• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Constipation: Lactobacillus Reuteri study

SwanRonson

Senior Member
Messages
300
Location
Alabama
Just saw this in my news feed. Anyone have knowledge of this bug?

Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28429333?dopt=Abstract

"RESULTS: Four weeks of L. reuteri administration was associated with a significant decrease of mean CH4 production determined by LBT (from 20.8 ± 15 to 8.9 ± 8.6; p < 0.0001 CI 95%) and of AUC value (from 5101.5 ± 3571.13 to 2128.4 ± 2110.8; p < 0.0001 CI 95%). Moreover, a total disappearance of CH4 production (< 5 ppm at LBT) was observed in 11 patients, while, we did not observe any significant decrease of H2 production (from 13.2 ± 8.8 to 11.4 ± 7.3, CI 95%, n.s.)."
 

kangaSue

Senior Member
Messages
1,851
Location
Brisbane, Australia
Looks like it works both ways and can treat diarrhea too;
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26991503

Calcium polycarbophil was something else that I came across recently that is said to work for bot constipation and diarrhea. Fiber Lax and Fibercon are a couple of name brands with this ingredient.

One study found this can help with abdominal pain in IBS too;
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27994068

There's a new prescription med just out for constipation too if anyone's interested,Trulance (plecanitide).
 

SwanRonson

Senior Member
Messages
300
Location
Alabama
There's a new prescription med just out for constipation too if anyone's interested,Trulance (plecanitide).

I've been seeing the pubmed stuff on that drug. I tend to give constipation drugs plenty of time in the market before considering them. They have a fairly nasty track-record with being pulled. Hope this one is different.
 

Timaca

Senior Member
Messages
792
I only get constipation if I take too many calcium supplements. Having said that, I've tried various probiotics to solve other GI issues, but have had to discontinue them for one reason or another.

What seems to be of help to my GI tract now is Manuka Honey. You can read some reviews on Amazon, but if you haven't tried it, maybe it would be of help to those with GI issues. I wouldn't put it in a hot food or drink so as not to destroy any beneficial part of the honey.

Best,
 

kangaSue

Senior Member
Messages
1,851
Location
Brisbane, Australia
I've been seeing the pubmed stuff on that drug. I tend to give constipation drugs plenty of time in the market before considering them. They have a fairly nasty track-record with being pulled. Hope this one is different.
Wise move.

Doesn't look to be any different in real life situations though. Preliminary results I'm seeing so far in another forum is that the response is similar to the other meds, works for some, doesn't work for others but is most effective when other laxative measures are still taken along with it.

I don't know if it's just me but I found another cure for constipation. I noticed shortly after starting a nitrate that I was prescribed for intestinal ischemia that my problem with constipation changed to become one of diarrhea. I couldn't get a plausible explanation from any doctor as to how or why it would occur but I was reading just the other day that boosting nitric oxide can cause diarrhea as it also has a secretagogue mechanism in opening chloride channels,same as these newer constipation meds.

I have always just used Epsom Salts as a laxative and have to continue with that too otherwise my bowels become too sluggish so maybe that's the combination required for efficacy.

http://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=ijp.2011.31.39
[NO is involved in the intestinal water transport by acting directly on the epithelium and blood flow or indirectly by stimulating neuronal reflexes and releases of, or interactions, with other agents. For example, NO activates soluble guanylate cyclase and this result in cGMP generation, a potent activator of intestinal secretion (Brasitus et al., 1976). Nitric oxide donors, such as sodium nitroprusside, S-nitroso- N-acetylpenicillamine and isosorbide dinitrate, stimulated mucus secretion from a suspension of isolated gastric cells.

NO can also induce vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-an important neurotransmitter, in secretomotor neurons (Allescher et al., 1996). Furthermore, NO causes an increase of prostaglandin E2 production, a known secretory molecule (Wilson et al., 1996). Apart from indirect effects on secretory molecules, NO may also exert direct secretory effects by opening of chloride channels (Tamai and Gaginella, 1993). It is one of the mediators of the intestinal secretion and laxative-induced diarrhea induced by castor oil (Mascolo et al., 1993), magnesium sulfate (Izzo et al., 1994) and anthraquinone containing laxatives such as senna and cascara.]
 

SwanRonson

Senior Member
Messages
300
Location
Alabama
That’s my understanding as well. I found another study yesterday saying basically the same thing. I’ll find it and link it tomorrow.