Why Not Probiotics?

[gaceff]

The use of probiotics was highly recommanded by all my doctors, since the friendly bacteria are always needed when our digestion is impaired.

So, full of hope, I started with Lactobacillus acidophilus and saccharomices boulardii, both which are known for helping digestion and vitamin absorbtion.

But! After several days of taking them I felt worse and worse, with severe nausea and diarheea. I paused taking them for some days. Then, again, with the same unpleasant effects.

The products I use are with moderate-low probiotic dosage, and are gluten free.

What happens?

Aren't probiotics supposed to have benefic effects ONLY?

[seeking-wholeness]

Andrew,

Open Original Shared Link is a page that may help explain why the probiotics you are taking are not behaving as you expected. I hope you find it informative reading, and I hope you feel better soon!

[gaceff]

I happen to have blood Type B, which is supposed to be the most probiotic compatible.

Yet, I do encounter negative effects when ingesting them.

A general medicine doctor told me that a possible explanation would be this: the lactobacilus creates a highly acid environment in my bowels, which is bad for inflamated bowels and especially the duodenum, a delicate part for celiacs.

What do you think of this?

[seeking-wholeness]

Andrew,

I don't know enough about the subject to comment on your doctor's theory, but here's something that occurred to me after I posted my previous response: might you be sensitive to yeast? Lactobacillus acidophilus is a bacterium, but Saccharomyces boulardii is a YEAST. It might be worth checking for a yeast intolerance or allergy! I hope you manage to find a probiotic product that doesn't give you such unpleasant side effects. Good luck!

[gaceff]

I was not aware that yeast can have negative effects on the GI tract when used in moderate quantities. I this is the case, then rice bread may also be banned from my future diet. Yikes.

[seeking-wholeness]

Andrew, I think it depends on the person, like so many other things do. Some people are sensitive to yeast; others aren't. Being celiacs, we have damaged and leaky intestines, which significantly elevates our risk for immune reactions to pretty much any food we eat.

[Guest LisaB]

Andrew,

I know this discussion took place awhile back, but I just found this info on the Primal Defence site, it may be what you went thru I don't know. It said:

  Quote

Many probiotics have included fructooligosaccharides (FOS) in their product. FOS is an indigestible sugar that may cause digestive disturbances in certain individuals. Primal Defense contains no FOS.

If you already have this resolved, great, if you want to look into the above info then here is the link: Open Original Shared Link

Hope your doing well.

[SteveW]

I've been reading the ingedients for primal defense and it says-

Organic "Superfoods" Matrix (spirulina, chlorella, dunaliella, kamut grass, barley grass, oat grass, alfalfa grass)

Is this product Celiac safe?

[Kim]

I take Culturelle as my probiotic and it is gluten free.

I was warned that the first week or two of taking probiotic, you can have diarrhea, but after that you normalize..

Good luck.

Kim.

[taneil]

Primal Defense does not contain gluten. It says it plainly on the bottle and I trust this company. IF you notice the list, it says (spirulina, chlorella, dunaliella, kamut grass, barley grass, oat grass, alfalfa grass). When these cereal grasses are sprouted, the gluten is used up and so they do not contain gluten. I believe most, if not all, of the Garden of Life products are gluten free. This is a very reputable company.

[SteveW]

teneil

I'm glad PD is working for you and you trust the company. I have tried many products labeled gluten-free and have spent plenty of wasted hours in the bathroom dealing with the aftermath. Maybe I'm just a little less trusting when I see the words oat and barley on the label. Grass or no grass.

I recently tried a digestive product labeled gluten-free that had Barley Grass as an ingredient-I over looked this trusting the label and was hit very hard.

I'm not a farmer or scientist so I'm not even going to pretend to understand the life cycle of wheat barley and oats. My policy is if it starts out as a bad grain, no matter what it turns into, its off limits.

I've seen that wheat grass is a no no. Is this untrue?

You seem very defensive of this product. Maybe I'm just reading you response wrong? IF not...oh well. I think its a valid question.

[Guest LisaB]

Steve,

It is a valid question, and something I want to make sure of myself. Others that have Celiac I know are on this product, put I hadn't checked into the ingrediants myself yet, I just saw that info on the undigestable sugar and thought I should post that.

Later in the facts area is says:

  Quote

Can Celiac or gluten sensitive people take Perfect Food

[Guest LisaB]

Oh, I forgot, they also have Fungal Defense for Candida that doesn't look like it contains the greens and might be a good first product to try. We probably all have a good case of Candida going on in our intestines since that is a common infection and we are prime candidates. This formula also has the probiotics and the right added enzymes to fight all infections, not just Candida...viruses and bacteria surround themselves with a protein layer to avoid the immune system, so the protein enzymes included in this formula would do the job of ridding them of that and the carb enzymes would help with Candida or general carb digestion. Looks good to me.

[taneil]

SteveW,

I am sorry if I sounded defensive about Primal Defense. My husband tells me that I state things that I have an opinion about in defensive ways, even though I don't mean to. I guess I do the same in writing. Sorry about that. I also have to confess that I do not take Primal Defense and never have. I am nursing my baby still and am not sure if I should take it or not because of the baby. But I would take it if I was not nursing. My other confession is that I am Gluten Intolerant, but have never had bad intestinal problems like a lot of Gluten Intolerant people. So even if I do ingest gluten, I don't necessarily know it until I get fatigued and mood swings which are my symptoms of gluten intolerance.

So I am sorry for sounding defensive about primal defense. I have read "The Makers Diet" By Jordan S. Rubin who does the Garden of Life products and from everything I have read, I have been very impressed and believe that he has good products. I have taken the Perfect Food with the Cereal grasses in it, but stopped because it has chorella which I believe was upsetting my babies tummy, but it did not give me any problems personally.

Please forgive me for coming across the way I did.

[christiane]

  gaceff said:

The use of probiotics was highly recommanded by all my doctors, since the friendly bacteria are always needed when our digestion is impaired.

So, full of hope, I started with Lactobacillus acidophilus and saccharomices boulardii, both which are known for helping digestion and vitamin absorbtion.

But! After several days of taking them I felt worse and worse, with severe nausea and diarheea. I paused taking them for some days. Then, again, with the same unpleasant effects.

The products I use are with moderate-low probiotic dosage, and are gluten free.

What happens?

Aren't probiotics supposed to have benefic effects ONLY?

hi!

i m having the same problem.i m diagnosed with celiacs disease chrons disease and colitis.i tried several times to take probiotics and it made the situation much worse.was the lactic acid in your case really the reason?or is there another reason why people with an inflamed colon cant tolerate probiotics?is it possible that we are having an autoimmunreaction to the gut flora?if its just because of the lactic acid it should be possible to take small amounts of probiotics.

christiane