probiotic craze, fermented food craze

[jyb]

The issue with large amounts of probiotics is if the person who is taking them has a leaky gut issue, their endotoxin load could greatly increase. Since the vast majority of people have at least some form of IBS, hypothyroid or other issue, its safe to say the permeable guts are pretty common. So reducing endotoxin load as much as possible is important.

Another thing thats always bothered me about probiotic consumption os that the microbes have to go through the stomach in order to colonize the gut. I wonder how many even can make it through and so your basically just ingesting dead microbes.

Ok, but there are also studies about those types of bacteria being protective against endotoxin. From communications I've seen, Ray does not deny some anti-inflammatory properties down there, but he indicate it *could* be a problem if produces excess lactic avid.

 

[narouz]

I feel the same. I think that the fermented food and probiotic craze has come from romanticism of the past when the fermentation was sometimes necessary to preserve food. I bought into it too at one point. I think people want to feel better so they buy into things and hope they work. I don't think a small amount of probiotic or fermented food will hurt a healthy person but they definitely aren't necessary for health. I even tried soil based probiotics at one point because I was that desperate to be well. They all made me sick as did my homemade water kefir etc. If I hadn't felt the ill effects first hand I might still believe they are good for people. Now I know it was mainly the metabolic burden of the lactic acid but at the time it was happening I couldn't understand it at all. One book that really glorifies fermentation is Nourishing Traditions by S.Fallon. When I read that I even fermented my oatmeal! I've sure come to my senses after discovering Peat. The nutritional dark ages, it's not a joke.

I had this general point of view over the last three years, Blossom,
since I discovered Peat.
Before that, I bought in hook, line, sinker.
Lots of home-made kefir daily from raw cow milk.
Traditional sauerkraut.
Indian pickle relish.

As you may know I've started several threads recently questioning
this Peat orthodoxy.

Maybe it is not merely romanticism.
Lots of traditionally healthy cultures have used naturally fermented foods.
Seems to be good science saying that "favorable" microflora does not permanently recolonize
left only to itself.
Peat has said we've evolved to live healthfully by maintaining a balance in the microbiome....

Also consider the impact of pharma antibiotics on the microbiome,
and consider that Peat is not against judicious use of certain antibiotics....

 

[Blossom]

I think I probably had high lactic acid in my body by the time I discovered Peat so when I took a supplement or consumed food containing lactic acid producing bacteria it overwhelmed my already compromised condition. Lots of people seem to eat fermented foods and use probiotics without ill effects so a person's individual context is probably important. One probiotic that did seem to help me in the past was Florastor. If I had to take an antibiotic then I might consider using that one again since it agreed with me in the past. That's just because of my personal experience though and not a recommendation to others. I know I don't need to take probiotics regularly for optimal health since I haven't taken them or eaten much fermented food over the last year and a half and my health is steadily improving. Just eating enough food in general is supposed to help keep ones good bacteria reproducing and a strong immune system from being well nourished and having a good metabolism should keep the pathogenic bacteria in check.

 

[answersfound]

Recently I tried Garden of Life's Primal Defense probiotic, and it made me extremely tired, bloated, and gave me flu like symptoms. I figured it was the lactobacillus strains. I stopped after 2 days and ordered Prescript Assist, a probiotic without any lactobacillus strains. I have felt great since I started taking it. No "die off" symptoms, just smooth digestion from day 1. For me, avoiding lactic acid is crucial.