# Can probiotics cause diarrhea?



## nelly2 (Dec 19, 2003)

For the last 2 days I've been taking Jarro-Dophilus. Today I had the worst diarrhea...horrible. I also started taking fiber. Any clue as to which is the culprit?


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## california123 (Jun 8, 2003)

Well, that is the trick with probiotics. Since they are not required to report anything about side effects, who knows. But I have to say, just reading the ingredients makes me feel nauseous (sp?).From http://www.jarrow.com/products/JarroDophEPS.htm ï¿½ Bifidobacteria longum BB536 (morinaga strain) has been shown to colonize , stimulate immune response and suppress intestinal pathogens. ï¿½ L.rhamnosus R0011 is a unique, high producer of polysaccharides, which facilitate colonization and stimulate intestinal immune response. ï¿½ Lactococcus and Pediococcus help reduce spoilage caused by undesirable bacteria in cultured dairy products.These statements have not been evaluated by the food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.


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## knothappy (Jul 31, 1999)

I am willing to bet it is the fiber--- I cannot take it in no way , shape or form. When I was first diag, with IBS my gastro doc told me to take Fibercon---Yikes-- I had the worse diarreah, worse than the cleansing you do before a colonoscopy!!! If I eat an apple, fiber cereal, or the worse brown fiber bread like Roman Meal I am in the bathroom before I finish the meal. There is a certain kind of Probiotic that contains bifidobacterium or L something or other that a lot of people say it has helped woth D.


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

That's the problem with this. One size definitely does not fit all. I use a fiber mix and bar with soluble, unsoluble, and probiotics and it has provided a welcome extra density to my stools. I think you just have to do your own experiments.Good luck,Mark


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## mooneeeeee (Nov 30, 2003)

Yes! That happened to me, too! I went to the health food store and paid 40 bucks for the "Healthy Trinity" probiotics 3 in 1 system they recommended. I took one and within thirty minutes, I was running to the bathroom and in pain with terrible cramping and D! My gastro doc had given me pancreatic enzymes at one time and they helped with my D for a short time, but like everything I have tried, did not work for more that a couple of weeks.


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## Trudyg (Aug 16, 2002)

My bet would be it was the fiber. Most doctors say take fiber, so we do--and boy do we! We right away take a full dose, then again with lunch and again before bed! With fiber, people with D have to go slow. As in maybe half a dose before bed for several days and see what happens, then maybe half a dose before bed and half a dose at lunch for several days and see what happens, etc. The probiotics are supposed to be what's in your gut anyway. Like the fiber, you should take it slow and NEVER do more than one change at a time. That way you can say "I was fine until that increase in the fiber, so that must be the culprit", then back off for several days again. If it was the probiotics causing trouble, then I would hazard a guess that maybe you had a reaction to some component of it, like the gelatin of the capsule maybe. Maybe too much of the good stuff killed of enough bad stuff that it got sorta toxic? Beats me, I just know that I never know what I'm doing right or wrong and just keep muddling through hoping for the 'right' mix.


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## california123 (Jun 8, 2003)

With all the stuff on those probiotics, why would you think it would be caused by the gelatin of the capsule? That seems to be the most benign part of the whole thing. I do agree, however, that it is important to try one thing at a time so you can know what is helpful or detrimental? Take care all.


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## Trudyg (Aug 16, 2002)

I think it would be the gelatin because all that stuff in the capsule is the same stuff that is supposed to be in your gut anyway. Long scientific name, but it's the good bacteria that a normal intestine contains. That's what pro (good) biotic (life) means. When you take antibiotics or get a stomach bug, the bad bacteria take over and the good ones get overwhelmed (or killed by the antibiotic). The lack of balance is what causes the D, in this case. So, the theory goes, if you replenish the good ones they will kill off or at least subdue the bad ones and you'll get better. My problem with the probiotics is that, once you reestablish the good ones, your D should be gone, but it's not. At least mine is not.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I don't think they would cause diarrhea directly, they are usually given to kids in the third world to help them recover from diarrhea, so they shouldn't do anything directly to cause it.On the other hand....warning biologically based speculation. Are these ones with FOS? THis is a carb that is designed to feed the probiotics, but it might be an issue for some people (it may feed other bacteria, or not be eaten and act like other carbs sometimes do to loosen stools)Another issue is that for some people introducing new bacteria into the ecosystem seems to upset the long term residents and there can be issues until the new steady state is reached. Gas can be an issue for some, and gas can increase diarrhea in some.On the other foot







....ran out of hands...IBS is triggered by lots of things and it could be neither one.Typically I tend to suggest adding one thing at a time just because it is easier to try to see what problems it helps/causes by itself. Standard Sci. proticol. Change one variable at a time.K.


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