I understood you were supposed to take them on an empty stomach at least 30 min. before eating.  But I don't know if I got that from this site or another.  I take Polyflora before I eat breakfast and way after I eat supper.  I can't swallow a pill with water either, so I eat a tiny bit of something, like a couple of nuts.

Quoted from C_sharp

If you or your brother still have some, I would recommend trying taking it away from food so the transit time in the stomach would be shorter.
I have some enteric coated probiotics that recommend an hour after eating. Their logic was taking it with food would cause the bacteria to be flushed through the digestive track with the food. Taking it an hour later meant their was still food in the digestive track for the bacteria eat, but the bacteria would not be pushed through as rapidly. Meaning the bacteria could develop colonies in the intestines and be ready to function in the future.

I take mine in the morning on an empty stomach. I am a slow metabolizer which concerns me that I'm not getting the best from a pro-b that's not enteric coated. I'm NOT knocking Polyflora, I'm just saying, it may not be the best for me.  
I like the reasoning from the company's pro-b's you use. What is it, if you don't mind sharing?

Some years back, I read the suggestion from Dr. D or one of the admins to take PolyFlora before bed, after a lot of time has passed since the past food eaten.  This worked extremely well for me.

I have taken at least a dozen different brands of probiotics over the years, and tried them before meals, after meals, morning and night, and I have never experienced such lasting benefit as I have from taking polyflora.  I now take only at night.

My gut was a tough case, having come through decades of IBS, chronic loose stools, bloating and digestive pain.  I'm greatly sold on the product.

polyflora rocks!!
thanks for sharing your experience!
IB,
try Victoria s tip, it sure stayed more 'intact' until it got to her intestines that way!

Victoria, do you take all 4 capsules before bed?

Victoria,
Thanks for the tip.  I take just about everything after breakfast so it's away from my thyroid meds which I take before breakfast.
I'll try taking them at night.  I take my calcium at night also to keep it away from my thyroid meds so I'll just add the Polyflora at night as well.
Jane

Almost all probiotics are in spore formation (since bacteria go into spore mode when dessicated).

Spores would survive a nuclear detonation.

How long the capsule takes to dissolve is immaterial.

Enteric coating is a good thing for aspirin, but a marketing gimmick for probiotics.

That would explain why just eating yogurt increases the good bacteria..don't need a coating around yogurt.

Quoted Text

Spores would survive a nuclear detonation.

So, when we blow ourselves up with nuclear bombs, we can depend on the bacteria to bring life back to this planet..someday..after the half life...comforting thought. However, I am for one, optimistic that we will overcome our warring ways..coming from a Warrior..

Quoted from Ribbit

Victoria, do you take all 4 capsules before bed?

If I were going to take that many, I would probably take them before bed on a relatively empty stomach.  But at this point, I'm only taking one per night.  It took me a while to get to this point, and I now have a very happy digestive system.  

I also eat ARA6 (powdered larch) every day, as a prebiotic and soluble fiber and immune food for the gut.

If you need to start out with a larger daily dose, I would say to follow the directions on the bottle, or experiment and see what seems to give the best results.

When I remember, I take 2 Polyflora on an empty stomach before bed. Works like a charm!

Quoted from Dr. D

Almost all probiotics are in spore formation (since bacteria go into spore mode when dessicated).

Spores would survive a nuclear detonation.

How long the capsule takes to dissolve is immaterial.

Enteric coating is a good thing for aspirin, but a marketing gimmick for probiotics.

I knew I had an unshakeable confidence in this stuff for some reason!! I have been knowing for twenty years that it works in all circumstances!!! Now, I really know!!

I think I already said that I LOVE probiotics!!

Quoted from Drea

When I remember, I take 2 Polyflora on an empty stomach before bed. Works like a charm!

Would you expound on what you mean by "works like a charm"? What do you notice so that you know it's working well? thanks.

Quoted from italybound

Would you expound on what you mean by "works like a charm"? What do you notice so that you know it's working well? thanks.

"works like a charm" equals "keeps me regular".

Quoted from Drea

"works like a charm" equals "keeps me regular".

I wondered if that's what you meant.     thanks  

Dr D, thanks for the explanation. That's what we needed.

Quoted from Dr. D

Almost all probiotics are in spore formation (since bacteria go into spore mode when dessicated).

Spores would survive a nuclear detonation.

How long the capsule takes to dissolve is immaterial.

Enteric coating is a good thing for aspirin, but a marketing gimmick for probiotics.

It's such a huge marketing gimmick that most everyone believes it.  I just read an article in this month's "Delicious" magazine that again insists that the probiotics MUST be enteric coated to make it through to the gut.

Also when I first started taking the Dr. D's Polyflora, I was told by Nap that I could take it with food or without.  So I'm not sure it that is still true but I do take it on an empty tummy.

Also Polyflora itself does not keep me 'regular' - I find that the only practice that does that, is eating good balanced meals.  I think at times we just want to take a pill when in fact we forget that food has such a strong medicinal effect on our bodies, minds, emotional balance, etc.

I've said it many times before...if I can only take one supp...it would be a probiotic for me...and polyflora O would be the one...I don't mind good bacteria(s) feasting on my blood antigens.

I start my day with a glass of water and polyflora

Quoted from Ribbit

I understood you were supposed to take them on an empty stomach at least 30 min. before eating.  But I don't know if I got that from this site or another.  I take Polyflora before I eat breakfast and way after I eat supper.  I can't swallow a pill with water either, so I eat a tiny bit of something, like a couple of nuts.

I don't know if you have tried this tip. I used to have a hard time swallowing pills, too. Really, even a tiny one wouldn't go down. Then someone told me how to do it. Since pills float, every time I would swallow the water would go down and not the pill! . Put the pill in your mouth with the water. Tip your head right back. Swallow.

I was about 40 when I learned this.  

Quoted from GillianR

I don't know if you have tried this tip. I used to have a hard time swallowing pills, too. Really, even a tiny one wouldn't go down. Then someone told me how to do it. Since pills float, every time I would swallow the water would go down and not the pill! . Put the pill in your mouth with the water. Tip your head right back. Swallow. )

this is what I heard.......capsules - lean forward when swallowing and the capsule floats back.   solid pills, do just what GillianR mentions.   works for me

Quoted from Dr. D

Almost all probiotics are in spore formation (since bacteria go into spore mode when dessicated).
Spores would survive a nuclear detonation.
How long the capsule takes to dissolve is immaterial.
Enteric coating is a good thing for aspirin, but a marketing gimmick for probiotics.

It is the 'popular opinion', shall we say   , that pro-b's should be taken on an empty stomach. In light of your post, it doesn't really matter when we take them right? Hoping so, it would help me get some down Rich. He needs them so bad after 3 weeks of intravenous anti-b's and 4 weeks of oral anti-b's last year. He tells me almost every week now how tired he is and he doesn't feel all that great since that incident. I share the need for the pro-b's to replace the good flora, but he doesn't get it. If it came from his doctor, he would take them.   I have an appt w/ the same dr tomorrow, maybe I'll see if he'll write Rich a note.

So what difference does it make if you take it on an empty stomach or with meals?  

Quoted from Mayflowers

So what difference does it make if you take it on an empty stomach or with meals?  

the pondering was that if you took it w/ a meal it would dissolve in the stomach (instead of the intestines) and all but be destroyed before it reached it's target.

Ohhhh! So as far as what Dr. D said, it doesn't matter when you take it..

Quoted from Mayflowers

BTW, probiotics are an immune support thing...I've never heard of it being used to be "regular"..odd.

Probiotics also aid proper digestion, which can aid regularity...

Quoted from Ribbit

I understood you were supposed to take them on an empty stomach at least 30 min. before eating.  But I don't know if I got that from this site or another.  I take Polyflora before I eat breakfast and way after I eat supper.  I can't swallow a pill with water either, so I eat a tiny bit of something, like a couple of nuts.

This is how I take it because it's how we once were told to do it here.  Polyflora worked miracles for me, so I don't care about the coating.

There are many comments about how great Polyflora works for those here. However, that is about the extent of the comments.
I would love it if you all would share what those benefits are. Not just that it works great, but exactly what it is that it does for you. The changes you see or feel when you take it as opposed to when you don't. I really need to be 'looking' for the right changes and right now, I don't think I know for what I should be looking. thanks.