugarfoot
spelling error

[Homemaker]

Sugarfoot, does your husband have a brand he recommends for those that can't get the ones he makes?

[Wyndie]

I am sold on the ones we get from food and kefirs. I have taken many MANY brands of probiotics in capsules and very few were effective (only two of the many); but I will ALWAYS get a response from homemade ferments. I think the power of the probiotic can also be in how you use to get it in yourself. Just my 2 cents. :D

[Sugarfoot]

Sugarfoot, does your husband have a brand he recommends for those that can't get the ones he makes?

 

I'll ask him, if you like. Anyone can actually order his, there's a link in my blog, but PLEASE don't feel obligated! And he sells them pretty much at cost, so there's no giant profit from them, or anything. It's something he did purely for the benefit of his patients, and now many of their families, friends, co-workers, etc. Postage is free, there's a money-back guarantee. He's a physician, not a businessman.

 

I know many people believe the benefits are greater when the probiotic comes from a food form or refrigerated, etc. I honestly don't know much about that, other than that I could never personally keep up with it. What I can do is take one capsule a day. For many people, the simplest thing that's effective will be the one that they stick with.

 

HTH,

[pfamilygal]

Leah got Gentamycin and Ampicillin at the hospital at birth in NICU. By the time she came home she had wicked thrush. Her tongue looked like it had white fur.

 

I painted my nips with coconut oil and sprinkled on probiotic powder before every feeding. The thrush was gone in less than 48 hrs.

 

Yeah, I believe in them.

 

I take them because I've had c. diff twice. It helps keep me more normal.

[Mom0012]

I have to regularly take antibiotics, and I literally cannot keep them down unless I take a probiotic drink with them. My daughter has had chronic problems with constipation (probably because of all the antibiotics she has taken for ear infections) and after using Miralax for 6 months with no end in sight until I decided to try probiotics. It turns out they work just as well for her as the Miralax -- And I feel like I may be addressing the problem rather than just treating a symptom.

 

Lisa

[laundrycrisis]

The probiotics from Kirkman Labs are very good. They are shipped in a cold pack. They have many different potencies and mixtures of strains to choose from. For someone who fights intestinal yeast issues or does not have healthy gut flora to begin with, probiotics will make a big difference. But for fighting yeast I found it most helpful to take probiotics at bedtime, and Candex on an empty stomach in the morning, not just probiotics alone. The Candex is an enzyme that kills yeast without any die-off symptoms. When I used it for our son the results were very dramatic. We were able to cut his probiotic dosage down to 1/8 of what it had been and he no longer had flareups...and eventually the yeast was conquered for good.

[flobee76]

Make your own kefir, kombucha or fermented veg. (sauerkraut, pickles, etc.)

 

Cheap and easy.

 

We do this. It definitely keeps us normal and healthy during cold/flu season. Helps with keeping everything moving. :D

 

Naturally fermented foods have a LOT of strains of good bacteria. (I think I read over 50 strains)

[Food4Thought]

I believe in probiotics, especially in natural ferments. But I also think there's a nutritional aspect to them, and that if your diet is not balanced they won't work. Meaning, if you're feeding too much bad stuff to the "bad" bacteria in your gut, then there's no chance for those "good" bacteria (probiotics) to take hold and get working.

 

That said, I notice a HUGE difference in myself and my family when we eat fermented foods and take probiotics (the kids take "Pearls" and I take saccaromyces boulardii). But the change only came after we gave up gluten, grains, and sugar. Before that, the bacteria imbalance couldn't be conquered by a capsule full of the good stuff.

[cassiemc]

Our youngest son used to complain of tummy aches a lot after eating. We started giving him probiotics and he is much better. He eats more and doesn't say his tummy hurts while he is eating now. We all take them now and I do feel better when I take them.

[Mandamom]

Well, I use them for thrush (yeast) and I've noticed a difference when using Acidolphius (sp?) and Coconut Oil together. Almost no burning sensation in a couple unmentionable areas (lol...sorry tmi). I had huge thrush issues with my youngest dd when she nursed and I'm hoping to combat it with the newest baby. Not an experience that I *ever* want to repeat.

 

This was my experience. If I don't take probiotics on a somewhat regular basis I end up with yeast issues (Yes, I should improve my diet).

 

I take NSI from vitacost and definitely see a difference from when I've taken some of the cheaper/lower potency brands, so I rarely take anything but NSI because there's really no benefit.

[CanaryMelody]

Probiotics have helped me immensely and I find I am better off taking them than not. I admit my admit my diet is poor, so yes, I could (and should) improve that.

 

The first I ever took Probiotics was upon my midwife's recommendation when I was pregnant with DS1. With DD2 I was group B strep + and we wanted to really build up my immune system and beat the odds of being positiive a second time. She had me take Probiotics twice a day (I just use the brand from Whole Foods called Nutrition now PB8) as well as a few other supplements. I was negative for group B strep and was negative again for DS2 pregnancy. Maybe it was a coincidence? Maybe not. But I like I said, I notice I seem better off with them than without, so I continue to take them. ;)

[HiddenJewel]

A large majority of the immune system is in the gut so gut health is crucial for overall health. However, probiotics are not the only factor involved in gut health. So if there are other parts that are out of balance (such as enzymes) you may not see success with just probiotics.

[Impish]

My DH has put a ton of REAL research into probiotics for his IBS patients. Those are the people who seem to benefit from them the most. I don't have IBS, though, and I feel like they help me quite a bit.

 

There are specific quantities of specific ingredients that need to be there. They are not all created equal. He actually has his own manufactured in a lab so that he knows they're pharmaceutical-grade-perfect.;) Patients were spending a small fortune at Wal-Mart trying to get all of the ingredients they needed, and then there were no guarantees where those ingredients were coming from. This way, he knows for sure what they're taking, and their cost is far less than with any other brands.

 

He's actually written a guide to IBS and probiotics if anyone is interested. It's gripping...:lol:

I'd be interested. I have IBS, mom has Celiacs

[ocelotmom]

I had a yeast infection during my first pregnancy. OTC treatment didn't work, and neither did diflucan. Probiotics did. So yes, I do believe that they can be truly helpful for at least some things.

 

I did take (on the advice of my OB) well more than the recommended dosage until it had cleared up.

 

I'm not totally convinced on the whole GAPS thing, but I do want to try probiotics to see if they help with DD2's sensitive tummy.

 

I do think that brand matters, as well as how it's been stored in transit and at the store.

 

I've been making lacto-fermented soda, which has the benefit of being cheap, fun, and tasty, regardless of whether it's truly effective :)

Edited May 17, 2011 by ocelotmom

[Peela]

I get that probiotics are good for the gut, the immune system etc, but I have never trusted that they are really alive when they get there. So no, I don't trust them, and I don't generally take them. DH and I once tried to make yoghurt with some probiotic tablets- because if they are alive, surely they will make yoghurt? It didn't work.

 

I do use fermented products for the same purpose- kefir, yoghurt, sauerkraut, miso....not all the time but I go through phases of using them. I always think you are better off using food than a tablet, if possible.

 

Chances are the tablets do work- I know a lot of research goes into them- but I just never trust them.

[Mrs Twain]

I haven't read all the responses--

IMO a lot of these types of drugs work the same way that placebos work--a.k.a. the "placebo effect." The reason that we have to use placebos in drug trials is because placebos can achieve the desired outcome up to 30-40% of the time. If a person is hyped up to think something will work for their problem, then the drug has a fairly good chance of doing that, even if it is a placebo.

 

BTW I'm not telling anyone not to use probiotics or that probiotics don't work :).

[kchara]

I used to babysit a little girl who had a diaper rash for 2 years. :glare: (Yeah, her mom wasn't bright, but that's another story.) Anyway, she was forever on antibiotics, too, and I read somewhere at the time that antibiotics can encourage yeast infections in toddlers, which can seem at first like diaper rash. So, I got permission from her mom and bought her probiotics. Cleared it right up, I mean within a few days. Since then, whenever we have to go on antibiotics, I always give my kids a round of probiotics after we're done. We don't take it religiously, though, only after antibiotics.

[Sugarfoot]

Sugarfoot, does your husband have a brand he recommends for those that can't get the ones he makes?

 

He said that GNC sells a pretty good one, but he thinks it's pretty expensive.

 

I'd be interested. I have IBS, mom has Celiacs

 

Here you go. This is the basic information he gives all of his IBS patients. I'm trying to attach it. If it doesn't work, please let me know and I'll email it to you.

 

Okay, the file's too big.

[catz]

I have IBS, and yes for me they are really all that. They make a huge difference in how I feel on a day to day basis. Some brands do nothing for me. I like Pearls IC. If you've tried a number of kinds and they're not making a difference (although it really could take 6-8 weeks to see a good difference), maybe yeast isn't your issue. I also find I need to balance my diet carefully - I'm not wheat, sugar, or yeast free but I do watch my consumption of those items.

[Twigs]

I take them because I've had c. diff twice.

:iagree:

 

I had C.diff once, and probiotics worked when the prescription did.not.

[Random]

If store-bought probiotics aren't giving you any results, then I second (or third? or fourth?) the suggestion to eat homemade fermented foods like kefir.

 

It seems like there is plenty of data now, and peer-reviewed studies showing the effectiveness of probiotics. They made a huge difference in my severely allergic son. We all take them off and on, but what I really push around here is kefir, for all of the reasons previously mentioned. And sprouted grains. GI health is so important.

[Kates]

I think it depends. Are they a magic cure-all to expand your immune system and ward off disease? Personally, I don't think so ;) However, they can really help people with some autoimmune disorders, especially those that affect the GI tract. My son and I are both celiac, and they help us a lot. I know others who take them (who don't have health or digestive issues) and they really can't see much difference.

[courtney.byrum]

When my daughter came home from the NICU with c-diff and the antibiotics didn't seem to be clearing it up we were told to try probiotics --> the 4th time around - and we never had to put her on antibiotics for cdiff again. I believe they definitely can help and probably should look into them for my IBS issues.

[KidsHappen]

Probiotics are great for helping to heal yeast infections and excellent at preventing them. I went from having issues every month to not having any in years. If I ever lapse in taking them, I almost invariably get an infection. I have had both drs. and pharmasists recommend Culturelle and I have had good results with it. It is expensive but I think it is worth it if you need it. A few months ago I changed to a no name brand at Sam's and I regretted it. Back to Culturelle.