# Probiotic Capsules. ?



## cherrypie09 (Jan 20, 2009)

Hi.I have bought some probiotic and prebiotic capsules, from boots. it says take 1-2 daily, they contain 4 billion friendly bacteria. also Lactobacillus Acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium Lactis. Any one know if they are any good, I have IBS-D. How do you take the capsules, ie. on a empty stomach like the probiotic drinks. ? Are they any good for IBS-D


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

They are the right types of bacteria but hard to know. Did you check the search for the brand name. Some brands are good some are not. Even when they say they have the same bacteria genera or species in them.Some people find ones with prebiotics tend to increase gas a lot more at first than just probiotic brands, but that doesn't happen to everyone.Even with good brands some work for some people and some work for other people and I can't predict if these ones will work for you.


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

hiThe bifidus may do you some good, but give it a few weeks first to see what is what.here are some general guidelines so you can get the best from your probiotics including when to take them.the following strains have teh most research behind them in IBS studies with good positive outcomes in studies.L. bulgaricus, L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. casei, B. bifidus, S. salivarius, and S. thermophilus and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. THERE ARE MANY MANY OTHERS though!here is some general info on taking them, if you dont already know it!They are best taken in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before food. ideally they should be taken for at least 3 weeks as it may take that long to see any results. although some people have a very good reaction in days. after 2 to 3 months they should be stopped for a while. if after a few days you start to notice that you can feel a physical difference or a worsening of your symptoms, start taking them again. other wise, there is no need to continue taking them untill you feel that you do need them. there isnt any harm in taking them as a permanant suppliment if they are taken is small numbers like in actimel or activia yoghurt, but if you are taking 10 billion cultures a day, it is good to give the body a break every now and then.also If at all possible, replace the FOS prebiotic with natural fruit and veg if you can tollerate it. FOS can play hell with the tummy in some people while it dosent bother others.After you start to take the probiotics, you may feel initially worse for a day to a week or so. this is called the herx reaction and unfortunately is perfectly normal. (Google it to get more detailed info). some people are not affected by herx and some are.if it gets too much though, just stopp teh probiotics for a few days and re start them at a half dose for a two weeks, then a three quarter dose for two weeks and then the full dose, and see how you get on with that.CHeersIan


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## amanda8 (Jan 21, 2008)

Ian,What exactly is in an FOS, do you know? The probiotic I have been taking is Primadophilus Optima. It has about 14 strains of probiotics in it and also an FOS. I stopped taking it completely a couple of weeks ago because I started to think it was causing me stomach pains and increased gas...to the point where I was constantly bloated and feeling like I had to pass wind.Since stopping it, the bloating and gas has definitely decreased. I don't think it was coincidental. I may go back to taking the Primadophilus Bifidus blend I had been taking as it didn't seem to cause as much gas for me. It also didn't have the FOS in it.I also noted that you say to take probiotics for a few months and then stop. Why do you do this? I thought it was good to maintain the probiotics in your system?Thanks for any input.Amanda


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FructooligosaccharideIt is like a starch but with a chain of fructose molecules rather than glucose. They tend to taste sweeter than a starch would.


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

HiFOS and INULIN are pre biotics, basically food for the bacteria, but the more undesirable gram negative bacteria also feed off of FOS and INULIN as well, so its a bit like giving a security guard an UZI and then telling him its ok to shoot the customers! ALL probiotics will grow very well in teh gut with out FOS and INULIN as long as you eat a "probiotic friendly" diet with enough fiber in it. soluable or insoluable, research suggests that it dosent matter which although i would go for a 70/30 mix of soluable and insoluable based on IBS treatment as well as some times IBSers have tropuble tolerating insoluable fiber.The reason i say stop taking the probiotic after 3 or 4 months is to see if you still need to take it at teh same dosage everyday, or weather you still need to take it at all anymore. you see, bacteria only stick around in teh gut untill they are eliminated in the poo, when a good colony of pro biotic bacteria is established of a strain, they simply dont hang around anymore because there is enough of them in teh gut. how the body knows this is still a mystery. so after 3 months or so, stop for a week or so and see if you start to feel unwell again. if you do start taking them again. ORAfter 3 months or so, change the strains that you have been taking to a different set for three months and then change them again etc so that you go through 20 or 30 different strains over teh course of teh year, and then at the begginning of the next year start the cycle again. really it depends what suits you and how you feel. after all it is your body and only you will know what is going on it it. trust your instincts as your first reaction is usually the right one.any more info needed just send me a message.CheersIan


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