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By Jessica Snyder Sachs
From Health magazine
From Health magazine
Foods, drinks, and supplements with probiotics are everywhere these days, but only some probiotic strains are proven remedies for common health issues.
You can find those strains in these products.
| Name | Helps fight | Dosage | Purchase info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culturelle supplements | Antibiotic stomach upset, colds and flu, maybe eczema | One capsule a day | $22.99 for a 1-month supply; drugstores |
| Florastor supplements | Antibiotic stomach upset, traveler’s diarrhea | Two capsules a day | $35.99 for 50 capsules; drugstore.com |
| Digestive Advantage and Sustenex supplements | Antibiotic stomach upset | One capsule a day | $10.49–$15.99 for a 1-month supply; drugstores and natural-products stores |
| Fem-Dophilus or RepHresh Pro-B supplements | Vaginal and urinary infections | One capsule a day | $17.49–$31 for a 1-month supply; drugstores and natural-products stores |
| DanActive dairy drink | Colds and flu | One (3.3-ounce) bottle a day | $2.69 for a 4-pack; supermarkets |
| Attune bars | Colds and flu | One (80- to 170-calorie) bar a day | $1.60–$2.10 per bar; supermarkets and natural-products stores |
| Align supplements | Irritable bowel | One capsule a day | $29.99 for a 1-month supply; select drugstores |
| Good Belly probiotic fruit drink | Irritable bowel | One (2.7-ounce) bottle a day | $4.49 for a 4-pack; select supermarkets and natural-products stores |
| Stonyfield organic yogurt | Eczema | One cup a day | $1.99 for a 4-pack; supermarkets and natural-foods stores |
Comments (16)
This article was written before the March publication (in peer-reviewed scientific journals) of two more clinical trials showing that the probiotics in Digestive Advantage and Sustenex have been shown to boost the immune response to cold and flu viruses and improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
There are alot probiotic formulas available in today’s market. I think it is important to find one that is broad-spectrum (many species of beneficial cultures) and high potency with at least a 10 billion live cell count. At this high potency level of live probiotic cultures, probiotics can be very effective for a number of health issues. One of the most impressive probiotic formulas that I have discovered is Primal Defense Ultra by Garden of Life. It contains 15 billion live cell count of 13 species of beneficial cultures. It supports healthy intestinal function and balanced immune function.
There is also an informative article about Probiotics and Digestive Health that I feel would be helpful in understanding digestive health and the role of probiotics.
There are alot probiotic formulas available in today’s market. I think it is important to find one that is broad-spectrum (many species of beneficial cultures) and high potency with at least a 10 billion live cell count. At this high potency level of live probiotic cultures, probiotics can be very effective for a number of health issues. One of the most impressive probiotic formulas that I have discovered is Primal Defense Ultra by Garden of Life. It contains 15 billion live cell count of 13 species of beneficial cultures. It supports healthy intestinal function and balanced immune function.
There is also an informative article about Probiotics and Digestive Health that I feel would be helpful in understanding digestive health and the role of probiotics.
ihave very ichy skin that i scratch so much i leave marks .The upper part of my back and my arms are the worse Any suggestions for relief
Maybe this would work for you as it did for me – get some sun, or a short tanning bed exposure 1-2 weeks. A dermatologist explained to me that I had a yeast infection of the skin (mild) and that’s why the tanning bed made it disappear. Each winter, this happened and I would go to a tanning salon for 2x week, for 2 weeks.
About Barbara’s itchies…I had a similar problem when I was on a low fat diet. I cut way back on the sugars and starches, upped the veggies and meat, fish, poultry, added flax oil supplements. No more itchies and no more dandruff! Check your Vit.D intake as well. Hopefully this wiil help. Janice
Not many people know that probiotic is is really a government conspiracy to give the HIV virus to everyone in the US. Be warned of the health risks when ingesting these “benign” bacteria that are actually laced with deadly viruses.
I HAD H-PYLORI WHICH CAUSES ULCERS. WOULD THESE PROBIOTICS BE GOOD FOR ME? I’VE ALWAYS HAD A SENSITIVE STOMACH. PLUS TROUBLE WITH CONSTIPATION. DUE TO HEART MEDICINE. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
The style of writing is quite familiar to me. Have you written guest posts for other bloggers?
This is directed to barbara poirier. If you have very itchy skin you should check with your doctor. A friend of mine had very itchy skin and it was a problem with her lymph nodes. See a doctor before you take non-medical advice to what could be a serious problem.
Nick,i will check that out .Ihave Chronic Fatique Syndrome and it affects the lymph nodes so maybe you are on to something .thanks .
I’ve had all types of unusual baterial illnesses in past few years and treated alot with antibiotics. Since I’m using Vitamin D (was diagnosed with deficiency) and probiotics, I’ve been great!! The Vitamin D reversed muscle pain and nerve problems (foot neuroma, tendinitis in hand)and made me feel less tired during the day. It’s the probiotics that have also improved inflammation-type pain, my bladder works better (less frequency) and my mood is improving. The two, Vitamin D and probiotics have MUCH improved my daily life. I use multiple probiotic yogurts, drinks, and pills, as they offer different strains and I notice differences. I have to avoid L. Rhamnosus, as it gives me a headache. Activia can upset my intestinal tract sometimes, but it “moves” things along. I take a sip of Dan Active before bedtime and it calms my bladder during the night. Wish I could use the Lifeway Kefir because it has 10 different strains, but it has L. Rhamnosus.
I had stomach problems until I started taking probiotics for a few weeks. My mother-in-law also is seeing some relief from her fibromyalgia after using probiotics for a while. We get our probiotics added to our vitamin packs from Vitamins On Demand. They are reasonably priced and everything comes pre-packed in a calendar pack. It’s really great if you take a few supplements everyday. The probiotic is a complex with 2 strains of Bifidobacterium and 2 strains of Lactobacillus along with a prebiotic. It’s only $6.99 for 4 weeks when added to a vitamin pack. Overall, I’m really happy with the results from taking probiotics.
Probiotics DO NOT work if they are mixed in with fruit or juice, as the cultures feed off the sugar and become inactive. So ALL the brands which have sugar or other sweeteners in them are worthless, regardless of what the “scientific studies” say that support a particular brand like a DanActive.
Thank goodness for Pro-Biotics and plant enzymes. I was a miserable person with many health issues, stomach problems and really fat, afraid to see a doc for fear of what he might give me (drugs) and scared of being told I was on the verge of or did have Diabetes. On the edge of true dispair, I accidently came across and read H.O.P.E – and I got myself in shape fast! I have gone from a leaky gut and all that goes with it and would later come up too, stiff leg muscles having to push myself up off the couch and walk like a 85 year old (at 44 then), to a different more energetic, regular, alert person. I rise with ease, walk without cramping up and I have gone from a size 18 to an 8 over 2 years and have maintained for a year. No Drug or antacid can take one to better health when food is the culprit. Eating real foods and getting plenty of sleep is all it took for me to get better an feel so much better. I wish this article would have actually put real FOODS people might eat – in it, like berries, whole grains and fish (seaweed is great also if you like sushi). Not eliminating all fats are important too. Some of these Pro-biotics listed here are good but I think some are not so good, especially with fruit, one should eat fruit 1st (an hour or more before a meal or probiotics) and not with or too soon after. The best first thing to getting healthy or warding off disease is to take in “real” foods on a daily basis or the gut still has a problem eradicating potential disease even with Probiotics, they can help but not solve these ailments alone. I have had to learn this the hard way, but it was so worth it. So, just look for LIVE and ACTIVE on the label and check the expiration date – very important – as these bacteria must be alive to do the job of weeding out the bad bacteria in the gut.
My daughter has Crohns and is now pregnant is it safe for her to take probiotics – ie Actimel