# Activia Yogurt



## jasonibs9 (Dec 1, 2008)

I take one small activia yogurt per day. How long should I continue to take it ? Should I stop for a while ? I don't want to keep putting probiotics in my body constantly if I'm not suppose to... I'll be a walking probiotic!


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

you can take them continuously. stop and see how you feel. if you feel worse start taking them again. to be honest, there arnt that many bacteria in activia so you shouldnt see that much of a difference.cheersIan


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## idkwia (Feb 26, 2009)

I have just seen Professor Whorwell in Manchester (if you Google him you will see how 'famous' he is in the world of IBS and Gastroenterology). He advised me to take 2 plain Activia yoghurts every day. I was surprised that he suggested this product because it isn't very strong in terms of probiotics. He told me that he has conducted specific trials on Activia and got good results. Of course millions of people eat yoghurt of this kind everyday so taking 1 or 2 pots of Activia a day certainly won't hurt as long as you are not intolerant of dairy foods.


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

HiI would honestly take another probiotic on top of teh activia, there are less than 5 million bacteria in activia at time of manufacture, and at point of sale, less than 2 million cultures that are alive on average. if you buy a powdered probiotic, mix it in with the activia. But relying on activia alone isnt a great idea if you are wanting to take a probiotic to help redress teh bacteria in your gut. The "Bifidus actiregularis" as they have chosen to call it is just normal Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, which alot of the time is used as a starter culture in about 70% or ALL yogurts on teh market, even teh ones that dont state that they have probiotic properties, it is simply the culture that they start the process with among quite a few others as well. THEY CALL IT ACTIREGULARIS so consumers will buy it in the vain hope that it will solve all their tummy troubles. this is true if you have a very very mild case of bangor belly etc. it will redress teh bacteria after a few months of continual use if you eat between 2 and 6 pots a day on an empty stomach. for anything more than a mild case of dhow dose, it wont even touch teh sides.interestingly B I 35624 is also a strain that has had very good results for sibo treatment and IBS treatment when administered in large numbers (20,000,000,000) cultures per dose. when in that sort of quantity it can work miricles (i say can work miricles because it can also do bugger all except casue gas and a worsening of symptoms)so if you do teh numbers, 2 million in a pot of activia versus 20 billion in a controlled dose, the difference is staggering. here is an exerpt from one of whorwell`s papers that i read in 2006 that may be of some benefit to you.Efficacy of an encapsulated probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 in women with irritable bowel syndrome.Publication: Am J GastroenterolVolume: 101( 7)Page Numbers: 1581-90Abstract: BACKGROUND: Probiotic bacteria exhibit a variety of properties, including immunomodulatory activity, which are unique to a particular strain. Thus, not all species will necessarily have the same therapeutic potential in a particular condition. We have preliminary evidence that Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 may have utility in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to confirm the efficacy of the probiotic bacteria B. infantis 35624 in a large-scale, multicenter, clinical trial of women with IBS. A second objective of the study was to determine the optimal dosage of probiotic for administration in an encapsulated formulation. METHODS: After a 2-wk baseline, 362 primary care IBS patients, with any bowel habit subtype, were randomized to either placebo or freeze-dried, encapsulated B. infantis at a dose of 1 x 10(6), 1 x 10(8), or 1 x 10(10), cfu/mL for 4 wk. IBS symptoms were monitored daily and scored on to a 6-point Likert scale with the primary outcome variable being abdominal pain or discomfort. A composite symptom score, the subject's global assessment of IBS symptom relief, and measures of quality of life (using the IBS-QOL instrument) were also recorded. RESULTS: B. infantis 35624 at a dose of 1 x 10(8) cfu was significantly superior to placebo and all other bifidobacterium doses for the primary efficacy variable of abdominal pain as well as the composite score and scores for bloating, bowel dysfunction, incomplete evacuation, straining, and the passage of gas at the end of the 4-wk study. The improvement in global symptom assessment exceeded placebo by more than 20% (p < 0.02). Two other doses of probiotic (1 x 10(6) and 1 x 10(10)) were not significantly different from placebo; of these, the 1 x 10(10) dose was associated with significant formulation problems. No significant adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: B. infantis 35624 is a probiotic that specifically relieves many of the symptoms of IBS. At a dosage level of 1 x 10(8) cfu, it can be delivered by a capsule making it stable, convenient to administer, and amenable to widespread use. The lack of benefits observed with the other dosage levels of the probiotic highlight the need for clinical data in the final dosage form and dose of probiotic before these products should be used in practice.cheersIanBifidobacterium infantis 35624 can be brought from some healthfood stores in powdered form in the UK and the US. BUT YOU MUST, MUST FOLLOW TEH DIRECTIONS ON TEH LABEL FOR STORAGE AND DOSAGE! it would be better to obtain it from your doctor.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Ian--thanks so much for this information on activia and all of the other very detailed and well researched info you've provided on probiotics as well as your advice on coping with nausea. it's all been very helpful and informative.


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