Dose response curve of probiotics

[Viking]

Does anyone have any insights or experience on the amount of probiotics required to get maximum benefit? And what the dose / response curve would look like?

Does it vary with type? As in lactic acid bacteria vs soil based organisms vs beneficial yeasts?
Or amounts needed in capsules vs probiotic foods like yogurt / kefir / sauerkraut?

Do divided doses make any difference?

Thanks!
Viking

 

[snowathlete]

There may be no benefit. Depends on your circumstances and what you are trying to improve, but in many cases probiotics aren't going to make people better. Some have some evidence of helping in remission of IBD though. Most are generally considered safe, though there is always some risk. The main problem, in my eyes is in the slim spectrum of bacteria available as probiotics. The gut contains many different genera and yet the probiotics market only catters for half a dozen (mainly originating in the food production industry).

Doses do matter, because tiny doses are unlikely to do much as we have such large quantities in our guts. Also how you take them, with waht, which ones you take, etc. are all factors.

 

[Hip]

You are better off with prebiotics rather than probiotics; this post explains why.

 

[drob31]

I know there has been allot of research in this area. @Hip, what do you thinking about using probiotics such as prescript-assist, mutaflor, and VLS3 when trying to recolonize the gut after antibiotics?

 

[Hip]

I know there has been allot of research in this area. @Hip, what do you thinking about using probiotics such as prescript-assist, mutaflor, and VLS3 when trying to recolonize the gut after antibiotics?

I have never tried Prescript-Assist, mainly because of the concern with the spore forming soil based organisms in it, although this concern may be unwarranted, and people do report good results with this probiotic.

I use Jarro-Dophilus EPS probiotics, but always take a prebiotic as well.

Another probiotic I have found excellent is Saccharomyces boulardii, which is actually a yeast probiotic rather than a bacterial probiotic. Saccharomyces boulardii yeast does not colonize the intestines, but rather it stimulates intestinal immune defenses, increasing the secretion of IgA antibodies in the intestines.

I found prebiotics, bacterial probiotics and Saccharomyces boulardii significantly helped reduce my anxiety levels, and I believe this is because they reduce intestinal inflammation, which in turn will lower brain inflammation (brain inflammation in ramped up when there is intestinal inflammation, via a vagus nerve mechanism). I have a theory that brain inflammation can cause anxiety.