Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives NSD and diet-related; Probiotics

Hello,

Can anybody help me with information regarding probiotics as a remedy for AS.
Let me know the positives and negatives.

Thanks,
Saniya

I avoid packaged probiotics and buy freshly fermented kefir form my local food store. It tastes great (coconut or spirulina) and I use it for all the family.

How effective is it? I don't really know as it was the removal of key parts of my diet that brought me the most progress. All I can say is the way I perceive this disease suggests that I need probiotics to repopulate the good bacteria in my gut.

Sani-
My sister, a naturopath, suggested I to try antibiotics first
(I'm also trying the no-starch diet), and then proceed with probiotics.

First try to rid your intestines/body of the possible bad bacteria (the "bad ones" for AS sufferers), then try to re-populate with good ones (via probiotics).

There are many discussions on probiotics/antibiotics on the forums here, just put the words in the search field on the left.

I'm seeing yet another doctor next week, and will ask about antibiotics then...

/Kristine

Good plain yogurt is excellent for promoting good gut flora. Buffalo milk, plain yog made at home (that is one yogurt I really really do miss, buffalo milk home made yog, made in an earthenware container. Sigh!)

Now, it isn't so much a 'remedy' for AS but the gut problems are so tied in with AS that it is wise to help the gut in any and every way possible. Diet is very effective - keep the starches down. IF having IBS/IBD probs then very likely leafty vegetable and many fruits will be a no-no (I have to be v. careful with veggies and fruit. Most annoying, as I like both!)

But as has been pointed out, visit the diet forum and use the search button to put in searches here on KA - there is a wealth of infornmation at you fingertips here. Am sure that there aint a single thing about AS that has not been discusses right here on KA, discussed, addressed, questioned. Amazing support site - best in teh world.

Go well -

Molly C (ex-patBrit France)
Keeping on Keeping on

i've been eating my near daily stoney field yogurt for several years now.

had a stool sample test recently. everything looked good except, no lactobacillus. how can this be if i'm eating daily stoneyfield? can anyone explain?

have plenty of e. coli and bifidobacterium, but no lactobacillus. odd?
but also have other bacillus species that are flagged as possible pathogens.

anyway, got a probiotic supplement, LactoFlamX, supposed to be a good one, we'll see. got that due to the inflammation, small ulcers in the illeum.

anyone else take that one? Lactobacillus plantarum

Hmmmm...no lactobacillus. I had a stool test awhile back and mine were virtually nil too. Makes you wonder doesn't it? I, too, eat plenty of Stoneyfield Yogurt daily. Perhaps those "live, active cultures" are dead by the time the reach the consumer. Perhaps they are dead by the time they reach my small intestine. Can't remember too much about the bifs. I think those guys mainly populate the large intestine which is a non-issue for me since mine was buried in a landfill or burned as medical waste.

Report on how that LactoFlamX works out for you. Metagenics is good stuff. I've been on hella probiotics since being on the antibiotic protocols. I use the VSL#3 (good stuff - a powerhouse), Healthy Origins probiotics (starch free per the label), PB8, Culturelle (Lactobacillus GG), and just ordered some Udo's Super 8's (or something to that effect). I'm trying to repopulate with stuff from a variety of suppliers. Been eying up Florastor which is actually a strain of yeast (s. boulardii --- makes me think of Chef Boyardee for whatever reason). However, a past doctor said that yeasts can cross-react (in the context of candida overgrowth). I haven't run it by my current doctor to get his thoughts, but plan to at my appointment next month.

Kleb Slayer,

Lucky you with the naturopath sister.

thanks for the feedback. more interested to try it out now.

interestingly, food IgG4 testing showed a severe response to casein and milk so maybe that has something to do with why the stoneyfield isn't adding in the lactobacillus or maybe as you said, maybe the cultures aren't alive, though a lot of bacteria are hard to kill off. then again if its supposed to be cold, i usually bring mine to work, eat it later in the day after its sat out all day.......will go see optimal temperature for growth of lactobacillus. so much to learn!

Jay,
My naturopath gave me S. boulardii when I was taking a lot of antibiotics and was worried about yeast. She thought it would be better able to fight off yeast.

About the lactobacillus, I've wondered for awhile if can get past your stomach acid if you just eat it in yogurt versus the enteric coated capsules. My daughter has IBS and ate lots of yogurt but it wasn't until she started eating probiotics that she noticed it helping her. She also thinks she might be sensitive to dairy too so that might be a factor. She hasn't quite figured it out.

There is so much conflicting info. Who knows sometimes?
Annette

thanks annette!

well, will try the probiotics and see what happens.

gut flora is interesting, who has which microbes and why.
i have a friend, a microbiologist, actually an microbial ecologist, and now she focusses on the gut microbial environment as well, need to give her a phone call, ask her opinion of these things!



you can say that again!