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On formytummy.com, I’ve talked about probiotics and prebiotics, fiber in the diet, brand names of products that are helpful, or not, and most of all, diet as a treatment for IBS.
But what is “Treatment for IBS” in an overall sense? You have a diagnosis of IBS, fine. Well, actually, not so fine! To get that diagnosis, you had symptoms. You would like one of two things:
- to have the symptoms go away and never come back — A CURE, or if that is impossible
- to have the symptoms calm down and let you live your life — A TREATMENT
As far as I know, no CURE for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, in the form of a pill that taken once, or twenty times, or monthly, or every day for life, exists or is in the medical pipeline. There are probably 200 to 500 different treatments for IBS advertised on web sites. There are television ads for products that seem to present a cure-all treatment for some irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. At best, they do NOT provide treatments for IBS. At worst, they can make things worse.
What Is Good Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
I am using the word “treatment” not in the medical sense, but in a practical sense. This practical sense involves step-by-step life-style change, dietary change, self-education, avoiding trigger foods, adding SOLUBLE fiber, taking one or the other of two specific probiotics.
I don’t get paid for writing this, or giving advice, in any way. I do recommend products I have used that have been helpful; there may be other such products in the same classification that will work, that I don’t know about, but I do believe following this regimen will improve uncomplicated irritable bowel syndrome.
Before we start - Definitions:
Fiber — does not mean Metamucil ™, despite what your doctor says. That’s partly because Metamucil has added flavors or sugar substitutes, and partly because it is too harsh to use from a standing start, for people with IBS.
Fiber — does mean either FiberSure ™ or Heather’s Organic Acacia Tummy Fiber ™, which use either soluble inulin or soluble material from the gum acacia tree.
Proportions
- You can expect to feel 70% better as you get your diet under control.
- Add to that another 15% better for improving your use of soluble fiber.
- Add to that another 10% better for adding one of the recommended probiotics. Yes, your doctor is right to hand you a sample of Align ™ and suggest you take it. No, she doesn’t know that Digestive Advantage IBS ™ is equally good, and costs about one-third as much. Nobody has done the research.
- You could add about 5% for following various tricks of the trade, such as “Never eat on an empty stomach” to bring it up to 100% improvement.
To find out more about these recommended changes to improve IBS, on this web site, start with the header, and read the IBS Triggers link, and then the IBS DIET material. These two sections will get you started on the diet.
And to make the diet work, follow these 7 principles:
I will soon add a post that indexes blog posts on the other elements of IBS treatment that I mention above.
November 15th, 2008
Posted by
tummyblogger |
IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS therapy, IBS Triggers, Digesting Information, Digestive Advantage - Constipation, IBS Diet, Treatment |
no comments
Sustenex ™ is a variant on Ganeden BC ^30 ™, a probiotic used also in the Digestive Advantage ™ line of products for IBS, IBS-C, Crohn’s Disease, and Lactose Intolerance.
Sustenex, however, is marketed as a health-promotion product, rather than as a health-improvement product like the Digestive Advantage line. I cannot find out from the online literature whether there is the same amount of Ganeden BC^30 in each of the Ganeden products. I would be interested to know the differences among their products.
The reason I have been reading the Sustenex materials at www.sustenex.com is that I received a press release from them (Ganeden Biotech), which is reproduced here, without the main image.
1-800-456-0276 DigestiveAdvantage@GanedenBiotech.com
Dr. Mehmet Oz radio show on Oprah & Friends™:
Date: Thursday, November 15th
Time: 7:00am, 1:00pm and 7:00pm
How to listen to the show: Tune in to XM Radio channel 156 or click here! to sign up for a 30-day free membership.
Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen, renowned doctors in cardiology, anesthesiology, and wellness are also the best selling authors of the YOU series of books. Their latest book, YOU: Staying Young was just released and is on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
Learn more about probiotics >>
Learn more about GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans), our patented strain of probiotics >>
I am traveling out of town, and may not get to listen. Would you like to write a guest review of the radio show for the blog? Contact me tummyblogger [at] gmail.com?
And, to find out more about probiotics, especially for tummy problems such as IBS-C and IBS-D, and even IBS-A, read the following articles on this blog:
Originally from October 2006, on promising medical research:
http://www.formytummy.com/2007/04/20/medical-research-on-probiotic
Recommended Reading on Probiotics:
http://www.formytummy.com/2007/07/08/recommended-reading-on-probiotics-and-prebiotics/
And the series on Probiotics 101 and 102, as follows:
That even funnier word, SYNbiotics, is covered in this article:
http://www.formytummy.com/2007/07/09/prebiotics-plus-probiotics-synbiotics/
Don’t forget PREbiotics, described in this article:
http://www.formytummy.com/2007/07/09/prebiotics-plus-probiotics-synbiotics/
November 14th, 2007
Posted by
tummyblogger |
Probiotics, general, Digesting Information, Sustenex |
3 comments
Introduction
I would like to clarify the underlying principles to the IBS food recommendations that I make on ForMyTummy (FMT). When I first started ForMyTummy.com, over a year ago, I thought the principles were the same as, or similar to, those of Heather Van Vorous, of the HelpforIBS.com web site. Upon reflection, after a year of writing tips and recipes and articles, there are some specific features to my approach which can be stated as, ta-da!, the following Principles.
Principle 1
NEVER EAT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH
This means that when you wake up, the first thing you put into your mouth is a soluble fiber, such as Heather’s Organic Acacia Tummy Fiber ™ or FiberSure ™. Later in the day, the first thing into your mouth will be either a small amount of gentle starch like rice or soy crackers, or another part of your daily dose of a Soluble Fiber Supplement (SFS).
Principle 2
GET ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN FOOD SHOPPING
This is because you are in a learning process yourself. To try to tell someone else who is buying or preparing your food what it is that you want/need, and what has to be or not be on the food label is to create more interpersonal stress than you really need. Negotiate to be part of shopping trips, or change your food service (lunch place, wherever) to “vegan,” or ask for gift certificates to Amazon and lay in your own stock of oatmeal or soy noodle soup or something else that you like.
Principle 3
READ ALL FOOD LABELS IN THE STORE!
This means take your reading glasses with you to the grocery store, or read the food labels online–Amazon is pretty good at publishing the labels, and many product web pages have them available. You want to know two things:
- The list of ingredients, and
- The nutrition information, particularly carbohydrate and fiber content
Principles 4 and 5 are to be applied in sequence.
Principle 4
START WITH AN ELIMINATION DIET
This means that you begin by eliminating all foods that occur on the List of IBS Triggers. In addition, at the beginning you will avoid most fruits and vegetables, unless they are pureed (as in baby foods), or starchy, such as potatoes and sweet potatoes without skins and butter. In cutting out caffeine, cut your daily intake in half, in half again, and in half again if you are a heavy user. Then cut out all caffeine.
This also means that you will have to switch to available foods that are based on soy beans or rice. Rice is both binding and calming to the tummy; that means that if you have IBS-C, base your NEW diet on soy, and add small amounts of rice.
Principle 5
EMPHASIZE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOR ADDED FOODS
This means that you build your NEW diet up from the “rescue” diet that eliminated fruits and vegetables, by cautiously adding new fruits and vegetables, preferably one at a time. Fruit should be skinned and cut up; vegetables should be steamed. Maybe you will try out steaming fruit as well–that’s my next experiment. See the New Food Pyramid for more information about a pyramid built on fruits and vegetables.
Principle 6
MOVE AND GROW
This means several things:
- Get off your duff and do something about your IBS, or
- Include physical exercise, or
- Grow thinner or fatter, whichever you need to do, or
- Move through the process of self-help for IBS and grow as a person.
Principle 7
ADD THESE TO YOUR NEW DIET
- Enough soluble fiber supplement (SFS)- See the Fiber 101 posts, starting with Fiber 101a, and the articles in the category “Prebiotics.”
- A good probiotic, Digestive Advantage-IBS ™ caplets or Align ™ caplets are ones that supply the probiotic in effective amounts; they are reviewed in the category “Probiotics.”
Principle 8
VARIATIONS
This means that you can pick from these principles according to the extent of your IBS “damage” in the slang sense. Principle 1, 2, and 3 apply to everyone, with 2 and 3 being ones you can take on gradually. The Principles 4 and 5 involve radical dietary change for most of us. You need to be really committed to change, really miserable with aspects of IBS, to take this on. Principles 6 and 7 should be added to Principles 1, 2, and 3 as well as used with the full dietary changes of 4 and 5.
COMMENTS?
How would you use these principles? Are there any others that you would want to express? Please comment using the Link below, that says “No Comments” if you are the first to write in–otherwise the linke says “1 Comment” or “2 Comments,” and so forth.
October 11th, 2007
Posted by
tummyblogger |
fiber, Probiotics, Soy Products, Prebiotics, IBS Diet |
2 comments
In reviewing the questions that people ask search engines, and then get direct to this site, I am seeing a lot of “is it ok to take xyz every day.” The answers are sprinkled through this site, so I wonder whether people find what they are looking for.
In this post I review some of the queries and try out some answers. Feel free to comment by clicking on the “no comment” link, which opens the comment box:
Is it okay to take laxatives every day?
- a. By laxative do you mean anything in the laxative aisle of the drugstore? Then read beyond this question for information on Soluble Fiber Supplements, also called “prebiotics.”
- b. Generally it is not good practice to do this. Over a long space of time you become dependent on laxatives, and you need a larger and larger dose to get the same effect. A diet that avoids IBS triggers, and the simultaneous building up of your intake of soluble fiber supplements (SFS) to the recommended levels will relieve constipation over time. You do not need to have a bowel movement every day; fewer than three per week is a cause for concern. “Cause for concern” is code for “talk to your doctor about this.”
Is Benefiber okay? Review of Benefiber?
- When the major ingredient of Benefiber was guar gum, it was okay. At that point Benefiber was a Soluble Fiber Supplement (SFS), which is the kind that helps IBS. Now it is not an SFS, because the makers (Novartis, makers of Zelnorm) changed the main ingredient to maltodextrin.
What about Fibersure? Review? Take it every day?
- Fibersure is an SFS, made from chicory root fiber, also called “inulin.” Anything similar that is all inulin–for example, a Walmart store brand, or a Canadian, Indian, Australian, or British product–would act similarly. This is the kind of product in the “laxatives” aisle that you should take every day. In fact, you should take several doses throughout the day to build up to 20 to 30 grams of soluble fiber every day.
- I don’t receive the queries about Heather’s Organic Acacia Tummy Fiber ™, which is the other brand name Soluble Fiber Supplement (SFS). Like FiberSure, it should be taken every day. Like FiberSure, unlike senokot and similar laxatives, you should gradually build up to a base level of 20 to 30 grams of SFS per day.
Take Metamucil ™ every day?
- There are two answers here. First, unless you have a free year’s supply of Metamucil ™ without any additives, don’t take Metamucil ™ for IBS. It has several ways of irritating a sensitive tummy. Second, if you have an otherwise nice doctor who insists that you take a psyllium fiber supplement (PFS), try bargaining with her to take Original Konsyl ™, which is a PFS with absolutely no sugar, sugar substitute, orange coloring, orange flavoring, etc–no additives at all.
- So the short answer? Don’t take Metamucil ™ every day; don’t take Metamucil ™ at all! If you take Original Konsyl ™ every day, preferably add it to a base of 20 to 30 grams of SFS.
Look for a further post on “every day IBS care.”
September 30th, 2007
Posted by
tummyblogger |
fiber, general, IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS-D, FiberSure (tm), Heather's Organic Acacia Tummy Fiber (tm), Benefiber (tm), Prebiotics |
4 comments
Agony of August–NOT
I finished the month of August without my annual bout of extreme IBS, either D or C, and credit the combination of IBS diet and the fact that I was taking the probiotic Align ™ for this amazing difference from the past “agony of August.”
Then, in the beginning of September, I had some C, the result of missing a dose of Heather’s Organic Acacia Tummy Fiber ™. Just goes to show you that all elements need to be in place for your tummy or mine to be on its best behavior.
Elements of IBS Therapy
So, to remind readers of these reviews, to use a probiotic for best effect on IBS, you also need the following daily elements:
For me, a year ago in July and August 2006 those things were not in place yet, and the probiotics I tried did not work for me. This year, I had both elements in place, and the Align ™ probiotic I reviewed worked great throughout August.
Conclusion of Align ™ Review
Align works as promised, at least on a well-prepared tummy. During the period I took Align ™ I also began to sample some fruits and vegetables, with good success except for broccoli.
The distribution system for Align ™ does not appear to be in place yet, and that affects the credibility of the main source of information, the Align ™web site. For example, the web site has a “sticker” update that says “Now available in pharmacies,” which is not true. There *may* be limited availability in warehouses, if a pharmacist knows to ask and is willing to order it. There is no distribution that has hit the shelves of a large chain pharmacy near me (CVS), in contrast to Digestive Advantage - IBS ™.
Promo Code for Align ™
The promo code to use for a $5 discount when ordering Align from the aligngi.com web site is AlignWOM. Look for a place on the web site called “promo code” and enter it there.
September 6th, 2007
Posted by
tummyblogger |
Probiotics, IBS, IBS therapy, IBS Triggers, Align, Heather's Organic Acacia Tummy Fiber (tm), Adjuncts, Digestive Advantage - IBS |
4 comments
One-Way Dialog
One way to have a dialog with readers of this blog is to look for the questions people are entering into search engines, where the search engine decides ForMyTummy has something to say on the question. Sometimes I doubt that the questioner found an answer here. When I answer these questions, it’s after the fact, but another reader may have the same question.
This one, “Is soy yogurt good for IBS?” caught my eye, because I just had a cup of soy yogurt for breakfast, and brought it to the computer with me, so it’s right here. I don’t even have to get up! I had Soy Live! (Soy Yogurt) made by Silk, in peach flavor. Here are the ingredients:
Ingredients of Silk Soy Yogurt
Organic soymilk
Organic evaporated cane juice
Peaches
Rice starch [a possible PREbiotic]
Dextrose
Natural flavors
Tricalcium phosphate
Cultured glucose syrup solids (this may be the growing medium for PRObiotic “good bugs”)
Citric acid (a preservative)
Pectin (a possible PREbiotic)
Locust bean gum (PREbiotic - the word “gum” tells us this)
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
Annato [sp?] and turmeric (for color)
Yogurt cultures - Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillous acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus rhamosus
PREbiotic and PRObiotic = SYNbiotic
This soy yogurt has all the ingredients of a SYNbiotic (PRObiotic and PREbiotic). For a more general and technical view of the ingredients of soy yogurt, go to this site.
Oh, yes, you wanted to know about protein and sugar content and that kind of thing? This soy yogurt list of contents is from the Silk soymilk website This is for one container of peach.
Calories 160
Calories from fat 20
Total Fat 2 g., no saturated fat, no trans fat
No Cholesterol
Sodium 25 mg.
Total Carbohydrates 32 grams
Fiber 1 gram
Sugar 25 grams (which you want, for the culture to grow)
Protein 4 grams
Is it Good for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?”
Now, to the question “Is it good for IBS?” Everything in it except citric acid is well-tolerated by people with IBS. It is not good in the sense that if one a day is good, four per day is even better. No! That’s because of the relatively high sugar content and relatively low protein content. One a day is the equivalent of one Dannon Activia per day, in terms of following the advertising for Activia. If you can tolerate lactose in the form of yogurts and cheeses, as I could once upon a time, then the Silk Soy Live! yogurt increases your options. If you are completely lactose-intolerant, as I am now, then you still have a yogurt alternative in Silk - and there may be other brands I don’t find in my local grocery stores.
In Conclusion
Incidentally, I note from my web searches that according to this blog, Wal-Mart has Silk Soy yogurt for $.89 for an 8 oz. cup! It’s an engaging post, from February 2005, so take it for what it’s worth.
“Just one more thing.” Use a supplement for a daily probiotic, rather than relying solely on soy yogurt.
August 17th, 2007
Posted by
tummyblogger |
Probiotics, IBS food, Soy Products, Prebiotics, Dannon Activia Yogurt |
one comment
Benefiber in the Past
In reviewing the statistics for this growing blog, I notice that one of the most frequently used keywords is Benefiber. I imagine that people are checking out whether Benefiber is a good choice for a soluble fiber. Indeed, there used to be three soluble fibers on the market that I could recommend; Heather’s Organic Acacia Tummy Fiber ™, FiberSure ™, and Benefiber ™. I have used Benefiber myself, and my doctor recommended it at one time.
BUT
At the time I could make these positive statements, Benefiber ™ consisted entirely of processed Guar Gum, one of the group of PREbiotics that shared the benefits of soluble fiber. I searched for ingredients of Benefiber on the web and every listing said the main ingredient was Guar Gum. I know that the Benefiber I have seen on the shelf at my local–across the street, easy to do research–CVS has maltodextrin as its main ingredient. Have I gone crazy? No. I checked with Amazon.com for an up-to-date listing. The ingredients are “Wheat Dextrin. Gluten Free (Less than 10 ppm Gluten).” Hmm. So maybe it’s okay. But is it the product for which Novartis — who brought us Zelnorm ™ — got FDA approval. That FDA approval figured large in my doctor’s recommendation for Benefiber.
Novartis
Novartis simply has not updated any of its own or others’ listings of ingredients for Benefiber. I want to be sarcastic here, but won’t. To read more about the switch, see this review at IBS Tales, http://www.irritable-bowel-syndrome.ws/benefiber.htm. .
This Blog Withdraws Approval
Based on the unannounced switch and the negative customer review on IBS Tales, I am withdrawing approval for Benefiber of the Wheat Dextrin kind. As much as possible, when I can, I’ll go back and change earlier posts to reflect the change in the product.
Feedback
What is your feeling about Benefiber? Do you like and use the new, wheat-dextrin product? Did you notice the change?
August 10th, 2007
Posted by
tummyblogger |
fiber, Amazon, IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Benefiber (tm), Prebiotics |
no comments
Sometimes it seems so simple I take it for granted. There are two kinds of fiber for IBS. One is FiberSure ™, which is 100% inulin and is made from chicory. The other is Heather’s Organic Acacia Tummy Fiber ™, which is 100% acacia fiber, from the acacia gum tree.
These are the fibers that are PREbiotic - see PREbiotics 101. One way you can tell is that they dissolve completely in warm water, leaving either clear liquid you can see through (FiberSure) or a suspension that settles into clear liquid if you don’t touch it for a while–Acacia Tummy Fiber.
I have seen posts uncorrected by the communities on forums (that I’ve recommended in the past) that say something like “I’ve changed to Weetabix–or Shredded Wheat–and I still have problems with IBS-C!” or it might be “Now I have yoghurt crunchies for breakfast, so that’s my fiber, but I still have IBS-D!”
I think there’s a disconnect in communication about your need for fiber if you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in any variety.
What I am talking about, and what Heather’s web site talks about, and what medical sites like the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Gastroenterology - IBS are talking about is not changing your breakfast cereal to treat your Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
We are all talking about
- the gradual increase of your daily dietary fiber amount from the maybe 3 gms of fiber to ten times that much,AND
- starting to get at least half of that amount in soluble fiber, AND
- gradually increasing the amount of fiber, most of it soluble, you have EVERY DAY to the recommended range.
In short, ignore the TV ads for cereals or other products that are “high fiber.”
Most of the time a serving of these advertised high-fiber products has as much as 3 gms of fiber in it. That’s one tenth of what you need in a day. Do you want to have ten servings of whatever it is? With milk, and/or containing wheat, and/or containing citric acid? Are you serious or just playing around?
It would be terrific if we people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) could get a lot of our fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables. Sadly, I at least don’t have the nerve to challenge my system with fresh carrots or apples, or GrapeNuts Flakes ™. Oatmeal–mixed soluble and insoluble fiber–works okay after your first dose of soluble fiber (Acacia or FiberSure).
July 23rd, 2007
Posted by
tummyblogger |
fiber, IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS therapy, IBS-C, IBS-D, FiberSure (tm), Heather's Organic Acacia Tummy Fiber (tm) |
one comment
The following is a press release announcing that Konsyl has launched a combination of PRObiotics and PREbiotics especially for people with IBS. As regular readers know, I recently stressed that Align (for example) or NSI probiotics needed to be taken along with a PREbiotic such as Acacia fiber when managing your IBS.
I am not too thrilled with Konsyl’s choice of fibers. The combination approach–of inulin and psyllium fibers–does seem helpful for IBS, though. I would also like more information on the suggested dosage, or means of managing IBS through using the Konsyl Combination product if no dosage is suggested.
Here is the news release in full.
New IBS Package Includes Soluble Fiber and Probiotics
Konsyl’s IBS Package can help contribute to a healthier intestine and assist in relieving some of the discomforts of IBS
Easton, MD (PRWEB) July 15, 2007 — Konsyl Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a leading producer of high quality, natural supplements for intestinal and digestive health, is proud to introduce a new IBS Package for Irritable Bowel Syndrome sufferers. Konsyl Balance natural fiber supplement is combined with Probiotic Complex Capsules for maximum health benefits.
Konsyl Balance is a blend of two popular natural fiber sources, psyllium and inulin. Psyllium provides soluble fiber, which soothes and regulates the digestive tract; it helps to stabilize intestinal contractions resulting from the gastrocolic reflex and helps in both conditions of diarrhea and constipation. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and this allows for absorption of liquid in the colon. Soluble Fiber also helps form a gel and creates bulk as it passes intact through the gut, preventing diarrhea. On the other hand, soluble fiber also effectively relieves constipation by softening and pushing through impacted fecal matter, making Konsyl Balance an excellent form of soluble fiber for IBS patients with chronic diarrhea or chronic constipation.
Another benefit for using Balance is the ingredient Inulin. Inulin is a soluble fiber obtained from chicory root that increases the activity of the beneficial bacteria in the gut. It does this by acting as a “food” for the good bacteria (”probiotics”) in your digestive system, so it is another helpful fiber source for IBS sufferers.
Konsyl’s Probiotic Complex Capsule contains Lactobacillus acidophilus which are healthy bacteria inhabiting the intestines that protect against some unhealthy organisms. Some people report L. acidophilus provides relief from indigestion and diarrhea. Probiotic therapy, primarily in the form of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacteria infantis, significantly improves symptoms and quality of life in patients with IBS, and other bowel disorders. Review of patient histories indicates that there is a deficiency of Lactobacillus in the gut flora of patients with IBS.
Konsyl’s IBS Package can help contribute to a healthier intestine and assist in relieving some of the discomforts of IBS. The IBS Package with Konsyl Balance and Lactobacillus Probiotic Complex, is available online at www.addfiber.com.
Konsyl Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of high quality, natural fiber supplements for improved intestinal and digestive health. The high fiber content of Konsyl products helps consumers to achieve dependable intestinal health. Konsyl fiber products are available in fine pharmacies and chain stores throughout the United States. For more information on Konsyl Pharmaceuticals, Inc. or its complete line of products, contact a company representative at 800-356-6795, or visit the company’s website at www.konsyl.com.
This was posted on www.prweb.com and dated July 15, which is when I saw it. By convention, public relations releases are designed for the largest possible circulation and as far as I understand it, are therefore not copyrighted.
I have been generally impressed by the quality of information about products for IBS - irritable bowel syndrome. That is, such information discusses what the product contains and how it works as an aid to controlling IBS - irritable bowel syndrome. That said, we are still looking at the “choose Me,” “eat this,” and “this is the best stuff.”
The basic therapy for IBS remains dietary control. The adjuncts to the basic therapy for IBS by dietary control are adequate fiber intake (PREbiotic), an active PRObiotic culture of good bacteria, and high water intake.
July 15th, 2007
Posted by
tummyblogger |
fiber, Probiotics, IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS therapy, IBS-C, IBS-D, Prebiotics |
no comments
It’s getting sexier by the minute!
The reason I have produced all the material below, about the role of PRObiotics and PREbiotics in IBS management, is to lay a foundation for discussion of Align ™, the new PRObiotic for IBS that has FDA approval and is supported by clinical trials. There is a lot of hype about Align ™ in the online community of people with IBS, and I want users and prospective users to know that both the PRObiotic such as Align ™ and the PREbiotic such as Heather’s Organic Tummy Fiber ™ should be used together. Using PRObiotic and PREbiotic together produces a SYNbiotic effect in managing IBS.
That means that you cannot drop the need to change to a higher-fiber diet “just because.” Just because, that is, there is now an over-the-counter pill that is designed and patented, researched and FDA-approved, only for IBS. You still need to increase your daily intake of a soluble fiber to between 30 and 40 grams a day to manage your IBS. Align(tm) or the NSI Probiotics, or other probiotic formulas do not work magically all by themselves–they need PREbiotics to provide the right environment.
The importance of using both is underlined in the following quote:
The main reason for using a synbiotic is that a true probiotic, without its prebiotic food, does not survive well in the digestive system. To enhance viability, not only on the shelf but also in the colon, the product must allow for much greater attachment and growth rate of the healthy bacteria in order to minimize the growth of harmful bacteria.
Without the necessary food source for the probiotic, it will have a greater intolerance for oxygen, low pH, and temperature. In addition, the probiotic will have to compete against other bacteria that will take over if its specific food source is not available. Therefore, a “symbiotic” product (probiotic + prebiotic = synbiotic) makes for a better choice.
http://www.innvista.com/health/nutrition/biotics/synbiot.htm
, accessed 7/8/07.
Below this post you will see a series of posts that are a primer on PREbiotics and PRObiotics in managing IBS.
July 9th, 2007
Posted by
tummyblogger |
fiber, Probiotics, IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS therapy, Align, Digesting Information, Prebiotics |
2 comments
Briefly, it’s important to know what PREbiotics are–essentially, they are the kind of soluble fiber that stays in the gut without being digested. Because of that, they reach the large intestine and colon. And because of that they preserve the good bugs/bacteria–the PRObiotics–that would otherwise be destroyed before reaching the large intestine, where they are most needed. In our case they are most needed to control Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), which takes place in the large intestine.
PRObiotics are good bacteria, “bugs.”
But PREbiotics are something different. They are foods, such as bananas, and elements of foods, such as fiber. The article calls them “fiber gums.” The most researched PREbiotic appears to be inulin. FiberSure ™ is completely composed of inulin. Acacia fiber is another PREbiotic that is a more complete form of the general PREbiotc term FOS or Fructo-Oligo-Saccharide. Additional PREbiotic fiber gums are guar gum, which is the major ingredient of Benefiber ™, and Xanthan gum. As the lore about IBS management has developed, these are also called soluble fibers.
Are you getting that MIGO feeling? Where MIGO stands for “My Eyes Glaze Over?”
Basic difference - PREbiotics are the unmixed, soluble fibers, plus some foods such as bananas.
PRObiotics are bacteria, pure and simple, or not so simple. Align ™ is a probiotic with a new, patented bacterium. The most usually researched PRObiotics have been lactobacillus and bifidobacterium (which an advertising person has apparently renamed “Bifidus Regularis (tm(?)).”) :-)
We have only been using the term “prebiotic” since its invention in 1995, by a Belgian scientist. Prior to that time–and probably for some time after that, too–I believe the term “soluble fiber” would have been used, at least when speaking about IBS in lay terms.
So when rice and bananas also calm the gastrocolic reflex, and then stay good all the way down, it’s not that they are “soluble fibers” per se. Rather, they are (or have a lot of) PREbiotics.
July 9th, 2007
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tummyblogger |
fiber, IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS therapy, Digesting Information, Prebiotics |
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If you can get past terms such as oligosaccharides–I bet you can–these two articles are recommended for understanding IBS.
PREbiotics
and
PREbiotic Substances
They are mashed up–summarized together–in the next post, above.
July 9th, 2007
Posted by
tummyblogger |
fiber, Probiotics, IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS therapy, Digesting Information, Prebiotics |
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