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Enzymes And Probiotics?


CGally81

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CGally81 Enthusiast

I had heard so much about digestive enzymes and probiotics helping my fellow celiacs, so any ideas as to what I should get?

How does the one at this site sound?

Open Original Shared Link

It's CHEWABLE, which is a huge deal for me, as I can't swallow pills. Sure I can chew pills in powder form, but I'd rather avoid it if I can.

Anyway, what are the health benefits of taking this? I still plan to avoid gluten as much as humanly possible, but would this help if I'm accidentally glutened somehow? The site claims it helps support GI tract health, so is that why so many celiacs take these?

Yeah, I know $30 may be a bit expensive for a month's worth of chewables, but hey, that's only the cost of a Nintendo DS game a month. Plus I'm not that spendthrifty with my money overall anyway, so I'll gladly spend what I need to for my health.


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ENF Enthusiast

That's an expensive product. You could buy it in capsules, and sprinkle it on your food - it's a lot cheaper. I use Kyo-Dophilus Probiotics, it's gluten free and non-dairy as well. They recommend two a day, which comes out to about 20 cents a day. I only take it once a day.

CGally81 Enthusiast
That's an expensive product. You could buy it in capsules, and sprinkle it on your food - it's a lot cheaper. I use Kyo-Dophilus Probiotics, it's gluten free and non-dairy as well. They recommend two a day, which comes out to about 20 cents a day. I only take it once a day.

Since you only take it once a day, I take it that's all I need? Take it once in the morning, and then during the rest of the day, should I accidentally consume small amounts of gluten, it'll digest it for me or help it not break through my intestine? And heal my GI tract at the same time?

ENF Enthusiast
Since you only take it once a day, I take it that's all I need? Take it once in the morning, and then during the rest of the day, should I accidentally consume small amounts of gluten, it'll digest it for me or help it not break through my intestine? And heal my GI tract at the same time?

It helps prevent D to a certain extent, for me at least. I don't know it if can heal the gut, but I am certain that it can't "digest" gluten, or protect against glutenings.

CGally81 Enthusiast
It helps prevent D to a certain extent, for me at least. I don't know it if can heal the gut, but I am certain that it can't "digest" gluten, or protect against glutenings.

I read on another site where someone else with celiac took digestive enzymes and continued to eat gluten, he stopped having "glutening" symptoms. On the other hand, he did suffer gluten withdrawal when he stopped taking both.

For those of us who have a problem with casein, does this help against casein? Or other possible food intolerances? I am thinking of getting this, if it helps repair the gut as part of its function.

Wolicki Enthusiast
I read on another site where someone else with celiac took digestive enzymes and continued to eat gluten, he stopped having "glutening" symptoms. On the other hand, he did suffer gluten withdrawal when he stopped taking both.

For those of us who have a problem with casein, does this help against casein? Or other possible food intolerances? I am thinking of getting this, if it helps repair the gut as part of its function.

If I am on the wrong track here, feel free to tell me to go away :D It seems to me that you are in complete and total denial. If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease, you have no choice but to do a life long gluten-free diet if you want to feel better. If you are lactose or casein intolerant, do not eat things with these ingredients. It will make you sick! Stop looking for a short cut, because until they come up with a vaccine or something, you are wasting your time and you are not going to feel well. It's a difficult adjustment, but it's doable, you just need to commit to it full time, not part way.

So having said that, for most people, probioitics will help to regulate your elimination and also help your gut heal (ub tnot if you keep getting glutened). Enzymes help your body to process food, because your intestines are not able to do the job efficiently until they are healed.

CGally81 Enthusiast
If I am on the wrong track here, feel free to tell me to go away :D It seems to me that you are in complete and total denial. If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease, you have no choice but to do a life long gluten-free diet if you want to feel better. If you are lactose or casein intolerant, do not eat things with these ingredients. It will make you sick! Stop looking for a short cut, because until they come up with a vaccine or something, you are wasting your time and you are not going to feel well. It's a difficult adjustment, but it's doable, you just need to commit to it full time, not part way.

So having said that, for most people, probioitics will help to regulate your elimination and also help your gut heal (ub tnot if you keep getting glutened). Enzymes help your body to process food, because your intestines are not able to do the job efficiently until they are healed.

Even though I don't intend to ever "cheat" on a diet related to my health, I'm not offended by your attitude. Sometimes you need to just tell it like it is.

Trust me, I have no desire to intentionally consume gluten or anything else that might gluten me even AFTER a vaccine is invented. (I have autism, so gluten would affect me in a different, but much less severe, way. For many autistics, gluten-containing foods are like an addictive drug to some extent)

However, look at this: https://www.celiac.com/articles/21574/1/Die...ease/Page1.html

From the article (which is from this site):

Because probiotic bacteria have been shown to digest gluten proteins to harmless peptides, supplementation with probiotics may be beneficial for people with celiac disease.

In this study, B. lactis was able to inhibit permeability caused by gliadin. Additionally, both B. lactis and L. fermentum were able to protect against cell ruffling and alterations in tight junctions.

Researchers concluded that Bifidobacterium lactis may be a useful addition to a gluten-free diet. Supplementation with this probiotic appears to be able to reduce the damage caused by eating gluten-contaminated foods and may even accelerate healing after initiating a gluten-free diet. It is important to note the researchers do not suggest that supplementation with probiotics could take the place of a gluten-free diet in the treatment of celiac disease.

I bolded that last part because I'm aware that this is something I can't cheat on. However, I see this as a potential big help lest I accidentally consume a small amount of gluten that might otherwise have a big effect on me.

So, it is looking like some form of probiotics can protect against accidentally glutening, but can not be used to intentionally cheat. I don't intend to cheat on my lifelong diet, but if this protects me against gluten cross contamination or any "accidents", I fully intend to use it.

Are they any specific probiotics you might recommend to help with that?


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ENF Enthusiast

Bifidobacterium lactis, in your link, looks interesting, even though it hasn't been proven in human trials to help Celiacs with gluten. There might be a type of probiotic that has it. Mine doesn't, probably because it's a vegetarian product.

Another thing that I sometimes use is DPP IV (dipeptidyl peptidase), a protease enzyme forumla. I take it when I eat out at restaurants with a gluten free menu, just as insurance against cross contamination. It's also supposed to help with casein. I can't say for sure whether it works for me, but until they come out with something better I'll continue to use it.

CGally81 Enthusiast
Bifidobacterium lactis, in your link, looks interesting, even though it hasn't been proven in human trials to help Celiacs with gluten. There might be a type of probiotic that has it. Mine doesn't, probably because it's a vegetarian product.

Another thing that I sometimes use is DPP IV (dipeptidyl peptidase), a protease enzyme forumla. I take it when I eat out at restaurants with a gluten free menu, just as insurance against cross contamination. It's also supposed to help with casein. I can't say for sure whether it works for me, but until they come out with something better I'll continue to use it.

Awesome.

So would this: Open Original Shared Link help?

I can't swallow pills. I can break them into powder and eat the powder, but I'd rather not. Anything chewable is what I'd prefer. Would you recommend this product?

Oh, and before you comment on this statement: "May be used as a companion or alternative to the gluten-free/casein-free diet", bear in mind that I intended to use it as a companion, not a replacement!

How about this: Open Original Shared Link

It looks cheap. $9 for 60. You think it's any good?

ENF Enthusiast
Awesome.

So would this: Open Original Shared Link help?

I can't swallow pills. I can break them into powder and eat the powder, but I'd rather not. Anything chewable is what I'd prefer. Would you recommend this product?

Oh, and before you comment on this statement: "May be used as a companion or alternative to the gluten-free/casein-free diet", bear in mind that I intended to use it as a companion, not a replacement!

How about this: Open Original Shared Link

It looks cheap. $9 for 60. You think it's any good?

I've never tried the DPP -IV product in your link, but they mention Houston Pharmacuticals which is where I think the original line was developed. I don't think that there is a chewable DPP-IV. The only DPP-IV products that I've had are from Kirkman, and BioCore. I switched to BioCore because they're cheaper. They are in capsules, and you can order them from Amazon.

I'm not familiar with the probiotic that you mentioned, on the bottom. It looks like it has the right stuff in it, so I may try it if it's dairy-free. Good find.

CGally81 Enthusiast
I've never tried the DPP -IV product in your link, but they mention Houston Pharmacuticals which is where I think the original line was developed. I don't think that there is a chewable DPP-IV. The only DPP-IV products that I've had are from Kirkman, and BioCore. I switched to BioCore because they're cheaper. They are in capsules, and you can order them from Amazon.

I'm not familiar with the probiotic that you mentioned, on the bottom. It looks like it has the right stuff in it, so I may try it if it's dairy-free. Good find.

The instructions on the top one explicitly say to chew, and it's called chewable. I think I might try it.

As for the bottom one, it says it contains lactose, so it's part dairy.

Any potential side effects for these? I've been gluten-free since August and recovered my ability to tolerate milk and fructose. That a sign that damage has been recovered? Therefore, I'm hoping this won't hurt anything when I eat it.

Wolicki Enthusiast
The instructions on the top one explicitly say to chew, and it's called chewable. I think I might try it.

As for the bottom one, it says it contains lactose, so it's part dairy.

Any potential side effects for these? I've been gluten-free since August and recovered my ability to tolerate milk and fructose. That a sign that damage has been recovered? Therefore, I'm hoping this won't hurt anything when I eat it.

I have never heard of any side effects from probiotics. I prefer enzymes with lots of lipase, because that helps digest fats. I can tolerate a bit of dairy now, but I always take an enzyme with nut butter, salads and dairy. n the probiotics if you don't mind the taste of the chewable, go for it. If there's a big price difference, just open a capsule and mix it in a drink or sprinkle it in your cereal.

CGally81 Enthusiast
I have never heard of any side effects from probiotics. I prefer enzymes with lots of lipase, because that helps digest fats. I can tolerate a bit of dairy now, but I always take an enzyme with nut butter, salads and dairy. n the probiotics if you don't mind the taste of the chewable, go for it. If there's a big price difference, just open a capsule and mix it in a drink or sprinkle it in your cereal.

Now, do you always have to take with a meal? Or can you take 1 in the morning when you wake up, and one when you get home from work?

CGally81 Enthusiast
I've never tried the DPP -IV product in your link, but they mention Houston Pharmacuticals which is where I think the original line was developed. I don't think that there is a chewable DPP-IV. The only DPP-IV products that I've had are from Kirkman, and BioCore. I switched to BioCore because they're cheaper. They are in capsules, and you can order them from Amazon.

I'm not familiar with the probiotic that you mentioned, on the bottom. It looks like it has the right stuff in it, so I may try it if it's dairy-free. Good find.

Here's another one.

Open Original Shared Link

It's said to not have any allergins in it, and is made for the most sensitive individual. Would you recommend this? Would it work with gluten, casein and soy? (Just in case I have problems with those last two)

tmbarke Apprentice

I'm finding this subject to be very interesting

And I have a question.

Enzymes -

I notice some foods have this in the ingredient label

Are these enzymes safe? Or are the enzymes you're talking about a different type altogether?

I'm only a week into this and strive to be gluten free for life regardless of the struggles and frustration.

You are my mentors and without you - I go bonkers!

Wolicki Enthusiast
Now, do you always have to take with a meal? Or can you take 1 in the morning when you wake up, and one when you get home from work?

I take 2 probiotic caps every morning with breakfast. Enzymes should be taken with every meal, preferably about 20 minutes before you eat, otherwise with the frist bite. Otherwise, they can't do their job. I keep a little ziploc bag in my pocket with them so I dont forget.

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