What is it?

A well balanced gastrointestinal system needs a healthy balance of flora, that can come from probiotics such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. These produce lactic acid, kill off pathogens, and help to digest food and produce nutrients. Your body counts on these "good" bacteria to perform these jobs and prevent the takeover of "bad" bacteria.

Lactobacillus

Lactobacillus is a type of bacteria. There are lots of different species of lactobacillus. These are "friendly" bacteria that normally live in our digestive, urinary, and genital systems without causing disease. Lactobacillus is also in some fermented foods like yogurt and in dietary supplements.

Lactobacillus is used for treating and preventing diarrhea, including infectious types such as rotaviral diarrhea in children and traveler's diarrhea. It is also used to prevent and treat diarrhea associated with using antibiotics.

Some people use lactobacillus for general digestion problems; irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); Crohn's disease; inflammation of the colon; and infection with Helicobacter pylori, the type of bacteria that causes ulcers. Lactobacillus is also used for other types of infections including urinary tract infections (UTIs), vaginal yeast infections and to prevent respiratory infections in children attending daycare centers.

Lactobacillus is used for skin disorders such as fever blisters, canker sores, and acne.

It is also used for high cholesterol, lactose intolerance, Lyme disease, hives, and to boost the immune system.

Women sometimes use lactobacillus suppositories to treat vaginal infections and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

There are concerns about the quality of some lactobacillus products. Some products labeled to contain Lactobacillus acidophilus actually contain no lactobacillus acidophilus, or they contain a different strain of lactobacillus such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Some products are contaminated with "unfriendly" bacteria.

SISU Dophilus Plus Chewable

Unfortunately, the friendly bacteria (bifidobacteria and lactobacilli) can be diminished by the pressures of modern life, including stress and poor diet. For restoring, normalizing and stabilizing the intestinal flora we recommend SISU Dophilus Plus.

Saccharomyces boulardii

Saccharomyces boulardii is a yeast, which is a type of fungus. Saccharomyces boulardii was previously identified as a unique species of yeast, but is now believed to be a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast). Saccharomyces boulardii is used as medicine.

Saccharomyces boulardii is used for treating and preventing diarrhea, including infectious types such as rotaviral diarrhea in children, diarrhea caused by gastrointestinal (GI) take-over (overgrowth) by "bad" bacteria in adults, traveler's diarrhea, and diarrhea associated with tube feedings. It is also used to prevent and treat diarrhea caused by the use of antibiotics.

Saccharomyces boulardii is also used for general digestion problems, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBD, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), Lyme disease, a bowel disorder called relapsing Clostridium difficile colitis, and bacterial overgrowth in short bowel syndrome.

Some people use Saccharomyces boulardii for lactose intolerance, urinary tract infections (UTIs), vaginal yeast infections, high cholesterol levels, hives, fever blisters, canker sores, and teen-age acne.

Metagenics Proboulardi

Did you know that in addition to killing the "bad" bacteria, antibiotics also destroy the normal "good" bacteria in your gastrointestinal and urinary tracts? This can sometimes lead to antibiotic associated diarrhea. If you have taken antibiotics lately, or take one regularly (for acne), you might consider taking a probiotic (good bacteria) supplement to help restore and maintain your normal bacterial flora such as Metagenics Proboulardi.

Recommended Dose

To support intestinal health after antibiotic therapy, one capsule daily.

For antibiotic-associated diarrhea, Saccharomyces boulardii 250-500 mg two to four times a day has been used.