Probiotics Probiotics Probiotics

With all this talk of probiotics I think it's time for me to try it.

Which brands do you recommend? What should I look for when buying probiotics?

PS. Just took my first Humira does today. Feel like I've been hit by a bus, but I'm still glad I've finally started it!

i use the probiotics from hallelujah acres. hacres.com

I tried the primadophilus reuteri several times with no success. I also tried a few other brands. My doctor recommended Align which had to be ordered online or through my pharmacist. I wasn't very hopeful given my past history with probiotics. But it seems to be working, for the most part. I still have some bad days, gas wise. My point is that, like all things with this DD, it is very individual and you may have to try several until you find one that works for you. Start with what you can find locally and then proceed accordingly.

spookyhurst said...
If I eat homemade yogurt everyday, do you think a probiotic is still needed?

Based on what I read on her site, I think Elaine Gottschall would answer no to that. We use both, though! I look for a multi-strain that doesn't have FOS. He eats lots of bananas which have FOS naturally. I wasn't aware that bifidus was not recommended way back when I started my son on probiotics, so he was getting bifidus and still does. Thankfully, it has never caused him any problems. Ironically, the Align brand that Zanne mentioned is a strain of Bifidobacterium, which I assume is bifidus. It makes me wonder if they don't know a whole lot more about these strains today than they did when Gottschall was doing all her research.

I might be a probiotic junkie. I've bought several brands now, but my son uses Theralac most often. It has 8 strains and 25(?) billion good guys. I recently bought Udo's on someone's recommendation here, and I've also purchased Dr. Michael Murray's and VSL#3. I'm with Zanne, though. If one doesn't give you results, move on to another one!

wait - bifidus is bad? That is what our GI doc recommended because the crohns affects his large intestines. Mk, I think there are different probiotics that treat different parts of your intestines so it seems to me what kind you buy would partly depend on where you are affected. But, I'm still caught off gaurd hearing that bifidus is bad. We just bought a probiotic with bifidus from natures way.

The creator of the SCD doesn't believe in bifidus but...

Bifidus Actiregularis / Bifidus Regularis / Bifidus Digestivum / Bifidobacterium Lactis and variants

Bifidus Actiregularis, Bifidus Regularis, Bifidus Digestivum, Bifidobacterium Lactis and its variants are marketing names generated by Danone (known in the United States of America as Dannon) for one of the specific bacteria it uses in its "Activia" range of yoghurt products.

According to a reply received from Dannon by the Writerious blog, Bifidus Regularis (and therefore presumably all the variations of Bifidus...) is a proprietary strain of Bifidobacterium.

The source of "Bifidus" is from the intestinal bacterium Bifidobacterium animalis, a kind of bacteria found in the large intestines of most mammals, including humans.

"Actiregularis" is an invented word, the first half of which which emphasises the active nature of the bacteria. In common with with Bifidus Regularis, the "regularis" part emphasises being "regular" and the "is" at the end suggests a scientific derivation. The bacteria is known as Bifidus Actiregularis in UK marketing materials and Bifidus Regularis in marketing materials from the USA.

Bifidus Actiregularis used to be called Bifidus Digestivum in UK marketing materials. "Digestivum" is an invented word which uses "digestive" as a root to suggest beneficial effects on digestion, combined with the latinate ending "um" to suggest a scientific derivation.

It is known as Bifidobacterium Lactis in Canadian marketing materials, where Lactis uses the Latin root for milk ("lac" / "lact-") and "is" to suggest a scientific derivation.

It is known as "Digestivum Essensis" in German and Austrian marketing materials. These are both invented words, the first emphasising digestion and the second emphasising the "essential" nature of the nutrition, using latinate endings to suggest a scientific derivation.

The name of the bacteria changes from country to country and over time, to reflect differences in marketing strategy and consumer behaviour. One suggestion for the change in the UK from Bifidus Digestivum from Bifidus Actiregularis is that Bifidus Digestivum was so ridiculed it become a liability - do a Google search for Bifidus Digestivum to see the results.

The scientifically correct name for the bacteria is "Bifidobacterium animalis DN 173 010" .

:)

Has anyone tried Natren Healthy Trinity? Expensive, but they sound kind of impressive.

paintedsongs said...
Where do you get probiotics from? online? pharmacy? if from pharmacy do you need a scrpit?

I think it's safe to say that your better probiotics are carried in health food stores. Usually refrigerated. I buy some there and order Theralac online. VSL can be ordered in at your local Walgreens (it's extremely potent, more expensive, and probably not one I would recommend starting with, jmo). Udo's has one called "High Potency Bowel Blend" which I've been meaning to look in to, but again, I think I'd start with something less potent like their "Adult Blend" or one of the others recommended here.

Spooky, I'll look into the Natren one!

I use the garden of life brand too with awesome results, they also have a great digestive enzyme. I take nearly the entire line of products.