I have a member of the family who is having bowel problem. He has been diagnosed w/ IBS     and is on Zelnorm.  They also had him on a fiber 'thing' which consisted of psyllium and some gum (both avoids). I told him he was better off w/o it and he rarely uses it. After my other brother reading some info on lost beneficial flora from antibiotics and all the stuff I've been 'feeding' him 'forever', he is wondering if he should be taking something for his intestinal flora. Yes, yes, yes, he should be!! So, I ordered him some Polyflora today and gave him 20 capsules to get him thru until his come. The big question is, since he's been on antibiotics, even tho it was some months ago, how many should he take a day?  Bear in mind, he, until recently never took anything to replace lost flora. He recently started taking some acidophillus, but I see that is not even in the Polyflora O.  I remember reading on this forum that it takes months at high doses of beneficial flora supplements, to replenish what has been destroyed w/ antibiotics. Would you all mind giving me some suggestions on how much he should take and for how long? I know he should stay on some for maintenance, eventually, but how much and for how long to really get things 'kickstarted'. Also, how much effect do you think it will have on getting his bowels working on their own and properly. He loosely follows BTD and knows he has to do better, so that piece of it has been covered.  Thanks!

three times a day before meals....

Is he blood type O?

My favorite fiber for IBS is ARA 6.  I used to suffer IBS really horribly.  Freshly ground flax, ARA 6 and Polyflora B have put an end to that.  But he might have to work up to the ground flax and get his body used to it gradually.

Quoted from Victoria

Is he blood type O?

My favorite fiber for IBS is ARA 6.  I used to suffer IBS really horribly.  Freshly ground flax, ARA 6 and Polyflora B have put an end to that.  But he might have to work up to the ground flax and get his body used to it gradually.

How much flax? How much ARA 6 and where do you get that?
Lola, how long would you recommend he do the Polyflora at that dosage?

What was the problem with the Psyllium?

Anyways, I didn't get any effect from probiotics (D'Adamo's or others) at lower doses.  I currently take around 200 billion to 350 billion cfu daily (to give you some perspective the Polyflora product contains, I think, about 1 billion cfu per capsule).  I buy my probiotics from a company who will custom blend them for you at high doses.  So, you could ask him to make a you a blend of your Beneficial probiotics (as in the Polyflora products) at a dose of 100 billion and higher per gram (it comes as a powder that you mix into drinks).

Since I began this protocol, my bowel movements are great,  I feel great, the frequent yeast infections I was havig have ceased and my digestion is doing great.

Quoted from AfricanTypeO

What was the problem with the Psyllium?
Anyways, I didn't get any effect from probiotics (D'Adamo's or others) at lower doses.  I currently take around 200 billion to 350 billion cfu daily (to give you some perspective the Polyflora product contains, I think, about 1 billion cfu per capsule).  I buy my probiotics from a company who will custom blend them for you at high doses.  So, you could ask him to make a you a blend of your Beneficial probiotics (as in the Polyflora products) at a dose of 100 billion and higher per gram (it comes as a powder that you mix into drinks).
Since I began this protocol, my bowel movements are great,  I feel great, the frequent yeast infections I was havig have ceased and my digestion is doing great.

Psyllium is an avoid for O's.
When you say "Since I began this protocol", are you speaking of the 200-350 billion cfu daily?  Does cfu stand for colonies in some way?  Also would you mind giving me the name of the company who custom blends yours?   And how long have you been taking this high dose?

ARA6 from NAP store, minimum of 1 Tb/day, or 1 Tb twice a day.

I eat 2 Tb. of freshly ground flax added to a blender drink, or it can be added to juice or water.

Quoted from pkarmeier

Psyllium is an avoid for O's.
When you say "Since I began this protocol", are you speaking of the 200-350 billion cfu daily?  Does cfu stand for colonies in some way?  Also would you mind giving me the name of the company who custom blends yours?   And how long have you been taking this high dose?

Had no idea about the psyllium.  I used to take it.   Yes the protocol I am talking about is the probiotic one.  Cfu means 'colony forming units'.  The NAP product has 1.5 billion CFU per capsule.

The company I use is

http://www.customprobiotics.com

I've also had good results with Natren's Healthy Trinity but that works out way more expensive than the Custom Probiotics products.

Quoted from pkarmeier

Psyllium is an avoid for O's.

IB, this is good info... Where did you find this info??

And about the Polyflora intake.. My experience is that people take too much of supps.. If they do not drink adequately, they get constipated..

My advice is not to take more than 1 capsule Polyflora at the start of your diet..
The body has to adapt to and another way of eating and supps...
This can be too much to handle at the same time...

Just my experience with my patients..

Cocky

Quoted from AfricanTypeO

The company I use is http://www.customprobiotics.com

Thanks for the info!!

Cocky, I've read many, many times on this forum that psyllium is an avoid for O's.  Is this not correct?  

IB, I just can't find it in the encyclopedia.. That is all..  

I will bear it in mind that psyllium is to be avoided by O's..

thanks IB!

Cocky  

Yes, psyllium is considered an avoid for type O's, at least on a regular basis.

Quoted from Cocky

IB, I just can't find it in the encyclopedia.. That is all..  
I will bear it in mind that psyllium is to be avoided by O's..thanks IB!
Cocky  

Your welcome. Glad MoDon chimed in there, was starting to think I'd imagined that. .

Don thanks for updating me and reassuring   IB with the psyllium!!

I have noted it in my Encyclopy!!

Thanks

Cocky

Quoted from Cocky

IB, this is good info... Where did you find this info??

And about the Polyflora intake.. My experience is that people take too much of supps.. If they do not drink adequately, they get constipated..

My advice is not to take more than 1 capsule Polyflora at the start of your diet..
The body has to adapt to and another way of eating and supps...
This can be too much to handle at the same time...

Just my experience with my patients..

Cocky

I politely disagree. I have studied probiotic usage extensively.  There are trillions of the bad guys in the average person's gut.  A mere 1 billion CFU of probiotics is going to do diddly squat.    Unless perhaps you are already super-healthy and you already have more than enough of the 'good' bacteria in your gut, and you've never ever been under chronic stress, taken antibiotics or birth control pills or steroids or been under stress or drank water with chlorine in it (all of these things kill of the good bacteria) - then perhaps 1 billion cfu would be enough, just to maintain the perfect ecological domain you already have in your gut.  

Quoted from AfricanTypeO

I politely disagree. I have studied probiotic usage extensively.  There are trillions of the bad guys in the average person's gut.  A mere 1 billion CFU of probiotics is going to do diddly squat.   

I have to politely say, I tend to agree here. I have read on this board more than once that if you've taken even one dose of antibiotics, you need, I believe upwards of 50 billion colonies per day for an extended period of time.  

Is psyllium ok for A't? I have just started taking a fiber pill that contains psyllium and pectin.

Quoted from AfricanTypeO

What was the problem with the Psyllium?

Anyways, I didn't get any effect from probiotics (D'Adamo's or others) at lower doses.  I currently take around 200 billion to 350 billion cfu daily (to give you some perspective the Polyflora product contains, I think, about 1 billion cfu per capsule).  I buy my probiotics from a company who will custom blend them for you at high doses.  So, you could ask him to make a you a blend of your Beneficial probiotics (as in the Polyflora products) at a dose of 100 billion and higher per gram (it comes as a powder that you mix into drinks).

Since I began this protocol, my bowel movements are great,  I feel great, the frequent yeast infections I was havig have ceased and my digestion is doing great.

Were you able to get all the same probiotic strains that's in Polyflora O? I noticed on the customprobiotics website that they don't have Streptococcus thermophilus for custom blending. I'd like to order but want to know exactly what blend you use since I am also an O.

Thanks!

Quoted from AfricanTypeO

I politely disagree. I have studied probiotic usage extensively.  There are trillions of the bad guys in the average person's gut.  A mere 1 billion CFU of probiotics is going to do diddly squat.    Unless perhaps you are already super-healthy and you already have more than enough of the 'good' bacteria in your gut, and you've never ever been under chronic stress, taken antibiotics or birth control pills or steroids or been under stress or drank water with chlorine in it (all of these things kill of the good bacteria) - then perhaps 1 billion cfu would be enough, just to maintain the perfect ecological domain you already have in your gut.  

Most studies show that if the strains are not chosen correctly there will be no permanent changes to the gut from probiotic doses of any amount. As long as you keep taking the humungous CFU formulas (and paying for them) the bacteria will remain in there. Within two weeks of dc'ing these formulas, the population almost always reverts to what it was before. The idea is to use the best strains for your blood type and include the blood type optimum prebiotics as well.

Quoted from BuzyBee

Is psyllium ok for A't? I have just started taking a fiber pill that contains psyllium and pectin.

BB-Not sure about psyllium, but I had IBS for several years.  I have found that more fiber in my diet through fruits, veggies & Fiber One cereal along with more water does wonders!!  I must confess, though, not all Fiber One ingredients are the best...guar gum, aspartame and phenylalanine which are avoids, however, I haven't found anything else that works as well for me.  So, I try to be compliant in other areas and still have the Fiber One cereal each morning.  Recently, I've been mixing it with Ezekiel cereal which also contains some fiber.  I've taken Zelnorm also and it gave me diarrhea so bad I stopped taking it...one extreme to the other.

The recommended therapeutic suggestions listed on the Polyflors bottle should be helpful to follow.  

I believe taking one Polyflora a day is often utilized by people who take it for maintenance.

Alia

Quoted from admin

Most studies show that if the strains are not chosen correctly there will be no permanent changes to the gut from probiotic doses of any amount. As long as you keep taking the humungous CFU formulas (and paying for them) the bacteria will remain in there. Within two weeks of dc'ing these formulas, the population almost always reverts to what it was before. The idea is to use the best strains for your blood type and include the blood type optimum prebiotics as well.

Hi Dr. D, can you post the info for the research on this?  I am interested in reading it.  Thx.

The inclusion of red meat, the elimination of all major grains but rice and all oils beside olive oil totally stopped my IBS.

zelnorm- just came out that it is causing heart attacks and/or strokes!

I still take Polyflora but I've found that it no longer works as well for my eliminations...chelated magnesium at night does that trick.

I'm sorry but not surprised to hear that yet another prescription drug on the market has deterimental side effects.