I've been trying to get as much information on probiotics as I can for my son. I've heard great things about taking supplements, but not sure what kind since different products contain different strains. Also, wondering if the kind you drink or eat are as effective as ones that come in a capsule.
-
Welcome to Crohn's Forum, a support group for people with all forms of IBD. While this community is not a substitute for doctor's advice and we cannot treat or diagnose, we find being able to communicate with others who have IBD is invaluable as we navigate our struggles and celebrate our successes. We invite you to join us.
Probiotics
- Thread starter ramittman
- Start date
Hi, this is something I have toyed with over the last few months as I notice alot of the kids seem to take it in some form. However I am doing my usual worrying and I never know if I give him something wrong that I will make things worse. I decided to just go with a bio-yoghurt and hope for the best.
- Location
- Sydney Australia
Not one of the "kids", but I have a couple of probiotic drinks daily, at the suggestion of an excellent physician who was looking after me 18 months ago, and my CD has been pretty stable since. Have toyed with the tablet/capsule varieties briefly, but not sure they helped. Whenever we're travelling, a visit to the local supermarket to buy some "germs" is a must! I do struggle to reconcile the assorted strains mentioned in various papers with what I can find on the supermarket shelves though..
HD
HD
Our dr had us start VSL #3 when he fist suspected IBD. it is rather expensive and you have to get it by ordering directly from the company or having your pharmacy order it. It is only supposed to be used under a doctor's supervision. There is quite of bit of info nine if you google it. Good luck!
DustyKat
Super Moderator
I did some research and settled on Culturelle Lactobacillus GG, they are a capsule.
Does it help? I don't know but I personally don't see that it does any harm. One of the main reasons I started/suggested my kids take is because they have both had ileocaecal resections and are therefore at a greater risk of SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth).
Dusty. xxx
Does it help? I don't know but I personally don't see that it does any harm. One of the main reasons I started/suggested my kids take is because they have both had ileocaecal resections and are therefore at a greater risk of SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth).
Dusty. xxx
- Location
- Sydney Australia
@Dusty, hi from another Aussie 
Just wondering where you source your "Culturelle"probiotics?
HD
Just wondering where you source your "Culturelle"probiotics?
HD
We have DS on the prebio which is already in his Peptamen jr.
We've been on probiotics for years. We like the brand Primal Defense. They even have one for just kids. A bit pricey but worth it to us.
We were told the refrigerated (liquid) kind is best. More live strains in it.
However we use the powder kind.
ALL PROBIOTICS SHOULD BE STORED IN THE FRIDGE TO PROTECT THE LONGEVITY OF THE PRODUCT.
PLUS YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE PROBIOTICS AND ANTIBIOTICS AT THE SAME TIME.
We take ours a couple hours apart.
Some say your should not start probiotics at all until the antibiotics are done.
You can be the judge of that.
We were told the refrigerated (liquid) kind is best. More live strains in it.
However we use the powder kind.
ALL PROBIOTICS SHOULD BE STORED IN THE FRIDGE TO PROTECT THE LONGEVITY OF THE PRODUCT.
PLUS YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE PROBIOTICS AND ANTIBIOTICS AT THE SAME TIME.
We take ours a couple hours apart.
Some say your should not start probiotics at all until the antibiotics are done.
You can be the judge of that.
crohnsinct
Well-known member
Yes! I keep mine in the fridge right next to the yeast....Oh no! Not that again!
DustyKat
Super Moderator
Hi ellie,@Dusty, hi from another Aussie
Just wondering where you source your "Culturelle"probiotics?
HD
Sorry for the delay, for some reason I wasn't tagged to your post.
I get them from an Oz website...
http://www.evidencia-australia.com/p/853134/culturelle-lactobacillus-gg-30-veggie-caps.html?utm_source=getprice&utm_medium=cpc
I have them delivered to Sarah, she is in Sydney and IIRC she gets them the day after ordering.
Dusty.
kiny
Well-known member
Each strain has a specific spot in the GI tract, they build their little house in a spot they are comfortable in. Bacteria love to do things in group, they are not happy on their own, they do everything they can to be in the same spot, many create biofilms, it makes them stick together. Mucosa layer moves also, mucosa does not sit still, it moves all the time in the body as a form of defense mechanism, if it say still bacteria would take it over, so they go somewhere they are happy with. Probiotics have specific spots on interest. (invasive bacteria creating disease do the same thing, the place of lesion and skip lesion in the intestine are related to "the nature of the beast" bacteria are predisposed to go somewhere in the body)
(this is one of the arguments for bacterial involvement in crohn, if it was autoimmune or non-pathogen related, you would have inflammation everywhere, that doesn't happen with crohn, it's almost always terminal ileum involvement and skip lesions are almost always in the same spot)
As a general rule:
All the ones I know called lacto-something..take up spots in the small GI tract.
All the ones with "bifi" in them reside in the colon.
As for which are good, I talk to someone a lot who does research on that, and to be fair they have no clue what is good, he recommends just to take ones you are comfortable with at this point as long as you pick a kind that use the small intestine.
(they are looking at types that increase butyrate, there are some that do that, I have taken that type, but I can't say it is good or not, I don't really know how much it helps)
(reason for the butyrate is because for one they see butyrate is less in ppl with CD and second, butyrate has an effect on IL-10, IL-10 is a super strong anti-inflammatory in our body)
(argument against SCD diet is butyrate, SCD is way too short on SCFA (short chain fatty acids), most important one is butyrate, I am not a fan of SCD at all)
(this is one of the arguments for bacterial involvement in crohn, if it was autoimmune or non-pathogen related, you would have inflammation everywhere, that doesn't happen with crohn, it's almost always terminal ileum involvement and skip lesions are almost always in the same spot)
As a general rule:
All the ones I know called lacto-something..take up spots in the small GI tract.
All the ones with "bifi" in them reside in the colon.
As for which are good, I talk to someone a lot who does research on that, and to be fair they have no clue what is good, he recommends just to take ones you are comfortable with at this point as long as you pick a kind that use the small intestine.
(they are looking at types that increase butyrate, there are some that do that, I have taken that type, but I can't say it is good or not, I don't really know how much it helps)
(reason for the butyrate is because for one they see butyrate is less in ppl with CD and second, butyrate has an effect on IL-10, IL-10 is a super strong anti-inflammatory in our body)
(argument against SCD diet is butyrate, SCD is way too short on SCFA (short chain fatty acids), most important one is butyrate, I am not a fan of SCD at all)
Last edited:
kiny
Well-known member
here is study if you care: http://jmm.sgmjournals.org/content/59/2/141.full.pdf+html
(just swallowing butyrate does not have the desired effect, it does never reach the spot or not enough, so they look at probiotics that produce the stuff for us since they have no issues getting where they're supposed to be, they're smarter than a silly pill)
(if you take probiotics that increase butyric acid, please say how the child or you are feeling after, I am very interested, thanks)
(just swallowing butyrate does not have the desired effect, it does never reach the spot or not enough, so they look at probiotics that produce the stuff for us since they have no issues getting where they're supposed to be, they're smarter than a silly pill)
(if you take probiotics that increase butyric acid, please say how the child or you are feeling after, I am very interested, thanks)
I have tried a couple of different ones, some expensive. But I get the best luck with one that is relatively cheap, Pb 8 Acidophilus I take two a day. Good luck!
I've been researching different probiotics because the one my kids used to take is no longer being manufactured. I just got a bottle of Ther-Biotic Children's Chewables on the recommendation of the health store here, but my kids aren't loving the taste. Any other suggestions? Preferably a chewable that is good for the small intestine, though we take them more for general health than Crohn's specifically.
I also read that it's best to take probiotics just before bed and let them work while your body is naturally rejuvenating itself, which makes sense to me. Unfortunately, we forget a lot and already have the teeth brushed when we remember. When do your kids take them?
Thanks!
I also read that it's best to take probiotics just before bed and let them work while your body is naturally rejuvenating itself, which makes sense to me. Unfortunately, we forget a lot and already have the teeth brushed when we remember. When do your kids take them?
Thanks!
- Location
- Midwest
Our GI said that when they're flaring and there are sores in there they don't want to introduce any large amounts of bacteria. Anyone else heard this?
We use Lactobacillus planetarum (brand name is TuZen). They are in the form of shelf stable capsules. I prefer the shelf stable probiotics because you never know what has happened to the products before you buy them. So you may be buying dead bacteria because the delivery truck wasn't kept at the right temperature or the store's stock boy left the box of probiotics on the loading bay for an hour and they warmed up, etc, etc, etc...