Vsl#3
- Thread starter Herndog
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nogutsnoglory
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There is no clinical research supporting its use for crohns. There is evidence it helps with ulcerative colitis, IBD and ileal pouch.
It may work for crohns, I have considered trying it. I suppose if your crohns is in the colon it is more likely to be beneficial.
It may work for crohns, I have considered trying it. I suppose if your crohns is in the colon it is more likely to be beneficial.
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My Crohn's is all colo-rectal and my GI has been having me take the VSL#3 for about a month now in conjunction with my 6-MP and tapering off the Prednisone. "Something" has been reducing the frequency and urgency of the D, so I'm pleased and will keep taking the VSL in case it's part of the help.
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I sw that on the label too, but my GI had me start with one a day, and she may up it to twice a day. Given the cost, I'm not complaining!
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Never taken it, but read their website and it looks rather interesting.
I noticed it has only 8 strains of probiotics though, and no yeasts, but those 8 stains are concentrated in extremely high doses.
Vsl#3 can be bought "over the counter" without a prescription, while Vsl#3-DS requires a prescription? Apparently the only difference between the 2 is that the DS version is "double strength." So wouldn't taking 2 pills of the regular strength be exactly the same as the DS version?
Just seems odd to me, unless the purpose of making a prescription version is for insurance coverage--to lower the cost.
The manufacturer claims each vsl#3 packet/tablet contains 450 billion live beneficial bacteria, which is 10-100 times the bacteria of most other tablets, which seems pretty decent.
A cup of kefir on the other hand, can contain as many as 4-5 trillion live bacteria, along with a wide variety of beneficial yeasts, and far more varieties of bacterial strains.
Link-milk kefir: http://www.yemoos.com/milkstrains.html
Link-water kefir cultures: http://www.yemoos.com/waterkefirstrains.html
But then again, I have no idea whether all those additional bacterial strains and yeasts are necessarily of any greater benefit to Crohn's/IBS/Colitis, or which survives stomach acids best to make colonize the digestive system. Kefir's probably cheaper though, providing if you ferment your own.
Vsl#3 seems rather expensive for a probiotic, especially considering a pack of 30 costs $88, and the recommended dose is 2-8 per day.
If it works though,it's worth it. Am very interested in learning your results
I noticed it has only 8 strains of probiotics though, and no yeasts, but those 8 stains are concentrated in extremely high doses.
Vsl#3 can be bought "over the counter" without a prescription, while Vsl#3-DS requires a prescription? Apparently the only difference between the 2 is that the DS version is "double strength." So wouldn't taking 2 pills of the regular strength be exactly the same as the DS version?
Just seems odd to me, unless the purpose of making a prescription version is for insurance coverage--to lower the cost.
The manufacturer claims each vsl#3 packet/tablet contains 450 billion live beneficial bacteria, which is 10-100 times the bacteria of most other tablets, which seems pretty decent.
A cup of kefir on the other hand, can contain as many as 4-5 trillion live bacteria, along with a wide variety of beneficial yeasts, and far more varieties of bacterial strains.
Link-milk kefir: http://www.yemoos.com/milkstrains.html
Link-water kefir cultures: http://www.yemoos.com/waterkefirstrains.html
But then again, I have no idea whether all those additional bacterial strains and yeasts are necessarily of any greater benefit to Crohn's/IBS/Colitis, or which survives stomach acids best to make colonize the digestive system. Kefir's probably cheaper though, providing if you ferment your own.
Vsl#3 seems rather expensive for a probiotic, especially considering a pack of 30 costs $88, and the recommended dose is 2-8 per day.
If it works though,it's worth it. Am very interested in learning your results
