HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

VSL Probiotic Alternative thats cheaper?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/1/2015 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I'm currently working on coming out of a flare, and tapering off prednisone. I've been taking 2-3 vsl capsules a day and was hoping someone had an alternative solution for a cheaper but still effective option. I don't want to stop taking VSL all together, but I'm hoping to eventually get away with only taking 1 capsule a day in the morning and then maybe another brand thats not quite as expensive at night.

I'm currently doing 2 VSL in the morning and 1 Hyperbiotic Pro-15 at night, however wondering if there is a favorite I can should replace the pro-15 with.

THanks
Posted 7/1/2015 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for asking this question because I have been wondering about the same thing. I take 2-3 VSL in the morning and the price is really starting to hurt. I take culturelle at night.

I have to wonder if the VSL is really that much better than the Culturelle? Curious if anyone has ever stopped VSL and noticed a difference?

I did try Align once and that made me terribly sick so playing around with probiotics can get dicey. Not familiar with Hyperbiotic? What strains does it have?
Posted 7/1/2015 3:03 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting that VSL#3 helps and Align made you sick. Same here. I found that Culturelle is almost as good as VSL#3, but much cheaper esp if you buy it at Costco.

But my favorite is the one I mention in this thread: but don't forget that everyone is different.

www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=3442046
Posted 7/1/2015 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
You'll need to figure out how many mill/billions your VSL pills are providing you are getting good results with. The VSL#3 sachets have an enormous number of probiotics and are cheaper per billion than any other. The pills have less probiotics and should have quantity per pill somewhere on VSL's site.

The thing about VSL is that I truly believe their pills have actual live probiotics whereas other manufacturers do not live up to what their labels state. Someone posted an probiotic article by Consumer Reports (?) who did a test on viable live probiotics and many probiotics came up short in quantity. This was posted a while back so may take some digging to find the article.

Also (as stated by pref. poster) different probiotics may be bad/good for you depending on which culture your gut likes/hates. You may have to try a few different ones out to find an alternative to VSL. I used VSL#3 sachets for a couple years until my gut no longer needed them at all. Currently take no probiotics and no yogurt or fermented foods.

edit to add: I see BabeITW posted about L. reuterii which I took also and it was gut-friendly for me. Give it a try.
Posted 7/1/2015 3:29 PM (GMT 0)

ElpisUnbreakable said...
Thanks for asking this question because I have been wondering about the same thing. I take 2-3 VSL in the morning and the price is really starting to hurt. I take culturelle at night.

I have to wonder if the VSL is really that much better than the Culturelle? Curious if anyone has ever stopped VSL and noticed a difference?

I did try Align once and that made me terribly sick so playing around with probiotics can get dicey. Not familiar with Hyperbiotic? What strains does it have?

Here's a link to the hyperbiotic:
http://www.amazon.com/PRO-15-Recommended-Supplement-Technology-Intestinal/dp/B00JEKYNZA

I've been looking at Culturelle, seems well reviewed. Does it need to be refrigerated? I would need to order it online at costco, so not sure want to make sure the shipping time won't hurt it.
Posted 7/1/2015 3:38 PM (GMT 0)

imagardener2 said...
You'll need to figure out how many mill/billions your VSL pills are providing you are getting good results with. The VSL#3 sachets have an enormous number of probiotics and are cheaper per billion than any other. The pills have less probiotics and should have quantity per pill somewhere on VSL's site.

The thing about VSL is that I truly believe their pills have actual live probiotics whereas other manufacturers do not live up to what their labels state. Someone posted an probiotic article by Consumer Reports (?) who did a test on viable live probiotics and many probiotics came up short in quantity. This was posted a while back so may take some digging to find the article.

Also (as stated by pref. poster) different probiotics may be bad/good for you depending on which culture your gut likes/hates. You may have to try a few different ones out to find an alternative to VSL. I used VSL#3 sachets for a couple years until my gut no longer needed them at all. Currently take no probiotics and no yogurt or fermented foods.

edit to add: I see BabeITW posted about L. reuterii which I took also and it was gut-friendly for me. Give it a try.

I don't think I would need to consume a full sachet at a time of VSL. 2 capsules has 225mil while 1 sachet is double at 450mil. Can you open a sachet and spread it out over 2-3 days?
Posted 7/1/2015 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
I don't think I would need to consume a full sachet at a time of VSL. 2 capsules has 225mil while 1 sachet is double at 450mil. Can you open a sachet and spread it out over 2-3 days?

The only difference is loose granules vs. pill form so it should work but don't know if it will save you any money since VSL is pricey too. I always ordered mine directly from the company and it came in cold-pack styrofoam in 2 days. Because I live in Florida I tried never to order in 90 degree weather (June-October here haha) but the inside was always cool on opening.
Posted 7/1/2015 4:29 PM (GMT 0)
Do you know that VSL is actually doing something good for you or do you just take it because you've heard it's a good for UC? There's no point to taking anything unless you know for sure it actually helps you. Same goes for the other one you are taking. You can use partial satchets but why would you want to go through that trouble when you can dose better by taking the capsules, unless you can get insurance to cover the satchets? Have you tried cutting down to just one capsule now while still taking one of the other probiotic at night? I've recently cut down from two to one VSL capsule per day and cut down from two to one Prescript Assist probiotic per day by adding in Probiotic 3 and taking one of them per day also. So far it has worked for me and it is cheaper. Bottom line though is if you're going for CFU's then VSL is actually about the cheapest probiotic you can take, when dividing the price by the CFU's. There are 112.5 billion CFU's in one capsule of VSL and just about every other probiotic out there would have far less than that, actually making them more expensive than the VSL per CFU. Also, it is important to keep doing what you're doing even when in remission so don't quit probiotics that you know work on you just because you attain remission. Future flares often get harder and harder to treat.
Posted 7/1/2015 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
Roughtimes - Culturelle does not need to be refrigerated. It is my understanding that manufactures have made probiotics to survive without refrigeration now but that could be just advertising claims.

IamCurious - just ordered L. reuterii. I am curious to try this one because it seems to be recommended by several people.
Posted 7/2/2015 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
Can you get the prescription form of vsl? It's called vsl ds #3. Ask your gastroenterologist to prescribe it. It might be cheaper than buying it completely out of pocket.
Posted 7/2/2015 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
I have not heard that they can keep probiotics alive w/o refrigeration. but maybe I missed news.

i think they freeze dry to keep the probiotics from decomposing.
Posted 7/3/2015 2:53 AM (GMT 0)
If cost becomes an issue for VSL#3, you might investigate VSL#3DS (double strength) which needs a script from your gastro guy. Also, there's a website National Organization of Rare Diseases (NORD) that may be able to help with the cost based on your income and costs. They have a patient assistance program. Good Luck.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply