Which probiotic is best?
One of the top ten questions that people ask me is “which probiotic do I use?” While most now understand the importance of taking a daily probiotic; they aren’t all created equal. For those that suffer from IC, leaky gut, and gut infections, some probiotics can be problematic. However, there are a few brands that are tolerated well and I will share my personal top pick with you.
I must offer a preliminary comment that for quite some time I was a huge fan of Dr. Axe’s SBO (soil-based) probiotic. However, as I have extended my research I have found that it’s not designed for people that have SIBO. One of the main reasons is that it contains prebiotics that can cause discomfort for those with small bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) as well as the overgrowth of candida. It’s an excellent brand, with well-thought-out ingredients that are strategically incorporated into the blend. However, this is a heads-up for those with greater dysbiosis levels and gut infections as they may not be able to tolerate it.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that exist in our system as a natural solution for gut health. They are considered to be “good” bacteria that line our digestive tracts and assist in supporting the balance of the gut which is crucial for absorbing nutrients and fighting infections. The gut’s microbiome is made of a delicate ratio that must be in balance to remain in a healthy condition. The gut flora needs to be around 85% good bacteria and 15% bad bacteria.
Gut Imbalance
Dysbiosis is an imbalance in our gut system involving specific types of bacteria, fungus, and yeast levels. When this happens, our natural defense system is reduced. The gut is critical for overall health and functional medicine doctors are now including the imbalance of the gut microbes as a reason for inflammation, and potential root causes of certain cancers, autoimmune diseases, and cognitive disorders.
Society and Lifestyle Causing an Imbalance
We exist in a society that uses pesticides, some questionable agricultural practices, refrigeration, and conventionally raised meats that involve antibiotics; all of which are involved in killing off the body’s good bacteria. The use of probiotics helps to restore the balance within the gut. I will share the one that seems to be well suited for those with leaky gut and IC.
Mega Sporebiotic
This is a 100% spore-based, broad-spectrum probiotic from Microbiome Labs. This specialty formula promotes microbial diversity, and has a special formulation blend that remains dormant, surviving the digestion process, and then kicking into gear in the gastrointestinal tract to colonize the gut. It has a bi-phastic life cycle that allows it to survive through the harsh environment of the gastric system and brings a microbial diversity that surpasses a majority of the conventional probiotics on the market. One of their highlighted points is that it can bring a 60% leaky gut improvement in 30 days!!
Mega Sporebiotic
- Increases microbial diversity by changing the pH
- Increases the production of short-chain fatty acids (decreasing inflammation)
- Decreases unwanted pathogens
Dosage
Always consult with your primary care physician before making any changes to your diet, including supplements and probiotics.
Introducing Mega Sporebiotic should begin slowly. This approach will help you to determine whether your system will be able to tolerate the probiotic well and reduce any symptoms that might be associated with detoxification. It’s recommended that you take the probiotic with food or right after your meal.
Week 1: 1 capsule every other day
Week 2: 1 capsule per day
Week 3 and thereafter: 2 capsules once a day
For those with immune and gut stress, you may want to increase the dosage to 3-4 capsules per day, for 3-5 days. However, if you are sensitive because of increased levels of gut and bladder dysbiosis, you will want to consider starting your dosage at ¼ or ½ capsule every other day for better results, and then making slow increases.
Final thoughts
Focusing on the gut’s microbiome is a priority step for addressing the critical interaction between the gut and our genes (as well as our gut and our bladder) for optimal health. The gut microbiome plays a more powerful role than many thought in the past, including influencing gene expression. The interaction between our microbiome and DNA within our environment can be a participant in determining our health. Changes in the gut’s microbiome can affect the bladder’s microbiome, aging, DNA health, heart disease brain function, and our immune system function.
Dr. Marvin Singh who was recently a guest on the podcast “The Broken Brain,” revealed that the gut has its own nervous system, containing more nerves than can be found in the spinal cord. These nerves communicate with the brain as part of the central nervous system, with effects on overall health and wellness. This is a fascinating, yet complex topic, and I will be addressing this later. I will leave my readers with a quote from Dr. Singh that resonated with me,
“If you give your body the ingredients that it needs to do the job that it was born to do, it will do the best that it can under your circumstances and your environment.”
We are the controller of our health and everything that we put into or on our bodies can have a positive or negative effect. A good probiotic is the perfect starting point for your better health journey. Let the probiotic bring the good bacteria to your gut so that it can remain balanced and accomplish the job it was designed to do.
Sources:
Podcast Broken Brain with Dhru Purohit. How to Fix Your Gut Health Using Innovative Testing, Exercise, and Compassion with Dr. Marvin Singh. July 25, 2019
https://draxe.com/nutrition/supplements/what-are-probiotics/
https://microbiomelabs.com/products/megasporebiotic/#ingredients
https://microbiomelabs.com/products/megasporebiotic/#ingredients
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4045285/
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So glad I have found this website. Have been diagnosed with ic and it has been torturous. Thanks for your on line forum which provides lots of information and hope.
Carolyn, I am so glad you are here! I am sorry to hear that you are in terrible pain. If there is anything I can do please let me know. On the main menu, you will find ‘Start Here’ this will help point you in the right direction. I wish you the very best on your journey to health and wellness.
Sincerely,
Elisabeth Yaotani
I have had constant UTI’ since February and had not taken antibiotics for 30 years until this year. I have taken 4 prescriptions since Feb. and in June determined I would not take them again. I tried UriAlive and it helped but realized that cranberry is acidic so switched to Olive leaf and Berberine. Last week I was diagnosed with a severe UTI and my doctor prescribed Cipro. I was determined not to take it but she called me and said if I didn’t take it I was ing to end up in the hospital with a serious kidney disease. I took one Cipro pill and it made me so sick, I can’t take it. I started on UriAlive again and marshmallow root tea. Bless you for all you do to help others. Patty
Thank you for sharing your story. I am sorry that you are going through so much. I do have a blog post on recurrent UTI’s and the best approach is to balance the bladder’s microbiome. D-Mannose will also help with getting rid of unwanted bacteria which I sell on this website. Oil of oregano and berberine are perfect and you will also need a really good probiotic. I wish the very best and if you need anything please let me know. Praying for a speedy recovery~ Elisabeth
I was just diagnosed with ic and have found a doctor that has been trained to reverse ic, which is shocking because I live in a small town on Utah. I immediately read your book and have listened to a pod cast where you talked about your journey with a few helps about supplements. I have a few questions about your life now, how long have you been symptom free? What do you have to do on a daily basis to stay symptom free? When were you able to add in a few foods that you enjoyed? Without your book and help many people including me would absolutely be in the vortex of not having any hope or resource to help them know there is something out there that can help and that there is someone who has actually been able to reverse ic and be excited about life.
My naturopathic Doctor is amazing and has a great handle on this issue and gave much hope and was able to immediately get me on a path of healing and help, I’m very grateful for him and his staff.
I’m very amazed and grateful to you for sharing your story and for pioneering to bring this issue to the forefront and to let people know that there are solutions and hope.
Thank you,
jrj
Jackie,
Thank you for reaching out! I would love to chat with you over the phone, if possible? I will email you my number.
GREETINGS ELIZABETH!
My name is Mitzi Siebert. I’ve read every book I could about
Interstitial Cystitis and I. B. S. I’m eating as clean and healthy as I can. However I also have chronic pain from a spinal injury I got at work in March of 1998. I continued to work until August of 2001. It turned out I had herniated several discs in my low back and I had bone spurs in my necks. I’ve had dozens & dozens of epidural injections in my spine that offered some temporary relief. I’ve also had
also had “neuroscopic surgery” which did not help offer any pain relief, unfortunately. I’ve tried physical therapy, water therapy, biofeedback, & several other modalities
that were somewhat helpful. However the Worker Compen
sation Insurance Companies just stopped authorizing any treatment for me in July of 2014.
I then went to KAISER PERMANENTE & Medicare & asked if they would please take over the treatment of my painful spinal injury because W. C had left me hanging without any treatment. They said they would. It’s been a stressful nightmare, legally. 20 years later, and there’s still no legal resolution. My WC ATTORNEY has retired & a new attorney at the firm has been assigned my case.
Several years ago I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis.
WOW! That is condition has really thrown me down the the rabbit hole. Yes, I’ve had the dissection & then the 6 instillations the Summer before last. I’m just now signed up for 8 more bladder cocktail intstallations.
Of course my IBS has been flaring up lately as well. My body & I are not in sync lately. I have a colonectomy scheduled for early next year. I need to inform the gastroenterology department about my I. C. I believe they can give me a more appropriate prep solution. Is that right? Do you know what it’s called? I want to be prepared when I bring it up.
Thank you for listening. Unfortunately K.P. does not do all the testing you were able to do. I do take a good Probiotic for LEAKY GUT & an AUTOIMMUNE X capsules. (12x daily)
I’m trying but I’d appreciate any help or support that you have to offer.
Thank You!
Mitzi Siebert
Mitzi, thank you for reaching out and sharing your story with us. I definitely understand the frustration that comes with having to deal with insurance companies and doctors. I can not speak to all of your issues but I will say that IC and IBS are gut-related, meaning that you have leaky gut. That being said, it is best that you focus on repairing your gut and customizing your diet to meet your specific needs. If you can not afford to work with a nutritionist one on one, please see our blog post on the 5 Rs and listen to the first episode of the IC Wellness Podcast. There are supplements that can help repair your gut such as collagen, zinc, l-glutamine, Omega 3’s, and digestive enzymes. Diet and lifestyle are key in overcoming IC and autoimmunity. I hope this helps and I wish you the very best ~ Elisabeth
Hello Elizabeth,
Thank you for your wonderful podcasts. I’ve learned so much about nutrition. I’m going to purchase the cookbook today..
Since you have shared that you’re a grandma, I was wondering if you can address how lack of estrogen plays into the problem of urgency and frequency? What are your thoughts on adding estrogen to aid in this problem so many post menopause women face today?
Patricia,
Thank you for reaching out! This is a great question. Both low estrogen and estrogen dominance play a role in IC. One hypothesis is that low estrogen levels can activate mast cell secretion of histamine. Researches have noticed that people with IC tend to have either overactive or too many mast cells in the bladder as well as an increased number of estrogen receptors in cells of women with IC. Chronic inflammation such as IC can be the result of hormone imbalance, mast cell activation, toxicity, histamine intolerance, leaky gut, pelvic floor dysfunction, autoimmune disorders, trauma to the bladder, chronic UTIs, inflammation of pelvic nerves, a poor diet, infection, and bladder overdistention. Chronic inflammation coupled with significant hormonal imbalance affects our tissues and muscle which can become thinner and drier (during perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause) which means women are even more susceptible to inflammatory changes. There are a number of ways to restore balance through diet, lifestyle, exercise, supplementation, and bioidentical hormones. You may find more information in the book Hangry.