Kefir, or you could take supplements.

Ditto the Kefir...I know grainlady makes hers, I buy mine Trader Joe's by the quart and drink a little each day.

Not fond of dairy, but I'm willing to take pro-biotic pills or whatever, just not sure which.

I take Digestive Advantage....it seems to help.

I take probiotics only when I have stomach issues -- just 'upset' or because I'm taking antibiotics. I keep some pills with live culture on hand. I don't think it matters much which brand, but you might ask the pharmacist. (This whole new idea that you need to supplement a normal diet is bunk -- profitable bunk.)

So sorry you had food poisoning! Did you identify the culprit?

Yes. I take Theralac once a day. I've tried cheaper probiotics, but this is the one I'm sticking with.

Theralac

We all take them every day including my little dog. They have made a huge difference for all of us. I have a lot of digestive issues and a lot of the meds I take make them worse but since I started taking the probiotics daily there has been a big change for the better, When I am on antibiotics as I have been lately I double up my dosage. I also eat yogurt and drink kefir which I buy at the grocery store. I have started buying the yogurt smoothies too and love them especially the ones with cereal. I think the brand on those was LaLa. I use probiotic gold and get them at the grocery store and most stores like walmart and costco.

Thank you everyone. I'll pick up something at the pharmacy.

Chisue, I agree with you about the supplement hype. Many people get carried away with supplements, but of course if a person sees a definite benefit (Raven), then it's good. Of course I don't see a definite benefit from the calcium I take, but I am afraid to stop taking it! Hopefully my bones have noticed it.

The culprit? Could be the pre-packaged grated cheese or the deli turkey. Thanks for the sympathy. Much better now but waiting for the tummy to catch up.

I think it's important to take probiotics everyday, not just "when"....

I just got through working up 4 quarts of water kefir (first ferment) and for the second ferment I make each quart something different. Today I made blueberry, pineapple, lemon, and root beer ;-). I go through 5-cups (or more) of dairy kefir every week and 4-quarts of water kefir. And it costs pennies when you make your own from real dairy and water kefir grains. :-)

Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.....

http://probiotic.org/Kefir.htm

Having IBS-D I have found that I do need my probiotics daily and I have my husband on them too. As we age our immune systems aren't as good as they used to be. We take the Renew Life brand of probiotic which has to be kept refrigerated. We also take Acidophilus Bifada. I'm a firm believer in taking probiotics and immune system builders. I also take D'Mannose to prevent UTI's. If you get leg/foot cramps, there is an all natural product that does wonders, called Hyland's Leg Cramps, which you can usually find at Walmart or at a health food store. Two little pills you let dissolve under the tongue.

I make milk kefir and just love it. So easy to make and very potent.

I take a probiotic every day. When I was having GI issues the nurse at the ER suggested it as I was leaving. It seems to be helping. I get the ones from Sam's Club. ( Member's Mark Acidophilus Dietary Supplement 150 ct. ) It's the 2 billion per. They use a couple different house brand names, either Simply Right or Members Mark. I tried some cheaper ones, then started with these and I think I'm seeing enough difference to continue it in my regiment.

With a few of the supplements I take, including calcium I've wondered if there's a difference until I quit taking them (for various reasons) for a couple weeks. With the calcium I notice a difference in my nails.

I take probiotics daily. I get the pills from either Swanson's or Vitacost. I look for lots of bacteria, lots of strains and formulations that allow the bacteria to survive the stomach acids.

Is there scientific evidence on exactly who 'needs' probiotics? I understand that some meds -- and aspirin -- are stomach irritants, but people have done fine for eons without these additives. I wonder if people are not eating well in the first place. There are so many antacids being hawked; now probiotics. Might this be due to a higher proportion of Seniors in the population? Or is it just another economic 'opportunity' to be exploited?

It could go hand in hand with the overuse of antibiotics. Lots of research being done now on the strong relationship between gut bacteria (the good kind) and mental health. Probably other facets of health as well.

Chisue, I think most of the reasons you stated are correct. As elderly folks, I know we don't eat like we used to eat, plus various medications we take and antibiotics when needed, deplete our bodies of the "good" bacteria. Granted the probiotics and other supplements we take are expensive, but still cheaper than frequent trips to the doctor or to a hospital. I'll use "preventative" measures wherever possible and "natural" products over pharmaceuticals any day.

Excellent question chisue. After seeing this thread yesterday I did some research and, while some specific strains of certain bacteria like lactobacillus have been studied and shown to potentially help with some specific issues, no probiotic has ever shown through repeated studies to be a viable treatment for any disorder. The FDA has not approved any probiotic and neither has the EFSA which is why they are sold as dietary supplements.

more information from the NIH

The European Food Safety Authority has rejected all petitions by commercial manufacturers for health claims on probiotic products in Europe due to insufficient research and thus inconclusive proof of effectiveness and the FDA has sent warning letters to manufacturers for making exaggerated claims not backed up by scientific evidence.

Might they help? Possibly. Could they hurt you? Yes, evidence has shown that in children and those with weakened immune systems, probiotics can be harmful therefore it is always best to consult your doctor before taking any kind of supplement.

I was given some kefir grains yesterday from Freecycle and have them sitting in milk in a pint jar. I'm not sure I know when it's ready. Do I wait until it has lots of curds on the top? I don't think I wait until it's separated fully with whey on the bottom, do I?

With the kefir that resulted from straining the grains, I have chia seeds soaking in it for a chia pudding, I drank a bit last nite and gave some to Smudge, our 16-yr old Maine Coon. He licked the little bowl clean. I won't give him much at all, since it's still dairy, even though there's no lactose.

Jasdip my experience with milk kefir is that you can experiment a little until it is to your taste. I prepare my kefir as follows: add about 4 cups whole milk to the grains in a jar; cover the top with a paper towel or cheesecloth; let sit on the counter for 2-3 days; take out grains and start a new batch; refrigerate newly made batch until cold; enjoy. The amount of time to "steep" depends on the weather (we go from very chilly to very hot here in MN), and how potent you like it. I like mine quite bubbly and "thick." Often, the curds do separate from the whey quite a bit. Then I just stir and serve. Your taste may vary and perhaps you'll like it after only one day of steeping.

To eat I often stir in a little yogurt to make it even thicker, some berries, and some flaxseed and eat with a spoon. YUM.

Texas_Gem, thanks for the research -- and the link. I'll stick to my theory that the biggest success for probiotics is entirely commercial success. MAD-men, rejoice!

One of the TV ads for a probiotic is really 'out there', at least to my mind. It features an obnoxiously perky readhead in a naked-look bodysuit with 'guts' stenciled in. (There are some casting calls that an actress would do well to ignore.)

Interesting, Texas. I tend to agree that the manufacturers are doing well with this latest bandwagon supplement. Although people like Raven are helped and no doubt many others are as well. I would not take them as a general policy but was only interested because of the stomach issues. This is day 2 on pro-biotics, I'm slightly better, but probably would have been the same w/o the probiotics. But when struggling with issues, it's worth a try. Probably kefir or yogurt would have been better or as good but I don't care for them.

If you ever had c diff you would likely believe in the benefits of probiotics. That's one of the first things they suggest is getting on probiotics. My sister nearly died from a C diff infection and now takes her doctor recommended probiotics daily.

I personally am much more regular which is a really big deal since I have bile dumping syndrome. The probiotics have definitely helped in that aspect. Our gastroenterologist recommended we use them and we stay off any proton pump inhibitors, works for us.

I am sure not everyone would benefit the same way since we are all very different.

The supplement industry is mostly unregulated and unsupported claims are more the rule than the exception. The NIH article TG linked to (from its Alternative Medicine department, in fact) says it all - health benefits haven't been demonstrated for probiotic supplements. Apparently the most prevalent and helpful gut bacteria types (as understood so far) are not present in commercial probiotic products or in the normal dairy sources, so that taking them may not accomplish anything. It's true that doctors will suggest their use for people taking antibiotics or having digestive system distress or other issues but I suspect it's under a theory of "can't hurt and might help" since no beneficial effects have been found.

Elmer- I specifically linked the Alternative Medicine Department since many here do believe in alternative treatments. Thanks for noticing.

I once attended a presentation by a respected university orthopedic surgeon. He fielded the question as to whether glucosamine/chondroitin really helps with arthritis. He said he didn't know but he takes it just in case. :-)

To be clear about what I said - I feel strongly that any advice received from a physician,
most especially from a GI specialist in this regard, should always be
followed.

Otherwise, my understanding is that the
bacterial and other inhabitants of the gut are like those in a septic
system. Once introduced, they maintain their populations on their own. I
remember reading that for some conditions (including C diff), and after
courses of antibiotics, fecal transplants (aka Poop therapy) can be
used to reestablish bacterial populations.

Have researched IBS and learned that bifidobacterium infantis, a necessary element, is contained in Earth's Pearl Probiotics which I buy through Amazon.

My experience with taking probiotics is extremely positive. I was having many digestive issues, as well as bowel issues. My doctor recommended taking a probiotic. Initially, I purchased Culturelle at Costco. However, the pharmacist told me that the trunature Digestive Probiotic was just as good if not better than Culturelle and other expensive probiotics. So, about a monthl ago, I purchased the trunature. I can honestly say it has certainly settled my stomach and bowels. Highly recommend.

My opinion is that the cheaper ones with fewer strains are hardly helpful. The best ones have millions per dose and are sold and kept refrigerated. If you want a strong immune system, you need to have more good guys than bad guys living in your gut. Anti biotics kill off the good guys and let the bad guys reproduce. Antibiotics are in cattle feed, chicken feed, farm raised fish feed, etc.

You especially need them if you have a Candida overgrowth. This is a sneaky condition that makes you feel rundown, crave carbohydrates, gives you sinus issues, makes your sweat smell bad, and get headaches. Candida overgrowth is common and once you correct it, you have energy and feel healthier in general. The reason that people get carb and sugar cravings is that the Candida wants to eat these and uses your urges to feed itself. It sounds like sci fi but it's not. Lots of people lost weight after giving Candida the boot.

The TruNature probiotic has over 10 billion cultures in the one capsule that is taken daily. That's more than a lot in my opinion.

We get ours through food and drinks, which is how people used to get them before the industrialization of the food supply- real fermented pickles, real sauerkraut, fermented chiles and hot sauces, kimchi, dairy and water kefir, etc. Varied sources give more strains of probiotics and of course, its important to eat prebiotics like cooked and cooled rice and potatoes for the retrograde starch, garlic and other alliums, raw asparagus d others.

Walnut Creek: Very personal, but do you have IBS?

Veda, the problem I have is that I am not supposed to eat many of the foods you mention due to my Afib.

Pink, I have never been diagnosed with IBS. I do have bouts of bowel issues that are truly awful.