Comparing different probiotic products

Hello folks

As I am delving more and more into gut flora research business, I am getting curious about our supplementation of probiotics. Some of the probiotic formulations have patented strains with very particular functions (at least sold like that). I wonder if anybody has made a chart of formulations and the strains present in those formulations.

If not, I am willing to make it. I need input from the users if they use anything except VSL#3, Nexabiotic, Metaflor and Florastor.

Thanks in advance.

I supplement my VSL with prescript assist probiotic. It was specifically formulated for those on antibiotics, which is when all my troubles began.

On a similar train of thought, many UC'rs seem to be more susceptible to C-Diff infections and I strongly believe that taking probiotics regularly can go a long way in reducing this risk.

I believe the prescribed drugs like Prednisolone and immunosuppressant drugs make people more susceptible to C-Diff. I have not had it maybe because I took Prednisolone only for 2 days and had to stop because of a very bad reaction to it.(heart palpitations, itching all over and felling like I am loosing my mind), also I had negative reactions to 2 other drugs (enamas and Colazol). Also, I have never tried immunosuppresants.

I believe people with UC already have compromised immune systems because of the antibiotics and to suppress their immune systems sounds insane to me. 

I just "love" how doctors saying-"we do not know the cause of UC, we do not have the cure (except to cut the colon out, which is not a cure but a total failure of the medicine), but here the immunosuppressing drugs for you to "control" your symptoms".

I have never heard anywhere, including this forum, that any of the dangerous drugs cured anybody with colitis or Crohn's.

I am sure I will get a lot of backlash after this post from many people. I do not care."

what exactly does any of this have to do probiotics ?

and ya, blaming dr's doesn't make any sense to me -

I need to try prescript assist. VSL3 strains didnt do me any good. Although prescript assist looks to have most strains from VSL3, it also has a lot more strains that VSL3.

I hope FDA allows Mutaflor in US so I can order some.

"Soystud,
I was answering Garylousville about C-Diff and probiotics, explaining my view on it.
As for "blaming the doctors", I do blame many doctors for blindly following pharmaceutical companies and not using much of their own heads. There are some real good doctors are out there, like Dr. McDougall, Dr. David Brownstein, Dr. Neal Barnard.... Unfortunately, they are exceptions.

By the way where is your relevant post about probiotics? I did put my review about a few probiotics. Where is yours?"


sorry, i don't read many of lewisvillgarys posts -

i see docs a little different than most i guess - to me they are mechanics that work on people instead of cars - they get us back on the road so we can continue on - i always thought scientists that worked in labs and not repair shops were the ones that took credit for cures - jmo -

yes to probiotics - no to renew life 80 billion whatever - helped for a while then not - yay to garden of life mens raw and natures way reutteri -

did i misss anything ?

Lookforcure, you say you were off meds while taking Mutaflor, i always wanted to ask u why u discontinued Mutaflor. Did it stop working for u? Did u return to taking meds after it (was the condition of your uc worse due to tapering meds?) Sorry for flooding u with questions, it's just because i'm considering to try the same thing as u, Mutaflor and no meds, maybe it's again common sense, but if i don't try it i'll never know. as for docs, I agree with u, they will always prescribe u tons of meds just to be on the safe side, without any individual approach.

To the Prescript-Assist users,

The website says, 29 billion but I do not find literature on the website. Can anyone tell me if its 1 billion each of the strain/capsule?

Where do you guys buy this stuff? Amazon or local health food store?

Thanks in advance.

Ewakedals,
the only reason I stopped Mutaflor is because FDA blocked the sale of it in the USA and I could not find any place from Canada to ship it to me. I guess FDA even got to Canada that they did not want to get in trouble. The only way for me to get Mutaflor it was to actually drive to Canada, make Canadian Mutaflor company ship it to a hotel and "smuggle" Mutaflor in a cooler through the boarder. My husband was seriously considering this because I was getting sick. I did not stop Mutaflor because it stopped working for me and literally freacked out. My husband even called FDA and our congressman, all was useless.
I do not know if Mutaflor will work for everybody as well as it did for me. The only thing I can say, it is the most studied probiotic for over 80 years (discovered in 1917), there is no other probiotic that gives the result equal or better than drugs for UC/IBS.
By the way, Quincy, I did fired my doctor 6+ years ago and my nurse practitioner and have not seen them since. I do not recommend anybody to do what I did, but it is my choice. I do my fight with UC on my own with a diet, probiotics, clay, activated charcoal, psyllium, L-Glutamine, minerals and some vitamins. I would rather put in my body something that heals and helps my body, supports my immune system, than toxins and immunosuppressants.
Deltaforce,
Prescript Assist has 29 strains in it, they do not say on the bottle how many billions/millions in each capsule. It is a soil-based probiotic, they do not measure it the same way as lactic acid based probiotics since it is much stronger and "Acid, bile and heat-resistant, routine testing of Prescript-Assist confirms > 95% viability two years after date of manufacture."
By the way VSL#3 does not say how many of each strain in each capsule, just that in 2 capsules it is 225 billion.

Post Edited (lookforcure) : 8/12/2013 1:01:19 PM (GMT-6)

quincy said...
I've never used the RenewLife 80billion. I stick with the 50 billion, and double them when I flare.

I use the Primadophilus Reuteri...and double it when I flare.
I also give it to my cat in addition to New Roots Max...she's done amazingly on the combo.
All are taken before bedtime about an hour after meds.

Do you notice a difference when you double the Reuteri? I noticed a difference when I first started using the Reuteri, but after a couple weeks I was right back where I started. Maybe I need to try doubling it.

The first probiotic I tried was Nature Made Triple Probiotic. I hated that one. It gave me so much painful gas. Then I tried Dr. Mercola's probiotic. I liked it better than the Nature Made, but I switched to the Reuteri Pearls on the recommendation of a family friend.

Ewakedals,
you are welcome!
I have found a company in Canada that will ship Mutaflor to me here, in the USA! I have placed my order and got a confirmation e-mail from them. I am holding my fingers crossed and hope to receive my order by Friday! Wish me good luck!
This is how much I love this probiotic and after nearly 3 years, maybe, I will get it again.

Ewakedals,
thank you again!
Can you believe I am so excited about a probiotic? It is a good addition to the thread-You have UC if...you get absolutely thrilled about getting your favorite probiotic.
No normal, healthy person can understand this!
Thank you again and good luck to you on your journey to health!

lookforcure said...
Ewakedals,
you are welcome!
I have found a company in Canada that will ship Mutaflor to me here, in the USA! I have placed my order and got a confirmation e-mail from them. I am holding my fingers crossed and hope to receive my order by Friday! Wish me good luck!
This is how much I love this probiotic and after nearly 3 years, maybe, I will get it again.

Whenever you get them in your hands, do let us (or atleast me please) know this website. I too would like to place an order if they can deliver.