What Probiotic do you use?

[LittlebitsMommy]

I was wondering if you use a Probiotic which one you use? Is there a certain thing to look for in one? The only one Kota has taken is culturelle. We were in CVS today and Ko seen that you can get Probiotics that are chews instead of pills. He wanted to try those. I wasnt sure if they would be about the same of not. I asked the Pharmasist and she told me she didnt know what would be the same or about the same as culturelle.

Thanks for any advice

 

[Tesscorm]

Have a look under the Diets, Fitness, Supplements subforum - I'm sure you'll find info there. I have no advice re a specific type of probiotic, I've never given Stephen a probiotic.

 

[DustyKat]

I have looked into probiotics and Culturelle Lactobacillus GG was the one I settled on. It indicates on their website that they have packets for children and also chewables. It seems the type to use is based on weight. I guess they equate to an age range...

Culturelle KIDS Packets

For children 25 to 50 lbs: Empty entire contents of one (1) packet into cool food or drink. Mix until dissolved. Do not add to warm or hot food or beverage. Take one (1) packet daily to support digestive and immune health. To alleviate occasional digestive distress, take up to sever (7) packets per day. When using more than 1 packet, take at regular intervals throughout the day. If conditions persist, consult your physician.

For children over 50 lbs: Take Culturelle KIDS! Chewables as directed on package.

For children over 100 lbs: Take Culturelle Digestive Health capsules as directed on package.

Consult your physician before using this product in children younger than 1 year of age. This should not be used by those with immune problems unless directed by a physician.

http://www.culturelle.com/your_health/culturelle_for_kids

Dusty. xxx

 

[Dexky]

EJ has been on the same ones Dusty mentioned for over 2 years now. My wife found them on sale once and after calculating to make sure they wouldn't go out of date, she bought a case. We are about to run out again though. Eek, it's expensive!

 

[imaboveitall]

V never ended up using them as she has no gut sx but at dx The Saint said Culturelle is the only one in which he had faith and would recommend.

 

[dannysmom]

Our GI recommended VSL#3 - as it has gone through formal testing to make it recognized effective. I needed to order it online and it must be refridgerated.
http://www.vsl3.com/

 

[SciFiGuy]

Wow. I just read up on this. Have you noticed a difference with the GG? I've been taking the bulk 80-85 billion count varieties with 15-16 different strains, and the last one I bought had Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, but not the GG strain. I'm pretty excited about the data, so I'll be sure to pick up some.

 

[Jenn]

I figured they couldn't hurt, Alex took Culturelle for Kids for a long time. I tried VSL#3 but he couldn't stand it. Same with Florastor. I had him on Primal Defense too - easy to mix in with ice cream. When he was ill over new years, his b-12 skyrocketed and the GI took him off the probiotics thinking he had a bacterial overgrowth, but was negative on a breath test. I just never put him back on. I can't tell a difference either way.

 

[Mom2oneboy]

S is on VSL #3.

 

[my little penguin]

Gi just put DS on prebio ( it's part of his Peptamen jr. )
So no extra pills to take or buy.
So far it's only been two weeks don't really know if it's working

 

[LittlebitsMommy]

:ybatty:Stupid question of the day? Well wait I am sure I have already used mine for the day. Heck already for the whole year. What exactly does a probiotic do? How do I know if it is working? How long should he being taking it before I would know if its helping? OKay see I knew it would be more than 1 question. Thanks everyone for all the wonderful help you give me

 

[my little penguin]

http://www.ccfa.org/ccfaprof/ibd-journal/Nov 2008 - Role of Probiotic Therapy in IBD.pdf

Study done by CCfa
I still need to read it but....
Thought you may want it too

 

[izzi'smom]

Our gi recommends vsl3 and florastor also. She will be going back on it tomorrow after taking vanco, although I didn't really notice a difference thelast timeshe took it.

 

[JamesNY]

Was diagnosed with Chrons/UC (both - ill defined) 17 years ago, have been on Asacol.

Have tried probiotic yogurts to no particular effect

Tried a probiotic pill Sustenex - and frankly, it worked wonders in two days.

2 BM/ firm daily, which for me was a rarity. Might give it a try

Phillips evidently has a similar semi-enteric capsule

My guess is that the key is to get the probiotic past the stomach and into the gut.

And that stomach acids wreck havoc on most yogurt cultures before they get to gut.

 

[kiny]

Not every probiotic works, some could potentially make crohn worse.

You need one that doesn't require NOD2 signaling preferably.
You need a strain that is able to survive the stomach acids and is still alive once it reaches the small intestine.
You need the right coating, entropic or whatever works.
You need a strain that has anti-inflammatory properties or increases butyrate, it has to actually do something useful for crohn, they have shown that just swallowing probiotics has no long term effect on the gut flora composition unless it's combined with prebiotics and antibiotics, so whatever the probiotic does it has to have some beneficial effect outside of colonisation.
Each bacteria takes up a certain spot in the intestine, some colonise the small intestine (all the ones called lactobasilicus), some colonoise the colon (like bifido). Neither has been shown to help with crohn.