Probiotics, so many to choose from

[TAS]

I'm looking to buy some online today and wonder if anyone has had any luck with generic probiotics?
There are so many to choose from, and it's a bit confusing.
I see that Align is much cheaper than Florastor, and some people do better on one over the other. Same with VLS3.
Which would you suggest, and should I get the Kefir in addition to one or more of the other (pills)?
Thank you in advance for your help!

[Lisa33]

I haven't tried any of the generic, but there are some posters on here that take Align. I think that Kefir is worth adding as it does have proven benefits. And it's actually yummy too! :-)

[georgina]

In my opinion the best probiotics are the natural ones , like fermented foods: homemade sauerkraut , pickles and yogurt or keifer.One spoon of either of those gives you 10 times more probiotic then a pill.

[code3rn]

Honestly I think it's like pepsi and coke. What some people like others don't. I know my GI Recommended florastor after my FMT if I ever have to go on antibiotics again. I took it and didn't notice too much of a difference. I also have tried VSL-3. Granted i was active with cdiff while trying the probiotics, so I didn't give them a fair chance.

[Bobbie]

Try Costco for a better price on probiotics - usually. Probiotics are a "might" thing - might help or might not. Again, varies with the individual.

[cdiffrun]

what do you mean by generic probiotics? like store brands?

[ppp67]

I guess it all depends. Probiotics, IMO, played a vital role in early CDIFF recovery, keeping the CDIFF at bay when I needed to heal and rebuild a healthy diverse flora. It's a crutch. Nobody really knows what the "right" pill is. Who knows how much of an impact a tiny pill will have once it reaches the colon. Maybe that's why FMT are most successful -- "this comes from a healthy person so it must be good stuff! Damned if I know what or why it works, it just does."

My doctor encouraged me to give up the daily probiotics about 6-8 months after my relapse.
What you eat is more important. Think of probiotics as seeds. You need to plant them in good soil.
The same goes for all the other "good" bacteria you need to build up.
I still have kefir (no sugar) every other day mixed with mueseli. It makes me feel good too.
My doctor just wanted me to start eating normal [healthy food] again.

I guess the biggest problem with probiotics is that they have become a big business.
No wonder there are so many brands out there. They make easy money.
Many, if not all, of them overpriced.
They aren't a drug so they don't go under the same scrutiny.

Someone said it below. Go with the natural sources, and have some fibre as well.

Just my 2 cents.