bifidus and recolonization

January 26, 2006

I have a question regarding bifidus. I know Elaine said not to take

supplements or make yogurt with this probiotic because it has a tendency

to overgrow. However, bifidus is the one of the main bacteria in our

large intestines. If we have been on broad-spectrum antibiotics, how is

bifidus going to get down there if we only take acidophulus species?

(Which are mostly small intestine colonizers, but do have some benefit

in the large.) When we are breastfed, we are colonized almost entirely

with bifidus infantalis. I'm wondering if a short course of probiotics

including bifidus would get them in there, then switching to just

acidopholus for long-term maintenance would be more effective.

I had broad-spectrum antibiotics, and have been taking large doses of

Lyosan, and eating a lot of yogurt, and recently started sacchromysis

boulardii. I had an improved bowel movement 2 days ago, (after over 2

weeks of everything but s.boullardii, which I've been taking for almost

a week) hardly normal though, but then I ate some peanut butter cake,

and had diarrhea the next day. This morning's BM is back to puddle

consistency. I'm wondering if I should be supplementing with a

probiotic that recolonizes both small and large intestine, in order to

improve. Because without bifidus, how is our large intestine supposed

to be normalized? Does anyone know why Elaine approved of s.boulardii?

I don't know if the intro diet plus what I'm doing is going to have an

effect, and am tempted to take a probiotic that provides species for

both large and small intestines. Does anyone understand how bifidus

gets back into our large intestine, if it is wiped out with antibiotics,

and not recolonized? Should I just pretend like I am at the very

beginning of the diet again, and expect that it might takes weeks, even

months before my bacteria species are back to normal?

Debora

CD 17 years

SCD 2 years, 5 months

flare-up from IV broad-spectrum antibiotics

sulfasalazine, Lyosan, intro diet, s.boullardii; very little effect

Recommended Posts