Probiotics

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andy2007
Regular User
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2020 12:35 pm

Probiotics

Postby andy2007 » Sun Jan 12, 2020 4:10 am

Hi
All my background regarding c.diff is on another post, but I had a question about probiotics.
I live and work in Taiwan. I have had pretty good treatment here and the health care is quite decent. I finished vanco two days ago. Feel fine so far and have pretty normal bm.
Also been eating lots of yoghurt, miso and kimchi to help and eating healthily. Kefir isn't really available here.

I have been taking a regular good quality probiotic twice a day, however I keep reading about florastor so have ordered some. Doesn't seem to be available here. I feel like I might be missing out by not having this. Is it essential for recovery?
What I was also given by the doctors is something called clostridium butyricum. It is popular is Asia and was developed in Japan. It seems to suppress c.diff.
Anyone know anything about that?

Andrew

AllisS
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 1889
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 10:52 pm

Re: Probiotics

Postby AllisS » Sun Jan 12, 2020 9:48 am

There is, unfortunately, no probiotic (or any other substance) that has solid evidence behind it as being essential for recovery. To date, it's unknown which probiotic strains might be most helpful or in what dosages. That said, I think there have been a few studies indicating that Florastor seems to have been helpful in preventing recurrence among hospitalized patients. I took it, myself, a few weeks prior to, and then following, hip-replacement surgery a few years ago. However, I recently discontinued taking VSL3, a probiotic I'd taken daily for years, as I suspected it was causing some GI symptoms. (Which did seem to improve after stopping that probiotic; I read somewhere that the capsules had undergone "reformulation.")

The consensus seems to be that probiotics *might* be helpful. I don't think the evidence is persuasive, so I'll continue not to take them, other than, perhaps, in the circumstance described above. I've never heard of clostridium butyricum so can't comment on it.
If your illness was preceded by use of a medication, e.g., an antibiotic, please fill out an FDA Adverse Event Report at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm

roy
Administrator
Posts: 4193
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:05 am

Re: Probiotics

Postby roy » Sun Jan 12, 2020 11:51 am

Clostridium butyricum has been used in the East as a c.diff preventative for quite a long time.
Many Drs put their patients on it before they are admitted to hospital.
Quite possibly a much better approach that the wests.


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