Phillips Colon Health
#336533 - 09/25/08 04:01 PM
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Aly
Reged: 08/16/04
Posts: 669
Loc: Columbus, Ohio
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So, I've been taking align for over a year and it certainly has helped me. However, I've been seeing ads for Colon Health and I googled it and it is significantly cheaper... So I'm thinking about switching. Has anyone tried this new product?
For any science people out there-- how does align compare with this probiotic? I will keep with align if it has significantly more good bacteria, but being able to pick it up at a drugstore would be SO convenient!
Thanks in advance for any opinions and/or experiences!
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IBS-A
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I had a look at their website. I couldn't find any specific information so I sent them an email. I got a vague response about Colon Health containing a proprietary blend of 1.5 billion cells of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium.
It seems like it contains a blend of probiotics a similar to that of many other probiotic vendors. Unlike Align the Phillips Colon Health probiotic has not been clinically tested on IBSers.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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I'm looking into taking probiotics just now. Align seems so expense but I'd take it if it was worth it.
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Stable IBS D
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Align
#336541 - 09/26/08 05:50 AM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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Check out this posting. Align has clinically shown to be effective for all types of IBS.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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I read several posts on this forum where people have seen improvement by taking probiotics, so I gave it a try. I took them every day for nearly two weeks, and got progressively worse. One of the ingredients in the probiotics I used was lactobacillus. Could that be the problem? Isn't anything with "lacto" a milk-related ingredient?
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I checked that foundation of all knowledge wikipedia and it says Lactobacillus converts lactose and other sugars to lactic acid. So if your sensitive to lactose it might actually help you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus.
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Stable IBS D
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It is unlikely to be the problem. " Lacto " in the name just means that it concerts sugars to lactic acid. However, many probiotics contain other ingredients such as FOS. Very few species of lactobacillus have been shown to be effective for IBS.
Very few probiotics have been clinically tested on IBS. Only a couple (e.g. Align and VSL#3) have been shown to be effective in clinical trails.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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What about Saccharomyces boulardii lyo ( it's a non pathogenic yeast. It's sold commerically as Florastor and is avaialblein drug stores. On their website they list several articles. http://www.sboulardii.com/article.asp?id=1539
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Stable IBS D
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There are many probiotics that are sold over the counter that claim to be effective for IBS. Unfortunately, only Align, VSL#3 and a couple of others have been clinically tested for their effectiveness in the management of IBS. And of those that have been tested Align seems to be the most effective.
Note: From the references listed on the Saccharomyces boulardii and Florastor web sites only one study in 1983 was done on very small IBS population using Saccharomyces boulardii. The patients were not selected using the standard Rome criteria for IBS. However, there was a more rigorous follow-up study done in 1990 (See reference below) on a bit larger population. It found that 250 mg of Saccharomyces boulardii twice a day seemed to help in the management of some IBS symptoms in particular abdominal pain and stool consistency. It did not appear to help with bloating.
Reference
Santosa, S., E. Farnworth, and P. Jones, 2006: Probiotics and their potential health claims. Nutrition Reviews, 64, 265-274.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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I had problems in my first 2-4 weeks of taking Align but then they subsided and the Align seems to help keep me regular. They did warn me that things may seem to get worse for the first month. I had also read a blog on another site by a doc, they said, in order to truly see if any probiotic works or any UTC method works it will take at least a couple months.
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Thanks Syl. I had my doubts about the journal and it doesn't say much about a supposed treatment that only 24 people were tested back in 1983.
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Stable IBS D
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Something else to note in the article. They claim there were 24 subjects in the study. The first sentence in the results section says "Amongst the 24 patients included in the trial, after decoding it was found that 16 were treated with Saccharomyces boulardii active preparation and 18 with placebo". And later it says there were 20 males and 14 females. I always thought that 18 + 16 = 34 not 24  This is what made me wonder about the quality of the journal too.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Very suspicious. I think I'm going to email these concerns to the Canadian Intestinal Society.
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Stable IBS D
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They only refer to Saccharomyces as an example probiotic but they make no claims about its effectiveness for IBS. As I pointed out in the previous posting there is a 1990 study with about 64 subjects that showed there was some benefit for IBS. I am more concerned about their ignorance about the role of SF vs IF in the management of IBS. In particular they recommend Benefiber which in Canada is made from inulin and Fibersure which is a pysllium product. Both of these products cause terrible problems for many IBSers. 
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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I was advised by my gastrointrologist to take Flora Q2, which is a probiotic and I take it once a day and it's great. She also told me to get on to Heather's site and learn about soluable foods, etc. I just today ordered Heather's fiber to take first thing in the morning and when away from home. Flora Q2 is Gluten free and lactose free. It's expensive but it works.
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No allergens!! The price has gone up recently, but it's worth it.
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IBS-D, with Coloitis from surgery
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ALIGN IS WORTH IT Between that and the diet it has helped tremendously. However, I find that I have lots of Gas in the AM .. I take my align before bed. Its not painful gas but I feel like a Tuba  in the morning.. My doc just gave me LIberax to try to help my anxiety and panic plus I am agoraphobic due to the IBS making me so sick. I fear going out even though Im doing so much better. When those nerves kick in I get sweaty palms, nausea and some urgency to go. I dont get the D like I used to but Loose B and back and forth to the bathroom and feeling just ill I DO when I am nervous.
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IBS C Mostly .. More stable than ever Since being on the IBS diet! I THANK GOD FOR THIS BOARD! I can alternate to IBS A at times of stress, hormones or anxiety. LACTOSE INTOLERANT
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Hi mjred,
What is the bacteria count in this product?
Thanks!!
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Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 Capsule
Servings Per Container:
Amount per Serving
Proprietary Probiotic Blend: 375 mg*
Lactobacillus Acidophilus
Bifidobacterium
Lactobacillus Paracasei
Steptococcus thermophilus
* Daily Value not established.
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