What is your favorite probiotic and digestive enzymes?

[2Cor.12:9]

Hello. I'm starting on probiotics and digestive enzymes for the first time. I ordered Nature's Bounty, Advanced Probiotic 10 but after reading more maybe should have ordered Align. I would like to get off of Prilosec and improve absorption issues. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you!
cc @Sushi

 

[jess100]

Hi Sushi,
I think Align was the one prescribed by Dr Kaufman although I haven't seen what's in it. Just yesterday I read a study about SIBO that cited the efficacy of taking 6 specific species together (Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactus, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Streptococcus thermophilus) so I'm going tomorrow to look for a brand that contains them all.
Here is the title of the study if anyone is interested:
Short-term probiotic therapy alleviates small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, but does not improve intestinal permeability in chronic liver disease.
Kwak DS1, Jun DW, Seo JG, Chung WS, Park SE, Lee KN, Khalid-Saeed W, Lee HL, Lee OY, Yoon BC, Choi HS.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

[2Cor.12:9]

Hi Sushi,
I think Align was the one prescribed by Dr Kaufman although I haven't seen what's in it. Just yesterday I read a study about SIBO that cited the efficacy of taking 6 specific species together (Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactus, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Streptococcus thermophilus) so I'm going tomorrow to look for a brand that contains them all.
Here is the title of the study if anyone is interested:
Short-term probiotic therapy alleviates small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, but does not improve intestinal permeability in chronic liver disease.
Kwak DS1, Jun DW, Seo JG, Chung WS, Park SE, Lee KN, Khalid-Saeed W, Lee HL, Lee OY, Yoon BC, Choi HS.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

@jess100 - Thank you - I'll check it out (oh, and I'm Diane - I tagged Sushi because she's so knowledgeable)

 

[Sushi]

Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you!
cc @Sushi

It is difficult to choose the right probiotic without knowing what is going on with your gut--testing is important to my mind.

Also, since too much acid and too little give pretty much the same symptoms, it is good to know which is your problem. Have you read about the burp test? It isn't by any means perfect but can give you clues.

 

[jess100]

Hello. I'm starting on probiotics and digestive enzymes for the first time. I ordered Nature's Bounty, Advanced Probiotic 10 but after reading more maybe should have ordered Align. I would like to get off of Prilosec and improve absorption issues. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you!
cc @Sushi

sorry Diane, I should have known you weren't Sushi by your avatar
I also just read this if it helps at all:
The administration of probiotics, fermented milk (Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulagaris Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium longum) and L. plantarum has been shown to strengthen the intestinal barrier [72–74].

I looked at Align and it seems to have just one species. It might be good to know what's going on as Sushi said.

 

[Beyond]

Digest Gold is simply amazing, easily the best digestive enzymes in the world. Buy the big bottle and get 2 months of enzymes, that way they aren´t THAT expensive.

No probiotic helped me ever, I wouldn´t waste money in probiotic pills, if anything try fermented and prebiotic foods, tweak your diet. Note that dairy is immensely inflammatory for many, so don´t expect "strengthening of the intestinal barrier" with it if you are like most people with gut issues and get immune responses to casein, lactoglobulin or what have you.

 

[2Cor.12:9]

It is difficult to choose the right probiotic without knowing what is going on with your gut--testing is important to my mind.

Also, since too much acid and too little give pretty much the same symptoms, it is good to know which is your problem. Have you read about the burp test? It isn't by any means perfect but can give you clues.

Thanks @Sushi - I've tried the burp test and didn't burp at all - but only tried it once.
After reading more about probiotics and even some that said they could be potentially dangerous, I don't think I want to take them until I talk to my doctor.

But what about digestive enzymes? Again there's so many pros and cons that it is mind numbing.

All I'm looking for right now is to try to get off Prilosec and have better absorption of vitamins and nutrients - and also regularity - magnesium helps some with that.

 

[2Cor.12:9]

Digest Gold is simply amazing, easily the best digestive enzymes in the world.
No probiotic helped me ever, I wouldn´t waste money in probiotic pills, .

Thank you - I will check it out!

 

[IreneF]

I tried Align. Waste of money.

Natto is good, but it's hard to find unless there's a Japanese grocery in your 'hood. There is some evidence that it helps prevent osteoporosis.

 

[Ema]

Align has some good research on its anti inflammatory properties...but the dose is equivalent to 10 capsules a day and that is very expensive. I think it works out to about $400/month which is ridiculous.

I have been using Swanson's Ultimate probiotic because it helps to increase Tregs. I like it as well as anything else I've tried (which is basically everything...SBO, VSL, etc etc).

For digestive enzymes, I either use GB-3 (which has black radish and ox bile as well) or Metagenic's Protrypsin which has chymotrypsin. Chymotrypsin has been shown to reduce inflammation better than aspirin.