Probiotics on an empty stomach

Many people here take their probiotics on an empty stomach.  My questions :

1. If you take it first thing in the morning, how long do you wait before eating something?

2. If you take it at the end of the day, how long after you have last eaten something?

I actually take mine between breakfast and lunch. I eat at about 8am (which is when I take my AM meds too), and I take the probiotic at about 10:30am. I eat lunch around 1ish, generally. I have tried taking it first thing-not good for me. Too much gas. I have tried taking them before bed-but I forget most of the time. For some reason, the mid morning thing seems to work for me, so I stick with it.

My probiotics say on the label that they should be taken on a full stomach....do your probiotics specifically say to take on an empty stomach?

I take VSL, and the package insert says it doesn't matter whether you take it with food or on an empty stomach. Of course, it is also recommended you mix it with food or drink to take it!
take it in a little applesauce mid-to-late afternoon. That's when I feel like having a snack anyway, so I tend to remember to take it. I had tried taking it prior to bed, but I didn't always want to eat more applesauce or whatever at that hour, so I sometimes forgot to take it.

I guess that is true-it is a long while. But I typically eat eggs for breakfast, so that seems to fill me up for a long while-and we seem to always be on the go in the mornings, so I don't have a chance to eat much anyway.

That is probably why I end up snacking in the afternoons more often!!

I agree with you though-I am too hungry in the mornings to wait to eat, so the end of the day sounds like a good time to try on an empty stomach.

Well, to be honest, I don't actually know if the probiotics do anything for me. I didn't start taking them until after I was already in remission. I only learned about them after I found this board and by then was already going into remission. I figure they might help and they don't seem to hurt, so why not.

sleepless37 said...

imagardener2 said...
I take VSL#3 when I wake up 30 minutes before breakfast. I love food so this is the only time all day that there is 30 minutes without eating. (I am normal weight, just a nibbler). I don't get gas of any kind from probiotics. Before I started diet mod. a lot of food would cause stomach gas but now no gas either end.

First time posting to this forum. I have a toddler daughter with gut bacteria imbalance that is causing her to have ADHD like symptoms. Naturopath prescribed probiotics but we have switched brands due to stomach upset (gas,nausea,heartburn,reflux, hiccups and sometimes vomiting). Her psychological symptoms improve greatly with probiotics, but the side effects are no fun and I am afraid of her getting an ulcer from the reflux. The naturopath lately suggested VSL#3. I see a lot of people in this forum take VSL#3. Anybody experienced side effects from it, how much do you take? what are the ingredients on the label? Anything tips to prevent GI side effects? My daugther desperately needs probiotics to help counteract Klebsiella pneumoniae, pseudomonas and alpha haemolytic streptococus overgrowth in her gut. Thanks

VSL3 is probably the best and the most potent probiotic to take with it having 450 billion bacteria. My GI doc advised me to start taking it and said it was the only probiotic that has clinically proven to have an effect on the gut due to its potency and bacterial content. I have been taking it for about a month now and have noticed a huge difference. My stools are much firmer. It says on the UK VSL3 web page that it does not matter when you take it. So I just take it whenever I remember in the day. But always take with cold food or drink. I usually sprinkle it in to some ice cold apple juice.

I have not known anyone to get any side effects from it apart from gas and that usually subsides when the bacteria colonises in your gut after about two weeks. I did not have any problems though. The way I look at it is that it is not really a drug or medicine. Its the bacteria that should already be in our gut if they were healthy. I feel that the VSL is really aiding in the healing of my gut.

Your daughter should try it for two weeks and see if she sees a difference in herself.

I'd suggest to take an enteric coated capsule form, at bedtime a few hours after eating.

I wouldn't suggest the powder form initially.

If you fear your daughter has reflux..find out if she does.

Has she been checked for h. pylori?

q

I take mine when I remember!

I did try to take it either first thing in the morning or at night but it never quite worked out, and so as long as I remember to take it I'm happy