What are your thoughts on probiotics?

[Dennis S]

I’m pro probiotics.

[rz]

I started taking them several years ago. About a month into it, I ended up in the hospital for 13 days with diverticulitis and had to have my sigmoid colon removed. So I don’t take them anymore.

[Diana]

The gut bacteria play a significant role in mental health, as well as the immune system.

That is a significant statement to make! So let’s take this apart. At one time the gut bacteria was just an interesting facet to a biological body: yes, they existed, but what were they for? Turns out that not all neurochemicals are produced in the brain—some, such as dopamine, are additionally produced in the gut! So there is that link between gut microbiome and mental health. Not all bacteria found there do that, and if you don’t have them the difference you may feel when you feed the little guys and when you don’t (or when you kill them off with antibiotics) may not be that great. With the proper bacteria excreting the stuff your body needs comes the aid also to your immune system.

It takes time for decreased numbers to multiply to former levels. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, it is a competitive environment. If something decreases, another will expand to fill the niche until something else limits it. Some bacterial strains will emit toxins to kill other competitors which can have adverse effects on the person.

If you want to know specifics I can look them up; I’m currently dealing with some family matters and away from a computer (which will make it easier to research it).

As far as getting those little guys into your gut, you have two routes previously mentioned. One is easier to handle, but it goes through the stomach and anything there has to go through the body’s first line of defense: the acid in the stomach. This, any naked bacteria have to to acid-tolerant, or in such numbers that the acid does have time to work on it before the stomach empties into the small intestine, where the acid gets neutralized. That is why enteric works: it “shields” the bugs from the acid. So, the upper GI tract is best accessed through the stomach as it’s the shortest distance to it. If you go the other route, you are accessing the lower part of the large intestine. That is a route that avoids the acid, and may use lower numbers but is much less pleasant. Foecal transplants go that route, and are much more certain to take hold than going through the stomach.

Feed these little dudes!!!! Fresh fruits and veggies, not cooked to death. Fiber!!!! Vitamins and minerals!!! Proper nutrition will help them a lot. And in the end, help you as well.

So, the conclusion currently stands at you can take the probiotics, but it will take large amounts to take root. Some strains in the probiotics may not make it into the gut, dying in the stomach acid, and thus won’t work and/or will be a waste of money. Fresh raw foods have bacteria on their surface as well and become a source. Cleanliness may be next to godliness BUT if the “godly” don’t have guts then it probably isn’t as applicable to humans. Just don’t go nuts with unknowns or you may wind up with food poisoning.

Don’t get me started on the benefits of exercise. That would be another tome.

[Carnos Jax]

Fritz wrote: ...my diet has a fair amount of "pro-bio" to it.

This is my philosophy (as well as what Diana said above). I try to stick with organic, minimally processed, etc. My gut's been pretty happy.

[Lew Zealand]

What Diana said.

The problem is not what's in the pills. It's that there's not nearly enough in them to matter, both in raw counts and more significantly in variety. And delivery mechanism is quite flawed thanks to the efficiency of your stomach.

[wurm]

Thank you, all. Seems that what Diana concluded pretty much sums things up.

So, the conclusion currently stands at you can take the probiotics, but it will take large amounts to take root. Some strains in the probiotics may not make it into the gut, dying in the stomach acid, and thus won’t work and/or will be a waste of money. Fresh raw foods have bacteria on their surface as well and become a source. Cleanliness may be next to godliness BUT if the “godly” don’t have guts then it probably isn’t as applicable to humans. Just don’t go nuts with unknowns or you may wind up with food poisoning.

Much obliged. I'll be curious to hear what my doc has to say.

[Grateful11]

I've had digestive problems ever since having Covid in 2020. Diagnosed with IBS-M(Mixed). I keep a journal of everything eat everyday. I take a probiotic everyday or I eat one Activa yogurt. My GI Dr. says Align is the only probiotic that has shown in a study to help with IBS but it's very expensive. I alternate with Sam's own probiotic but it doesn't work as good as Align only.

By keeping up with what I eat I watch what I eat and have lost 8#.

[richorlin]

Certainly better than amaturebiotics.

[Carnos Jax]

:ROTFL:

[Grateful11]

Diana wrote:
The gut bacteria play a significant role in mental health, as well as the immune system.

That is a significant statement to make! So let’s take this apart. At one time the gut bacteria was just an interesting facet to a biological body: yes, they existed, but what were they for? Turns out that not all neurochemicals are produced in the brain—some, such as dopamine, are additionally produced in the gut! So there is that link between gut microbiome and mental health. Not all bacteria found there do that, and if you don’t have them the difference you may feel when you feed the little guys and when you don’t (or when you kill them off with antibiotics) may not be that great. With the proper bacteria excreting the stuff your body needs comes the aid also to your immune system.

It takes time for decreased numbers to multiply to former levels. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, it is a competitive environment. If something decreases, another will expand to fill the niche until something else limits it. Some bacterial strains will emit toxins to kill other competitors which can have adverse effects on the person.

If you want to know specifics I can look them up; I’m currently dealing with some family matters and away from a computer (which will make it easier to research it).

As far as getting those little guys into your gut, you have two routes previously mentioned. One is easier to handle, but it goes through the stomach and anything there has to go through the body’s first line of defense: the acid in the stomach. This, any naked bacteria have to to acid-tolerant, or in such numbers that the acid does have time to work on it before the stomach empties into the small intestine, where the acid gets neutralized. That is why enteric works: it “shields” the bugs from the acid. So, the upper GI tract is best accessed through the stomach as it’s the shortest distance to it. If you go the other route, you are accessing the lower part of the large intestine. That is a route that avoids the acid, and may use lower numbers but is much less pleasant. Foecal transplants go that route, and are much more certain to take hold than going through the stomach.

Feed these little dudes!!!! Fresh fruits and veggies, not cooked to death. Fiber!!!! Vitamins and minerals!!! Proper nutrition will help them a lot. And in the end, help you as well.

So, the conclusion currently stands at you can take the probiotics, but it will take large amounts to take root. Some strains in the probiotics may not make it into the gut, dying in the stomach acid, and thus won’t work and/or will be a waste of money. Fresh raw foods have bacteria on their surface as well and become a source. Cleanliness may be next to godliness BUT if the “godly” don’t have guts then it probably isn’t as applicable to humans. Just don’t go nuts with unknowns or you may wind up with food poisoning.

Don’t get me started on the benefits of exercise. That would be another tome.

Diana thank you so much for this. I've never quite heard it explained like this.