Do Probiotics And Digestive Enzymes Really Help?

[Tim86]

I've been on a gluten free diet for 1 month now. So far, I'm not seeing any improvement. I still have "IBS" symptoms. I was thinking about trying some probiotics and/or digestive enzymes. Can anyone tell me:

1) How well did they work for you (specifically what symptoms did they eliminate)?

2) What brands do you recommend?

3) Can I use them both together, or should I start with one or the other?

Also, I've been taking Prilosec for a few years for acid reflux, and I want to get off of it. Can either of these products help with acid reflux, too?

I don't have a Celiac diagnosis yet, but for now, I'll continue on the gluten-free diet. Maybe in the future, if these products help alot, I might experiment with gluten foods again.

[jststric]

I don't know about the enzymes. But, for myself, taking probiotics helped tremendously. My docs around here were fairly clueless as to what was going on with me but she did suggest the probiotics. Caveat though....I am severely lactose intolerant also. Even supplements had some sort of milk or casein in them. I found Kirkman Labs, an online vitamin/supplement website that has ALOT of allergen-free (soy-free, egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free.....etc.) supplements and they also had probiotics (acidophilus). I got some and took two pills daily for 2 weeks and the severe symptoms I was dealing with did greatly improve. I self-diagnosed myself with leaky gut, so I guess that's what was being healed. But since my system isn't getting that good bacteria in any way otherwise I still take one pill daily. I feel like it helps to keep my system functioning as well as it can to help fight all my other food intolerances, glutens being only one.

[Tim86]

Anyone else? There must be some other people who have tried these things.

[mushroom]

I found digestive enzymes extremely helpful. I did a stool test with Diagnos-Techs a year ago which showed a deficiency in pancreatic enzymes, so I took them as a supplement for about six months and intermittently thereafter. I did not need the probiotics so much although do take them when taking antibiotics or in times of stress, because I have yogurt for breakfast every morning. I am 21 months post gluten and really do not need the digestive enzymes any more, although I still do have trouble digesting green salads

[Korwyn]

I've been on a gluten free diet for 1 month now. So far, I'm not seeing any improvement. I still have "IBS" symptoms. I was thinking about trying some probiotics and/or digestive enzymes. Can anyone tell me:

1) How well did they work for you (specifically what symptoms did they eliminate)?

2) What brands do you recommend?

3) Can I use them both together, or should I start with one or the other?

Also, I've been taking Prilosec for a few years for acid reflux, and I want to get off of it. Can either of these products help with acid reflux, too?

I don't have a Celiac diagnosis yet, but for now, I'll continue on the gluten-free diet. Maybe in the future, if these products help alot, I might experiment with gluten foods again.

1) Yes. They were also recommended by my GI dr. There are several things here that you have to realize which is that many of the 'symptoms' may be related to malabsorption issues for various nutrients. One thing the probiotics do is begin to help restore the proper bacterial balance in your digestive systems. The bacteria in your gut are what actually turn the foods into nutrients that pass through your small intestinal wall into your blood stream. But one thing they directly helped with for me was the diarrhea.

2) VitaminShoppe.com has a variety of brands and types to meet various food intolerances and allergies. I use PB8, which you can usually pick up for about $12 per bottle. I take 3 times the normal recommanded amount because I'm on a special diet right now working to rebuild my intestinal system.

3) Yes you can use them both together.

As far as the Prilosec, I was on a number of various meds for acid reflux over the years. Turned out that was a dairy sensitivity. A number of my other symptoms were soy related. As far as my GI symptoms, eliminating all dairy and gluten has cleared my GI issues up completely.

[Tim86]

I can't afford to buy both probiotics and digestive enzymes right now, so I want to start with just one or the other. Which one should I try first?

[Korwyn]

I can't afford to buy both probiotics and digestive enzymes right now, so I want to start with just one or the other. Which one should I try first?

Hmm....have you checked with your Dr? That is a hard question to answer because I'm not a doctor, and I know nothing about your medical history. From my personal response and experience, if I had to pick between one or the other, I would go with the probiotics. But others (like mushroom) might choose differently. Perhaps you could start with one, then switch to the other. If you have been diagnosed with IBS, you probably are dealing with diarrhea, so maybe start with the probiotics for a month then switch to the enzymes?