[Tanya Marie Squirrel]

for general health,what do you think of probiotics(lactobacillus). you cannot turn on the tv today without hearing about it in yogurt, in this, in that.. even Tropical Smoothy carries a pro-biotic you can have blended into your smoothie...what do you think, a lot of hype or something that works

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-790-Probiotics+LACTOBACILLUS.aspx?activeIngredientId=790&activeIngredientName=Probiotics+(LACTOBACILLUS)&source=2

[surferjoe2007]

They aren't hype they are an important symbiotic creature with humans. The fight off other competing pathogenic bacteria in the gut and elsewhere. Studies show greatly reduced illness. And they provide a constant supply of B vitamins which are water soluble and must be constantly replenished. They are essential for metabolism/energy, sexual hormones and mental/mood hormones.

By FDA law yogurt must be cultured with thermophilus which is not a probiotic and is not real yogurt. So 100% real yogurt has been illegal since the mid 90s, though it hasn't been fully enforced until a few years ago. It might contain a little useful acidophilus and biffidus but you are better off with kefir (and check which cultures are listed first). Acidophilus is the main one and it is extensively studied to be amazing. Thermophilus otoh is extensively studied to be useless.

Or you may instead feed and grow your existing probiotics with 2 oz sunchokes (about a golf ball), 6 oz endive or escarole or chicory or 12 oz onions.

[Tanya Marie Squirrel]

thanks surferjoe. with everyone now adays clammering for the new quick fix or super cure truth becomes clouded and often times watered down with no actual proof of medicinal properties ,or in some cases the chemical additives diminish the properties of the herbs in question.

[Tanya Marie Squirrel]

how often should one consume probiotics? daily? weekly? how much and how often to be of any benefit?

[bugle dodo]

I don't doubt what you've said surfer but I do have a question (and it's not rhetorical). How can any living organism survive our acidic stomach? It normally kills pathogens that are just like the probiotics so it doesn't seem logical to me that just because it's good and lives in our lower GI that it can get there through such a harsh environment.

[surferjoe2007]

how often should one consume probiotics? daily? weekly? how much and how often to be of any benefit?

Daily ideally. I don't know exactly how much. I know for prebiotics (food to farm your own probiotics in your gut) 2 oz. of sunchokes is good.

With seemingly impressive numbers in the billions of organisms and sensitivity to heat, I'm a bit scared to use a probiotic supplement myself. I have no idea if they actually put enough in there, or if they are still alive. I stick to kefir and sunchokes. I suppose with a bit of work I could figure out a good supplement.

I don't doubt what you've said surfer but I do have a question (and it's not rhetorical). How can any living organism survive our acidic stomach? It normally kills pathogens that are just like the probiotics so it doesn't seem logical to me that just because it's good and lives in our lower GI that it can get there through such a harsh environment.

Many of them do die, some make it through. Pretty much they are made to be symbiotic with humans and animals so they must find a way in somehow. And if you similarly ate a 4 oz lump of fully rotten food I bet you'd get sick, stomach acid or not. Probiotics are even in mother's milk and raw unpasteurized cow's milk. And "acidophilus" means acid-loving so I suppose that helps a little, even though the stomach is still too acidic for them.

[athena23]

I use probiotics everyday. I started when I was on a lengthy prescription of antibiotics and have continued it for healthy gut reasons.

[Tanya Marie Squirrel]

I use probiotics everyday. I started when I was on a lengthy prescription of antibiotics and have continued it for healthy gut reasons.

do you feel it has benefited you? if so how and in what way have you noticed?

[BewbieNewbie]

I'm suffering from stomach problems, so my PA told me to take probiotics to help my stomach health. They must be pretty important