# Probiotics and sugar?



## quamquam (Apr 15, 2013)

I take VSL #3 capsules. The VSL helps with my GERD. I have less reflux when taking the supplement than when I don't take it. Sometimes, if my reflux is making it hard for me to swallow capsules, I empty the powder from the capsules into a glass of water.

What I'm wondering is: What if I were to add sugar to the water? Would the probiotics start breeding, the way that yeast does when it's mixed with sugared water?

I've had a hard time finding information, since Googling "probiotics sugar" and similar queries just brings up results about probiotics and sugar cravings. If anyone can steer me to relevant information, I'd be much obliged.

Has anyone tried or read about anything like this?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Sugar and then immediately take the drink so it would be like taking the pills with a meal?

Or sugar and let it sit around for awhile so the bacteria may come out of stasis and start growing? Like when you proof yeast?

Because you really don't want the bacteria to wake up and start growing because that makes them easier to kill in the stomach acid.


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## Justhealthier (Apr 13, 2013)

I have a question: Since I had all but 10" of my colon taken out in 2010 I have been taking a probiotic and eating Greek yogurt and was put on a high fiber diet.

How is it I now have a bacterial overgrowth? I am a type 2 diabetic in remission my A1c is 5.1%, so my sugar intake is low. I don't understand the intestinal process - I also have an autonomic dysfunction which causes hypo-motility issues.

Thanks in advance for your help. Julie


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

What kind of bacterial overgrowth? Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth aka SIBO? How was it diagnosed?

Sugar is not the only carb that bacteria eat, they eat the fiber, they eat other carbohydrates. SIBO traditionally (before they found it in IBSers) is mostly a disease of people with motility issues in the gut. Either surgery or disease or something kinda major going on (so not the otherwise healthy that most IBSers are).

When the small intestine can't sweep the bacteria out as quickly as it should the bacteria can accumulate. As I said sugar is not the one and only fuel they can eat. And depending on how badly your small intestine can sweep out the bacteria you can, over time, accumulate a fair amount in there.


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## Justhealthier (Apr 13, 2013)

Thanks for responding yes SIBO. I had to have a small bowel follow through and that showed a few things wrong, so my GI doc did a colonoscopy with a balloon to open up the stricture I had. When he was done told me that due to all the fluid in the small bowel loop he knew it was SIBO. Told me to stop my Metamucil, psyllium capsules and stay away from wheat. So there went my high fiber diet. I see him in May to see if the Xifaxan worked. He also said to stay on my low carb diet. I do remembering him saying wheat is no longer my friend.

Wheat and or high fiber helped keep my blood sugars in check and helped me have somewhat normal bowel movements now I wonder what will happen.

So if I may ask SIBO is different than the H-pylori I had 6 years ago? Will I always have a problem with SIBO because of the hypo-motility problem?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

H. Pylori is a really specific bacteria that grows in a highly specialized environment (the acidity of the stomach).

SIBO is usually bacteria that usually live in the colon (sometimes the mouth) and can be many species of bacteria not just a single one.


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