Probiotic - Which is the Best?

[anyana]

Hello all - I would like to get some probiotics tomorrow, but I know when I get to the store they will have so many to choose from.  I have heard that it's good to find one that has different strains (not sure if that's the right word), and obviously gluten free. Other than that, I'm not sure where to start!

If it helps, the stores that are closest are Whole Foods, Sprouts, and King Soopers (Kroger). Thank you!

P.S. I did search the forums but didn't see anything within the past two or three years - sorry if this is repetitive from someone else's question.

[Positron]

7 minutes ago, anyana said:

Hello all - I would like to get some probiotics tomorrow, but I know when I get to the store they will have so many to choose from.  I have heard that it's good to find one that has different strains (not sure if that's the right word), and obviously gluten free. Other than that, I'm not sure where to start!

If it helps, the stores that are closest are Whole Foods, Sprouts, and King Soopers (Kroger). Thank you!

P.S. I did search the forums but didn't see anything within the past two or three years - sorry if this is repetitive from someone else's question.

Once you stop eating gluten, and give your gut time to heal, you will not need probiotics.  Yes they can help with some symptoms, but they are not the answer.  I used them, and thought they were important, however they are not the cure, not eating the wrong foods is the answer. Thus you need less, not more.

[anyana]

That may be true, but I have heard many good things about probiotics, especially at the beginning of going gluten-free. I am only a week gluten free, so I'd like to help the process along right now.  Thanks.

[Positron]

6 minutes ago, anyana said:

That may be true, but I have heard many good things about probiotics, especially at the beginning of going gluten-free. I am only a week gluten free, so I'd like to help the process along right now.  Thanks.

Probiotics are just bacteria, that grow in your gut.  They are all the same, once they get there they multiply, buy the pills not yogurt, I bought mine in Walgreens, don't remember what type they were but the varieties of bacteria are listed on the box, more is better, but paying more is not because once they are present they just continue to grow.  However there is nothing that you need to take to treat this condition, what you need to do is learn to avoid the wrong things.

[anyana]

Again, thank you for your input. I am obviously concentrating on my diet and eating the right food given my diagnosis.

I am simply asking if anyone has a favorite brand. I don't need a lecture on if I should/should not use them. Thanks.

[Positron]

27 minutes ago, anyana said:

Again, thank you for your input. I am obviously concentrating on my diet and eating the right food given my diagnosis.

I am simply asking if anyone has a favorite brand. I don't need a lecture on if I should/should not use them. Thanks.

You misunderstood, all the brands contain bacteria.                      Open Original Shared Link  I used this with good luck, but now since I learned what I was doing wrong, they are not needed. 

[cyclinglady]

Hi Anyana! 

This year, Columbia University reported that many probiotics actually contained gluten!   GI doctors recommending Probiotics found that their celiac patients were not getting better.    Research this news/report more by googling.  I would recommend taking a certified gluten-free probiotic until you have found one that is not certified but safe!  I use Country Life.  It is certified, meaning that the product has been tested.  I also have used Bio-K which must be refrigerated and is also certified gluten-free.  It is based in either milk, soy or rice.  My doctor recommended this product after a course of antibiotics.   It can be found in health food stores.  

Here is the report:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

 

[anyana]

Cyclinglady, thank you very much! That is very helpful.  It's scary that they label something as gluten-free when in fact it really isn't.  I will look for the brands you suggested - thanks again.

[Positron]

10 hours ago, cyclinglady said:

Hi Anyana! 

This year, Columbia University reported that many probiotics actually contained gluten!   GI doctors recommending Probiotics found that their celiac patients were not getting better.    Research this news/report more by googling.  I would recommend taking a certified gluten-free probiotic until you have found one that is not certified but safe!  I use Country Life.  It is certified, meaning that the product has been tested.  I also have used Bio-K which must be refrigerated and is also certified gluten-free.  It is based in either milk, soy or rice.  My doctor recommended this product after a course of antibiotics.   It can be found in health food stores.  

Here is the report:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

 

No probiotic can make a patient better.  There is no medicine for celiac disease, to treat the disease you must stop consuming gluten.  Also if you need a probiotic, you are still not gluten free.  No doctor prescribes probiotics to cure gluten disorder, if they do they are quacks. 

[cyclinglady]

53 minutes ago, Positron said:

No probiotic can make a patient better.  There is no medicine for celiac disease, to treat the disease you must stop consuming gluten.  Also if you need a probiotic, you are still not gluten free.  No doctor prescribes probiotics to cure gluten disorder, if they do they are quacks. 

Probiotics can not heal a person who has celiac disease.    BUT they can help with other health issues as has been documented in scientific studies.   

Open Original Shared Link

Celiacs tend to have more than one issue going on.  I took iron supplements for my anemia which was a result from having celiac disease.  I also have taken other minerals and vitamins to help possibly with my osteoporosis diagnosis that resulted from celiac disease too.  I followed my doctor's advice and studied my own lab test results which indicated that I needed this supplementation.  

We do not know that is going on with the original poster in terms of her health.  We can only offer help or advice based on our personal experiences.  

[anyana]

I am quite frankly surprised and disappointed by the rude response from Positron.  I am obviously newly diagnosed and asking questions in a respectful nature, and I don't need you calling my doctors 'quacks' - I never said ANYTHING about a probiotic curing me.  I am a well-educated person who is trying to learn all I can about this disease and how to treat it, and I would appreciate you showing a little more respect - or just not answering at all.

[squirmingitch]

1 hour ago, anyana said:

I am quite frankly surprised and disappointed by the rude response from Positron.  I am obviously newly diagnosed and asking questions in a respectful nature, and I don't need you calling my doctors 'quacks' - I never said ANYTHING about a probiotic curing me.  I am a well-educated person who is trying to learn all I can about this disease and how to treat it, and I would appreciate you showing a little more respect - or just not answering at all.

And I agree with this. Positron has been posting on many threads in an inflammatory manner. It makes me wonder if Positron is a troll.

anyana, Please do not think this kind of thing is normal here and it will not be tolerated for long. I apologize on behalf of the entire community here for the treatment Positron has exhibited. 

[notme]

mleh, maybe a moderator will take care of this  rude needs to take it somewhere else.  not to mention, *terrible* advice on many different topics.  

i use culturelle with no issues, although i have switched off to different brands (walgreens store brand and another brand - both labeled gluten free.  when you start using it, your gut will sound like a war zone - i was alarmed at first until i *read the directions* lolz - it takes about 2 weeks for your gut to normalize.  if you (like i was) have always been prone to catch any and every virus or infection (pneumonia for me every year prior to being diagnosed with celiac - none NONE since - YAY!!) that you were required to take mega-antibiotics for, chances are your flora needs repopulating with the 'good' bacteria that probiotics provide.  

welcome to the forum   and please do not consider one person's behavior as a reflection of the tone of this board.   

[Positron]

4 hours ago, notme! said:

mleh, maybe a moderator will take care of this  rude needs to take it somewhere else.  not to mention, *terrible* advice on many different topics.  

i use culturelle with no issues, although i have switched off to different brands (walgreens store brand and another brand - both labeled gluten free.  when you start using it, your gut will sound like a war zone - i was alarmed at first until i *read the directions* lolz - it takes about 2 weeks for your gut to normalize.  if you (like i was) have always been prone to catch any and every virus or infection (pneumonia for me every year prior to being diagnosed with celiac - none NONE since - YAY!!) that you were required to take mega-antibiotics for, chances are your flora needs repopulating with the 'good' bacteria that probiotics provide.  

welcome to the forum   and please do not consider one person's behavior as a reflection of the tone of this board.   

I think the real point is that once a person goes completely gluten free, that there is no need to take any medications.  That said there are no medications for gluten intolerance, all you can and need to do is to stop eating gluten.  I actually used probiotics for about 6 months, but now I am completely healed, and take no medications at all.  Diet is the only key.

[icelandgirl]

Hi anyana,

I take Florajen 3 and really like it.  It's not stored in the shelves at the store, rather in the pharmacy in a refrigerator.   It's the best one I've used for sure.  If you go to their websites you can find a store that sells it in your area.

Welcome to the board!  I hope that you will stick around!

[anyana]

Thanks guys! I won't let one bad apple ruin the bunch.

On cyclinglady's advice, I am trying out Country Life.  Do you guys agree with the label that it should be taken with a meal? I ask because I don't eat till I get to work, a couple of hours after I leave the house (so, it would be more convenient to take on an empty stomach before I leave). 

Thanks again.

[kareng]

49 minutes ago, Kashmir said:

49 minutes ago, Kashmir said:

I think the real point is that once a person goes completely gluten free, that there is no need to take any medications.  That said there are no medications for gluten intolerance, all you can and need to do is to stop eating gluten.  I actually used probiotics for about 6 months, but now I am completely healed, and take no medications at all.  Diet is the only key.

 

Now you are saying it in a nicer way. 

 

Sometimes people do need something to help get their GI system back in working order.  Probiotics or yogurt are a way some people add the beneficial bacteria back into a ravaged system.  I don't think anyone told her or she thought that probiotics would "cure" her Celiac disease or allow her to eat gluten with impunity.

[Positron]

1 hour ago, kareng said:

Now you are saying it in a nicer way. 

 

Sometimes people do need something to help get their GI system back in working order.  Probiotics or yogurt are a way some people add the beneficial bacteria back into a ravaged system.  I don't think anyone told her or she thought that probiotics would "cure" her Celiac disease or allow her to eat gluten with impunity.

I am not a fan of yogurt, not that I do not like it as I do. However one pill that contains no calories has more and more types of bacteria than does a gallon of yogurt, also yogurt contains lactose which is poison for me and many others who had their guts damaged by gluten.  The really bad thing with yogurt is that if you use it for this purpose you run the risk of overeating.  Still more important, if you need drugs to maintain your gluten problems, the reason for this is likely that you are still eating the wrong foods.

[squirmingitch]

Some of us NEED to eat or as you say overeat as we are way too skinny and can benefit from the yogurt & the fats it carries. Rarely does a celiac go gluten free & magically overnight they are healed or don't need probiotics. This is not a one size fits all situation Kashmir and what worked for you does not necessarily work for everyone or work as rapidly. And what drugs are you talking about?

[kareng]

42 minutes ago, Kashmir said:

I am not a fan of yogurt, not that I do not like it as I do. However one pill that contains no calories has more and more types of bacteria than does a gallon of yogurt, also yogurt contains lactose which is poison for me and many others who had their guts damaged by gluten.  The really bad thing with yogurt is that if you use it for this purpose you run the risk of overeating.  Still more important, if you need drugs to maintain your gluten problems, the reason for this is likely that you are still eating the wrong foods.

All we are talking about is some probiotics to help her heal.  Once again, no one is saying the probiotics are to allow her to keep eating gluten.  She is new and wants to get her intestinal bacteria back to a  normal, balance state.  

[cyclinglady]

5 hours ago, anyana said:

Thanks guys! I won't let one bad apple ruin the bunch.

On cyclinglady's advice, I am trying out Country Life.  Do you guys agree with the label that it should be taken with a meal? I ask because I don't eat till I get to work, a couple of hours after I leave the house (so, it would be more convenient to take on an empty stomach before I leave). 

Thanks again.

Take it with food.  Just bring some with you to work. 

[Positron]

9 hours ago, squirmingitch said:

Some of us NEED to eat or as you say overeat as we are way too skinny and can benefit from the yogurt & the fats it carries. Rarely does a celiac go gluten free & magically overnight they are healed or don't need probiotics. This is not a one size fits all situation Kashmir and what worked for you does not necessarily work for everyone or work as rapidly. And what drugs are you talking about?

99 percent of all whole food is gluten free, so there is no food shortage for celiacs.  Yogurt as I said contains lactose which is very hard for people who had their intestine damaged by gluten to digest, lactose is poison for me, as is gluten so I can not take the advise to eat yogurt without great pain.  That said once I stopped eating the wrong foods, I no longer needed probiotics.  The answer is your diet, and you need to be tough with yourself.

[squirmingitch]

55 minutes ago, Kashmir said:

99 percent of all whole food is gluten free, so there is no food shortage for celiacs.  Yogurt as I said contains lactose which is very hard for people who had their intestine damaged by gluten to digest, lactose is poison for me, as is gluten so I can not take the advise to eat yogurt without great pain.  That said once I stopped eating the wrong foods, I no longer needed probiotics.  The answer is your diet, and you need to be tough with yourself.

Some of us don't have any problem with lactose. Some of us can eat certain dairy items right off the bat, some of us have to avoid all dairy right off the bat. The OP will find out by herself. If she's okay with dairy or with yogurt then there is no need for her to avoid it. If she can eat it, she will be getting some nice calcium. Again I say, with the exception of not eating gluten, one size does not always fit all. 

[kareng]

2 hours ago, Kashmir said:

99 percent of all whole food is gluten free, so there is no food shortage for celiacs.  Yogurt as I said contains lactose which is very hard for people who had their intestine damaged by gluten to digest, lactose is poison for me, as is gluten so I can not take the advise to eat yogurt without great pain.  That said once I stopped eating the wrong foods, I no longer needed probiotics.  The answer is your diet, and you need to be tough with yourself.

No one said YOU had to eat yogurt.  No one said she wasn't eating gluten free and being " tough with herself".            

 

And yogurt is usually considered low lactose

[annalaurabrown]

Yes diet is crucial. However, I've found that probiotics really help me and a lot of people and I'm one of those who can't have dairy products. However, it is also good to rotate which probiotics and probiotic foods you eat. For example 1 month you take a pill, the next month you drink kambucha, the next month you eat more pickles, and other fermented vegetables etc. Also it is very highly recommended by a lot of doctors that you take a probiotic either during or for 10 days after any antibiotic. No they don't make it so you can eat gluten, they just help support your digestive system and good bacteria in your gut overall. As far as the best one, there are several brands I've used that are gluten free. If you are confused about what to take, I recommend asking a chiropractor, naturopath, acupuncturist or other natural health care provider. I took one for over a year that I got from an acupuncture clinic that was great. Many times they have access to higher quality brands you can't just get at the store. Also I heard from a friend that you can get a really high strength one from the pharmacy at Costco and you don't need a prescription or a membership to Costco even to get it.