People with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), like Crohn's, Ulcerative Colitis and Diverticulitis are very sensitive to many foods, herbs and therapeutic protocols that work well for people with normal digestive systems. Many substances like MSM, standard aloe vera and vitamin C (ascorbic acid form) that are healing for most people can actually aggravate the digestive systems of people with IBD. When you get into the arena of probiotics, whose action is almost exclusively in the gut, reactions are quite pronounced.

When trying to work out why and how probiotics work, the field of misinformation is vast. I consulted well-known naturopathic physicians, professors of microbiology, gastroenterologists, and read extensively, but received conflicting information at every turn. I experimented with different brands of probiotics off and on for seven years and each time I tried supplementing, my symptoms (gas, bloating, bleeding) worsened. Although the science behind probiotics and why they should benefit me seemed sound, my experience proved contrary. Finally, when I was nearly ready to give up, a naturopathic physician convinced me to try Natren probiotics. He insisted they were the best brand and I would see good results from them. I started with Natren's Bifido Factor powder and for the first time, experienced an improvement as a result.

Thus, when I first began recommending Natren probiotics to my readers, I did so for one reason only; they worked. At that time I knew very little about the different strains of probiotics. For example, I had no idea that Lactobacillus Bulgaricus DDS-14 (DDS-14 is the strain) is a potent strain capable of antibiotic action against numerous harmful bacteria including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, whilst Lactobacillus Bulgaricus DDS-13 is a weak, ineffectual strain with none of the above capabilities. As you know, most probiotic manufacturers do not even list the strain on the bottle so you have no idea as to the effectiveness of the bacteria you're consuming. I was also not aware of how the different probiotic manufacturing and extraction processes greatly affect the potency, safety, and bioavailability (how much of the substance ingested the body can actually utilise) of the finished product. Basically, I knew very little about the technical and scientific reasons why Natren's products were so superior. All I knew, from extensive trial and error, was that Natren's probiotics worked and other brands of probiotics were likely to have either no effect, or produce a worsening of symptoms.

A gastroenterologist I know in Toronto has seen some patients with Colitis achieve remission with acidophilus and others whose Colitis flared because of it. Unfortunately, she didn't track which brand or strain of acidophilus her patients were taking. Dr. Michael McCann, an MD in Cleveland, Ohio, has found that once his IBD patients have achieved remission, every one of them who's continued to take Natren probiotics, has remained in remission to date. Whether they'll still be in remission in 15-20 years remains to be seen, but the evidence is certainly encouraging. One of my readers was passing a ¼ cup of mucous with every bowel movement and after only 12 days on Natren probiotics, the mucous was completely gone. Her story is only one of dozens I've received from readers. I tell my readers they have to use Natren probiotics in their healing regimen, otherwise their results will vary.

For myself, prior to taking Natren's B. bifidum, the only thing that had worked to stem my chronic diarrhea was L-Glutamine (on an empty stomach only). However, within 3 doses of Natren's bifidobacteria, my stools began to firm up and excess water was reabsorbed. I tried Natren's Mega Dophilus (lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1) next but did not tolerate that as well as the bifidus. In searching for reasons why, I came across this bit of research that showed that in states of inflammation the overall tolerance to bacterial flora is greatly reduced:

"It is possible that the products of the commensal flora promote inflammation in the presence of an impaired mucosal barrier or injury to the mucosa… These results indicate that, in health, there is tolerance to autologous [your own] but not allogeneic [foreign source] intestinal flora, and tolerance is lost during inflammation. Evidence also exists that animals are tolerant to their own flora in health but not after colitis develops." (Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Etiology and Pathogenesis by Claudio Fiocchi, Gastroenterology 1998, Vol.115, page 185)

Unfortunately, this bit of research doesn't stipulate which species of bacteria the body loses tolerance for, and which strains of which species. Nevertheless, it provided me with a clue by which to proceed, and as my own program of supplementation was successful, I then recommended the same conservative course of action to my readers. I know many people have experienced good results from more aggressive supplementation and also from beginning supplementation immediately (with inflammation and bleeding still present). However, I favor the kinder, gentler approach to healthcare that's likely to work for the greatest number of people and not risk triggering adverse reactions. Feedback from hundreds of readers since has confirmed the effectiveness of this approach.

My recommendation is this: First, get your inflammation and ulceration, bleeding, etc. healed. For more information on natural ways to accomplish this, see either of my books, Listen To Your Gut, or The IBD Remission Diet. However, I do recommend you try supplementing with Natren's Bifido Factor (B. bifidum Malyoth) right away because if you can tolerate it, it will help speed your healing. Once you've successfully used Natren's bifidobacteria for a few weeks, next try adding Mega Dophilus (L. acidophilus DDS-1), if you tolerate that well, then finally add their Digesta Lac product (L. bulgaricus LB-51) to your regimen. You ultimately need to ingest the complete spectrum of probiotics as each is particularly active and healing for different parts of your intestine: Acidophilus for the esophageal tube, stomach and small intestine, bifidus for the large intestine, and bulgaricus is a transient species that travels throughout the intestinal tract and also assists the action of acidophilus and bifidus. If you suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) you can start immediately with all three (acidophilus, bifidum, bulgaricus) in powder form. Whether you tend toward diarrhea or constipation or some mixture of both, the Natren probiotics will normalize your bowel function and you should see positive results within a month or so.

I recommend people with IBD take the probiotics in powder form so that (a) you can reap the benefits in your mouth (mouth ulcers), esophagus and stomach (acidophilus reduces or eliminates heartburn - even while pregnant) and (b) to ensure effective utilisation as people with IBD often have very fast transit times through their gastrointestinal tract, so capsules are not always broken down/absorbed properly. Follow dosage instructions on the bottle and you can mix all three powders together in one glass of room temperature, filtered or spring water. I also like to take ½ tsp. of each powder (mixed together in a glass of room temperature filtered or spring water) before bed (on an empty stomach) so the bacteria have all night to colonize undisturbed. For ongoing maintenance, once you're completely healed and symptom-free, I like to take one dose in the morning, 15-20 minutes before breakfast, and then one dose before bed.

For an infant with bowel problems, supplement with Natren's Life Start (L. infantis bacteria) only - do not give the other probiotic species directly to an infant (although a nursing mother can and should ingest other species including L. infantis). 1/8 tsp. 2-3 times a day should produce fairly swift results. You can let your baby suck it off your finger (on an empty stomach), or mix it with room temperature filtered or spring water, or, mix it with applesauce (wait 20 minutes before following that with any food other than breastmilk).

If you've already tried probiotics with mixed results, I encourage you to give them one last try. But remember, start with just B. bifidum bacteria first and above all, make sure it's Natren brand bacteria. I've yet to come across a single other brand that can match Natren's safety, potency and bioavailability. Natren costs more than the other brands, but the more you learn about probiotic manufacturing and extraction processes, the more you'll realize that Natren products are actually very reasonably priced for the level of quality and effectiveness they deliver.

HOW CAN PROBIOTICS HELP MY CROHN'S / ULCERATIVE COLITIS / DIVERTICULITIS OR IBS?

Probiotic therapy benefits people with IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) in many ways. If you get too many 'bad' bacteria in your gut and not enough 'good' bacteria, the bad bacteria (and other pathogenic microorganisms like yeast, fungi, parasites, etc.) will degrade the mucosal lining of your intestine and even penetrate through the intestinal wall. Aside from resulting in an increase of mucous, inflammation, ulceration and bleeding, this will also result in undigested particles of food passing directly into your bloodstream - where they are perceived as allergens and trigger an immune response. Repopulating your bacterial flora to contain predominantly good bacteria (via probiotic supplementation), will result in a drastic reduction - if not elimination - of many harmful pathogens like yeast, fungus, mold, parasites, viruses and bad bacteria from your gut environment. The good bacteria will also form a protective coating of your mucosal cell lining and produce B vitamins and digestive enzymes. As a result, proper digestion and absorption of nutrients will gradually be restored. Top quality probiotic supplementation is an integral part of healing the root cause of IBS or IBD and then maintaining ongoing health. Symptoms that can be automatically resolved as a result of this healing include: heartburn, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, excess mucous, intestinal spasms or cramping, ulceration, inflammation, and bleeding.

© 2003 Jini Patel Thompson
www.caramal.com

Jini Patel Thompson was diagnosed with widespread Crohn's Disease in 1986. For the next three years she adhered to medical treatment protocols until it became clear they were not helping her. She spent the next seven years researching and experimenting with alternative healing methods and therapies as she lived and worked in Canada, Japan and England. Jini has since remained drug and surgery-free for over 15 years. She continues to manage her symptoms and heal flare-ups using the natural methods described in Listen To Your Gut and The IBD Remission Diet.

Jini Patel Thompson has a Bachelor's degree in English and Sociology from the University of Alberta (1989). She then worked as a journalist and magazine editor in Tokyo, Japan for two years, followed by three years in the music business in London, U.K. She then set up a telecommunications company in Vancouver, BC, sold it five years later and started a publishing company. Her health articles have been published in numerous magazines and newspapers throughout North America, Europe and Australia and she has appeared on radio and TV shows in the U.S. Jini currently runs her own publishing/consulting business and travels often throughout North America, Asia and Europe. Jini lives with her husband and two children in White Rock, BC.