There are a couple old threads and articles on this topic, but I wanted to start a new one to get some current thoughts.
What are people using? What would you recommend?
What has worked best for them?
What are their beliefs around the effectiveness of using them?
I use Natren Healthy Trinity
I like it, I notice it in the following ways:
My bowel movements are TINY…I hope this is indicative of increased nutrient assimilation
I fart like once a week…no joke, I hardly ever have gas on it
I get hungrier faster, which could mean that the bacteria is helping to digest the food.
Ultimately though, its a “health supplement” like Greens or Fish oil–its definitely good to take, but probably wont lead to bigger numbers in the weight room.
Question though: Is it necessary to take these year-round? It seems like periodic supplementation is all that would be needed to maintain healthy levels in the gut. Any insight anyone?
If you would like to save money – as the above product is NOT cheap – I’d suggest using it as a seed culture for ultrapasteurized milk. In other words, use one capsule (it wouldn’t even take that much: a half capsule would be enough) to inoculate an amount of milk that you’d find suitable for a week’s worth of dosing. Simply open the ultrapasteurized milk container, add the content of the capsule, reclose the container, leave out for 12-24 hours, and refrigerate.
I mean, this product costs $5 a capsule. For bacteria that cost them essentially nothing. (There is expense in the refrigeration, to be sure, but… )
I am glad that it works well for you, but would like to see you able to do it a lower cost.
As to whether ongoing use is needed, it would depend on whether these strains in your individual GI tract outcompete other bacteria. Probably not I think, and so ongoing reinforcement would be needed for continued effect. The reason I think probably not is that if they did outcompete other bacteria, then a single at-all-recent exposure to these bacteria would have sufficed.
There is a supplement I use every day (PB-200 or something), it’s just part of my routine.
I don’t notice a difference in how I feel or how my shit looks. But just like Vit D, it’s jsut something that there is enough science behind to not take. I may lapse a week or two after I finish a bottle, and I don’t die.
But all in all I think it’s good to keep things healthy inside and out.
Metagenics Ultra Flora Plus Df is what i use. I amazes me how people put probiotics behnd other supplements in their pyramid of importance…guess what…it really doesnt matter if you are taking in 500 grams of protein if you can only effectively digest 25% of it. your gut health is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR ARSENAL.
They are a lifesaver. I’m taking Primadophilus and Reuteri, both from Nature’s Way. Haven’t tried Reuteri before so I’m curious to see how it goes.
I’ve got no particular product reference, as I get mine from 1-2 daily servings of nonfat greek yogurt and this yogurt-based “dairy dessert” they carry at the local Ralphs (60 cals, 9g pro, 3g sugars). And some occasional kimchi.
And over this past year of strict daily intake of probiotic-rich foods, I’ve also learned I can skip the occasional Metamucil dose and still stay perfect, but NOT vice-versa.
Thus I’ve safely concluded that probiotics > psyllium (in the context of convenience, anyway)
And while I can’t prove it, I do assume better nutrient absorption is also a given.
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
If you would like to save money – as the above product is NOT cheap – I’d suggest using it as a seed culture for ultrapasteurized milk. In other words, use one capsule (it wouldn’t even take that much: a half capsule would be enough) to inoculate an amount of milk that you’d find suitable for a week’s worth of dosing. Simply open the ultrapasteurized milk container, add the content of the capsule, reclose the container, leave out for 12-24 hours, and refrigerate.
I mean, this product costs $5 a capsule. For bacteria that cost them essentially nothing. (There is expense in the refrigeration, to be sure, but… )
I am glad that it works well for you, but would like to see you able to do it a lower cost.
As to whether ongoing use is needed, it would depend on whether these strains in your individual GI tract outcompete other bacteria. Probably not I think, and so ongoing reinforcement would be needed for continued effect. The reason I think probably not is that if they did outcompete other bacteria, then a single at-all-recent exposure to these bacteria would have sufficed.[/quote]
That’s a cool trick, thanks Bill.
Just one problem - what if someone doesn’t drink milk? Are there any good alternatives or is this pretty much it?
I only use probiotics after taking a round of antibiotics after an illness. They seem to help get my energy levels back up quickly.
Great information so far, let’s keep it coming!
I hope Bill comes back to this thread.
I used to take my probiotic–Nature’s Way 15-35–around bed time, assuming that decreased gut transit time due to deep sleep would mean the probiotic could “sit” in my gut longer. Might be some broscience, not sure.
I want to try that again with 5g glutamine to heal the gut, some fiber (FOOS?), and something else. Call it the “night cap gut stack.” Yes, I will market NCGS.
Fermented foods: pickled anything (ginger, garlic, kimchi) with each meal, plus 1 tbsp of ACV.
Bill,
What’s a good, CHEAP source of FOOS? Is that the best kind of prebiotic?
That’s fructo-oligosaccharide, you laymens.
What else could be considered “synergistic” if taken with a probiotic or as a supplement to soothe/heal the gut?
What about sourcrout?
[quote]BiP wrote:
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
If you would like to save money – as the above product is NOT cheap – I’d suggest using it as a seed culture for ultrapasteurized milk. In other words, use one capsule (it wouldn’t even take that much: a half capsule would be enough) to inoculate an amount of milk that you’d find suitable for a week’s worth of dosing. Simply open the ultrapasteurized milk container, add the content of the capsule, reclose the container, leave out for 12-24 hours, and refrigerate.
I mean, this product costs $5 a capsule. For bacteria that cost them essentially nothing. (There is expense in the refrigeration, to be sure, but… )
I am glad that it works well for you, but would like to see you able to do it a lower cost.
As to whether ongoing use is needed, it would depend on whether these strains in your individual GI tract outcompete other bacteria. Probably not I think, and so ongoing reinforcement would be needed for continued effect. The reason I think probably not is that if they did outcompete other bacteria, then a single at-all-recent exposure to these bacteria would have sufficed.[/quote]
That’s a cool trick, thanks Bill.
Just one problem - what if someone doesn’t drink milk? Are there any good alternatives or is this pretty much it?[/quote]
I guess homemade cheese making would work: there are some cheeses that are eaten within very short periods of being made.
Or, if the problem is one of not wanting to drink much milk rather than wishing to drink no milk, then it would take rather little of the above prepartion to equal a capsule of the purchased probiotic.
[quote]PonceDeLeon wrote:
I hope Bill comes back to this thread.
I used to take my probiotic–Nature’s Way 15-35–around bed time, assuming that decreased gut transit time due to deep sleep would mean the probiotic could “sit” in my gut longer. Might be some broscience, not sure.
I want to try that again with 5g glutamine to heal the gut, some fiber (FOOS?), and something else. Call it the “night cap gut stack.” Yes, I will market NCGS.
Fermented foods: pickled anything (ginger, garlic, kimchi) with each meal, plus 1 tbsp of ACV.
Bill,
What’s a good, CHEAP source of FOOS? Is that the best kind of prebiotic?
That’s fructo-oligosaccharide, you laymens.
What else could be considered “synergistic” if taken with a probiotic or as a supplement to soothe/heal the gut?[/quote]
I don’t know if one can obtain inulin in small quantities at a good price, but in bulk it’s not an expensive ingredient.
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
I guess homemade cheese making would work: there are some cheeses that are eaten within very short periods of being made.
Or, if the problem is one of not wanting to drink much milk rather than wishing to drink no milk, then it would take rather little of the above prepartion to equal a capsule of the purchased probiotic.[/quote]
I don’t really have problems with small quantities of milk (more than a glass a day on a daily basis resulted in lots of zits on my back last time…) so that should be fine. Does 1 capsule in 1l of milk consumed over a week sound somewhat reasonable?
Thanks.
[quote]BiP wrote:
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
I guess homemade cheese making would work: there are some cheeses that are eaten within very short periods of being made.
Or, if the problem is one of not wanting to drink much milk rather than wishing to drink no milk, then it would take rather little of the above prepartion to equal a capsule of the purchased probiotic.[/quote]
I don’t really have problems with small quantities of milk (more than a glass a day on a daily basis resulted in lots of zits on my back last time…) so that should be fine. Does 1 capsule in 1l of milk consumed over a week sound somewhat reasonable?
Thanks.[/quote]
Yes. Even 1/7 liter (very roughly 4 ounces) portions of milk treated this way should have much more of the bacteria than are present per one capsule. So in other words, each day you’d be getting more from the milk than from taking another of the far-more-expensive capsules.
Probiotics rock. Right now I’m taking New Chapter All-Flora. The first day I took it I noticed the cleanest shits ever, which is like, the best thing in the world. I believe it is best to take probiotics on an empty stomach.
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Yes. Even 1/7 liter (very roughly 4 ounces) portions of milk treated this way should have much more of the bacteria than are present per one capsule. So in other words, each day you’d be getting more from the milk than from taking another of the far-more-expensive capsules.
[/quote]
Great. I might give it a try soon. Thanks Bill!
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
Probiotics rock. Right now I’m taking New Chapter All-Flora. The first day I took it I noticed the cleanest shits ever, which is like, the best thing in the world. I believe it is best to take probiotics on an empty stomach.[/quote]
This is the exact product I was looking at. I take a couple other products from New Chapter and really respect the quality that they put into all of them.
Sounds like you would strongly recommended All-Flora? Any other tips than on an empty stomach?
[quote]WestCoast7 wrote:
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
Probiotics rock. Right now I’m taking New Chapter All-Flora. The first day I took it I noticed the cleanest shits ever, which is like, the best thing in the world. I believe it is best to take probiotics on an empty stomach.[/quote]
This is the exact product I was looking at. I take a couple other products from New Chapter and really respect the quality that they put into all of them.
Sounds like you would strongly recommended All-Flora? Any other tips than on an empty stomach?[/quote]
Yes, the probiotics I have used is All-Flora, and the Metagenics one that morepain posted about. Both are good. There’s also Jarro-Dophilus which I haven’t tried yet. Other than taking it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, no other tips needed.