# 4x Probiotic compare to Align



## howdo (May 2, 2013)

I was considering taking Align, but I have noticed that many stores (target, walmart, costco) carry a generic version that is much cheaper. It is called 4X Probiotic and Im guessing it is made by one company and each store private labels it. The 4x has the following:

Bif infantis 10 mg (strain SD-5845), compared to 4mg in Align

Probiotic blend 15 mg (3 different B. types)

Has anyone tried this and how does it compare to Align? I was thinking it must be similar since both products have the B. infantis, but they are differnt strains and I wasnt sure if that made a differnce. it seems like all the studies have been based on the strain that Align uses 35624.

what do you think?

thanks


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

I take Align but it doesn't really do that much for me. But, the strain does make a difference. Align is one of the only products that has seem decent research to back it up. I haven't tried the product you mentioned. Why don't you buy it and try it. Even if there were studies supporting it, you never know if it is going to help you until you try it. Maybe you'll get lucky.


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## howdo (May 2, 2013)

I guess I should try it and see if it makes a difference. But my problem has always been trying to find out what is helpful and what is not. Sometimes what i eat seems to matter, sometimes it doesnt. What has happened in the past is i try to introduce something (or eliminate something) for a certian time period maybe a month, and then i'm convinced that it either helps or it doesnt, then at sometime in the future, things change and what i thought initially helped or hurt, seems to have reversed. Anyways, my approach has been to do things that seem to have a high success rate for people with IBS, almost as a perventative maintenance.So I take metamucil every day and I guess I cant say for sure that it helps or hurts, and I was recently taking Culturelle with the same approach.

Maybe this is true of most perople with IBS. Many things can have an effect (diet, stress, etc.) on symptoms, so its hard to tell for sure if something helps unless you can keep the other things relatively constant.


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## pukekonz (Nov 14, 2012)

Probiotics were a massive help to me, I use 24hr home made scd yogurt (using yogurt starter from GI ProHealth), I also use a product from Aus called Candex which has acidophilus and s.boulardi. However if I have any probitoics with bifidus strains I get worse!


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## Faith_In_Jesus_Always (Apr 29, 2013)

I Take A Probiotic Called Florastor I Have Been Taking It For A Couple Of Years Now It Has Been Around A Long Time .

But What Works For Me May Or May Not Work For Someone Else .


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## Jeffrey Roberts (Apr 15, 1987)

howdo,

Align is the only product which has the proprietary good bacteria B. infantis 35624. The others do not contain the same bacteria and have no clinical studies to support that they benefit IBS like Align has shown.

It's a clever marketing ploy; however, Align is one of a kind.

Jeffrey


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

For each species there are a number of strains. It is not known if other strains of the same species have the same effects.

It is one of those things you can say if strain 1 does X then all strains of the same species do X.

It is kind of like if one rose bush has pink flowers you can't be sure all rose bushes will have pink flowers, but probably at least some of them might.


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## sld4949 (Apr 21, 2015)

I use the 4X probiotic from Walgreens. I think it is as good if not better than Align. I have IBS diarrhea,

Note for people who use Culturelle. There are 2 types one with Inulin and one without. It's hard to find the

inulin free Culturelle. Inulin is on the bad FODmap list. It caused intense gas and discomfort when I accidentally

bought the inulin Culturelle.


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