Comments on: Align for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Review: Weeks 7 and 8

by: tummyblogger

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:19:38 +0000

Dear Diane,
To answer your question, first, “Is there anything more natural in a probiotic?” Well, yes. The Korean national food, Kimchi, or fermented cabbage, has probiotic properties, as does sauerkraut–also fermented cabbage. The culture for forming yogurt from milk is a natural probiotic. You would need to take whichever form of natural probiotic on a daily basis, and probably would need to eat a lot of it, so that a small amount would reach the large intestine (colon).
On your implied concern, that the ingredients you list are artificial and unhealthy, I can say this. What most of these do is provide a dissolving shell around the probiotic, so that it stays as a shell around the probiotic good bacteria and carries it safely past the stomach acids and digestive process of the small intestine. Then the probiotic can be released into the large intestine.
The FD&C blue #2 may be an allergen to a very very few people. It is a dye, and gives the Align capsule its distinctive color.
Digestive Advantage is a non-dye-containing probiotic, also with a surrounding capsule with some similar ingredients to your list.
In addition, NSI 15-35 probiotic (VitaCost.com)–which I didn’t think was very effective–has similar encapsulating ingredients. They add a warning–because one source is lactobacillus–that capsules may contain trace residual milk.
Also, Digestive Advantage-IBS Capsules are fine, but the chewable form often found in pharmacies does contain Sucralose, trade named Splenda.

So reading labels is wise. Taking a probiotic is also wise.

Thanks for sending in your concern,and
All the best,
Tummyblogger

by: diane garoni

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:44:08 +0000

Look at the contents for this product:
Other ingredients: microcystalline cellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose capsule USP grade, magnesium stearate, sugar, sodium caseinate, sodium citrate dihydrate, propyl gallate, FD&C blue #2

Is there anything more natural in a probiotic??
Thanks in advance for pointing me in the right direction, i am akready in Heathers SFS

by: tummyblogger

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 23:41:12 +0000

Hi,Utenzi! You were doing Align on the same deal I was, to test the free samples and write about it on our blogs. It’s great to hear from you!

I’m sad that Align didn’t work for you. It may be, as you said, that your abundance of flora accounts for your getting worse.

Fifteen months ago I tried probiotics, as I was doing radical surgery on my diet, and they had no effect. The NSI probiotic at less than 15 strains and 35 billion Colony Forming Units (CFUs) didn’t work for me either.

I was rather surprised that Align did. It was icing on the cake (ooh, not a good metaphor!) with the rest of feeling better due to eliminating all the triggers from my diet (except 25% coffee) and adding SFS (Soluble Fiber Supplements). There was also finding the Soy-based High Fiber Meal Replacement from Best Life International. Not to mention bananas.

When you kept going for seven weeks, did you ask for and get help from the people at Align, or your doctor, or did you stick out by yourself? I checked your blog once or twice and concluded you had opted out.

Anyway, good to hear from you. Welcome to For My Tummy.

Best,
Tummyblogger

by: utenzi

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:46:02 +0000

Align seemed to make my symptoms a lot worse. I finally discontinued use after 7 weeks. By that time I’d been miserable for quite a while.

A caveat though. I seem to fall into the overabundent flora group of IBS folk so I suspect I’d respond to antibiotics well, not probiotics. I didn’t know that two months ago though. Since my symptoms got so much worse, I suspect Align is heaven sent for people that need an increase in intestinal flora.