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Choosing a Probiotic

realturbo

Senior Member
Messages
143
For quite a long time I've been trying to research probiotics to help me decide which brand might be a good one, but there are so many variations out there that it's too hard to decide which might be the better ones. Plus there are quite a few factors that one has to take into account, such as how many billion CFU there are in each capsule or tablet and what species or strains it contains.

I would really appreciate if you are able to share your experience of probiotics you may have used, and your thoughts on choosing a probiotic. Currently I was thinking of ordering this or this or this. What do you think?
 

Bansaw

Senior Member
Messages
521
If your body can stand it, do raw milk kefir. This has the best bang for the buck with over 32 strains and very concentrated. And, it works out quite cheaply compared to capsules.
For me though, I think the histamine in my own fermented cultures didn't do me any favours. I had a reaction to things like Kombucha, and a milder reaction to things like milk kefir.
I would see how your body does with your own fermented cultures (like kefir, kombucha, kvass, etc) and if you can stand them, theyre the best imo. Otherwise you'll have to go for the more expensive tablet/capsule form.
 

TigerLilea

Senior Member
Messages
1,147
Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
You want to consider taking more than just the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium types of probiotics. There are also soil based probiotics, yeasts, e-coli (Mutaflor), Butyrate, etc. Also single strain probiotics are sometimes more beneficial (Align, Florastor, Culturelle, etc.). According to Ken Lassesen, we should not be taking Lactobacillus if we have CFS. You might want to check out his website "CFS Remission". He also has a FB page.
 

realturbo

Senior Member
Messages
143
If your body can stand it, do raw milk kefir.
Banshaw, in the past I have taken kefir bought from the supermarket on and off, not sure if it is as effective as raw milk variety. Maybe I will try consuming it regularly for a few months.

You want to consider taking more than just the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium types of probiotics.
TigerLilea, I'm wondering if there are any specific strains or brands that might help with mucous membranes, especially sinuses
 

Bansaw

Senior Member
Messages
521
Banshaw, in the past I have taken kefir bought from the supermarket on and off, not sure if it is as effective as raw milk variety. Maybe I will try consuming it regularly for a few months.
The Kefir bought in supermarket is nowhere near as effective as the raw milk regular kefir version. In the supermarket one they don't have all the strains (you have only 7-9) in since the milk would just keep on fermenting until it exploded. Plus, some of them insert sugar and flavours etc.
With the homemade kefir you have 30+ strains. No contest. Plus its cheaper to make.
I would give it a try. My doctor a few years ago did a stool test on me and said, "you have good bacteria balance, what are you doing?" I said, "kefir". He said, "bring some in for me."
But as I said before , the histamine probably hurt me personally.
I want to do a full gut biome and find out what exactly is going on in there, and visit Dr Merlier in Belgium to be honest.
You're int he UK. Why not Easyjet across to Belgium and see Dr, Merlier (Its easy at the moment cos we haven't Brexited fully yet : p)? I'm a Brit but in the USA right now. When I visit home next year I might go myself. Merlier is sought after by CFS patients, but he does focus on the gut as a major issue with CFSers. He does a full gut biome test.
 
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TigerLilea

Senior Member
Messages
1,147
Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
Banshaw, in the past I have taken kefir bought from the supermarket on and off, not sure if it is as effective as raw milk variety. Maybe I will try consuming it regularly for a few months.


TigerLilea, I'm wondering if there are any specific strains or brands that might help with mucous membranes, especially sinuses
I have no idea what strains would help with mucous membranes but I'm sure a Google search will turn up something.

As to Kefir - the store bought kefir doesn't have anywhere near the number of probiotics and yeasts that are found in home made kefir. For the good kefir you need to purchase some kefir grains online (can't be bought in the store) and ferment them in whole milk. You can find grains on e-Bay.
 

Biarritz13

Senior Member
Messages
699
Location
France
You want to consider taking more than just the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium types of probiotics. There are also soil based probiotics, yeasts, e-coli (Mutaflor), Butyrate, etc. Also single strain probiotics are sometimes more beneficial (Align, Florastor, Culturelle, etc.). According to Ken Lassesen, we should not be taking Lactobacillus if we have CFS. You might want to check out his website "CFS Remission". He also has a FB page.

Culturelle is a Lactobacillus :)
 

Jenny TipsforME

Senior Member
Messages
1,184
Location
Bristol
I find this choice confusing too but decided to buy something after recent ME reduced gut diversity findings.
For the past week I've been taking Bio-kult but notice no benefit or side effect yet.

I take shop bought kefir with a lactase tablet on and off with perhaps some IBS improvement. I have made it at home but it cost too much energy. You can have different types of kefir.

I've tried other fermented foods too.
 

Beyond

Juice Me Up, Scotty!!!
Messages
1,122
Location
Murcia, Spain
If your body can stand it, do raw milk kefir. This has the best bang for the buck with over 32 strains and very concentrated.

I did for one or two months a trial of raw goat milk kefir and that stuff was utterly delicious and had this surrrounding atmosphere of sparkling wholesomeness to it. But maybe, just maybe, I had been reading too much Mike Adam´s, "the Health Ranger" Natural News these days... :rofl: Plus too many scientific journals speaking about how kefir combats cancer and what not.

There wasn´t any drastic improvement associated with its consumption and still I want that raw thing back! But my father wont drive to the farm again, he says.
 

Bansaw

Senior Member
Messages
521
I did for one or two months a trial of raw goat milk kefir and that stuff was utterly delicious and had this surrrounding atmosphere of sparkling wholesomeness to it. But maybe, just maybe, I had been reading too much Mike Adam´s
Hmmm, yeah, I had raw goats milk and I also tried Cows. Apprently if you take coconut oil just before the kefir every time, it disrupts the bad bacteria and after a time, the good kefir symbiotic bacteria replaces the old stuff. It does take a while tho, more than your two months.
(by the way, you can get water-kefir grains that don't need milk. Only for me, as I said previously, the histamine irritated me.)
 

Biarritz13

Senior Member
Messages
699
Location
France
Yep, it's Lactobacillus but not Acidophilus, which is the one Lassesen doesn't recommend. I think in his recent survey most responders did fine on Lactobacillus GG or Reuteri.

Yes but it's not the only one, L. Plantarum also (according to his website) but I don't understand why he says that.

IMO a more acidic environment is better against the pathogenic ones, besides the acid lactic produced by the microbiome is not the same as the lactate produced when we exercice and it's not the lactate the issue but the impossibility of clearing out faster, no?

Again imo, the real issue is from the Enterococcus and Streptococcus which are found a lot

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19567398
 

realturbo

Senior Member
Messages
143
Thanks for the links.
I did for one or two months a trial of raw goat milk kefir and that stuff was utterly delicious
Must look into trying to make my own kefir. Not sure about goat milk, but I think I have a contact who can source raw cow milk.

Looks like more research needed on my part; according to this article "L. sakei might offer protection against sinus infection".
 

Jenny TipsforME

Senior Member
Messages
1,184
Location
Bristol
You can't expect instant results with probiotics. Sometimes it can take months before you will notice any changes.
Well I think I may have spoken too soon. I've had horrible diarrhoea. Could be a gastro bug but no one else has it. Settled now but I can't eat normal food yet. If the probiotics caused this I'm not sure I can continue. Think a war may have taken place in my intestines!
 

renski

Senior Member
Messages
338
Location
Honolulu
I'm using Metagenics ultraflora spectrum at the moment and despite the fact that it has D-lactate producing bacteria it's agreeing with me better then any other probiotic I've tried.