Florastor question

[1tiredmama]

My kids have been using Culturelle for 2 months with good results. I thought it might be a good idea to change up the probiotic for awhile. So, I stood in the pharmacy reading the labels of a handful of probiotics for a long time. I chose Florastor because I know others here use it, and because it has a different ingredient than Culturelle.

 

When I got home, I read the package insert and discovered that it is a yeast probiotic, as opposed to a bacterial one. Do I want that?

 

I'm confused. I thought I am supposed to be protecting the kids from an overgrowth of yeast. This is all so complicated. Could someone please set me straight???

 

Thanks!

[MomWithOCDSon]

Florastor is sach boulardii, a beneficial yeast which crowds out the "bad" yeast, like Candida. It shouldn't cause any typical yeast overgrowth problems, and it is impervious to abc to boot, so you can dose them simultaneously if you need to. We've been using Sach b successfully for over 2 years now and love it. I take it too on occasion. Good luck!

[1tiredmama]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

[LNN]

FYI - Sacc B is also available from Jarrow http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_11?url=search-alias%3Dhpc&field-keywords=jarrow+saccharomyces+boulardii&sprefix=jarrow+sacc%2Chpc%2C147&rh=n%3A3760901%2Ck%3Ajarrow+saccharomyces+boulardii&ajr=0 for significantly less money.

 

One word of "heads up" - everyone's gut is a little - or maybe very - different. My son cannot tolerate Sacc B. I don't know why. Everything I've ever read makes it sound like it should be great for everyone. But it makes my son angry and agitated. Which is a real bummer since Sacc B is far less expensive than what we now use (Theralac alternating with TruFlora). Like Nancy said, because Sacc B is a yeast, it isn't killed by abx and don't have to worry about when you give it, whereas all other probiotics have to be taken at least 2 hrs away from an antibiotic and preferably at a time when the stomach isn't in full gear because both abx and stomach acid will kill other probiotics.

 

So by all means, give it a try because if it works for you, it's a great and affordable solution. (tho a few times a week I'd still add a second probiotic for flora variety). But if you happen to see some negative symptoms and can't figure out why, stop the Sacc B for a few days and see what happens. Some kids can't tolerate it, for whatever reason.

[mdmom]

We use Sacc B which is in Florastor in combination with another probiotic, which as mostly bacterial strains.

 

Like someone else said, you can take Florastor with antibiotics, but remember not to take it with an anti-fungal.

 

It is hard spacing the dosing of things so that they don't cancel each other out

[1tiredmama]

Thank you mdmom and LLM. You know, if things went downhill, I never would have suspected the probiotic as a possible culprit. Thanks for the heads-up!

[colleendonny]

Why can you not take Sach b. with an anti-fungal? I have been

[MomWithOCDSon]

Why can you not take Sach b. with an anti-fungal? I have been

 

Because yeast is technically a fungus, and sach b. is yeast, so taking them concurrently negates/kills the sach b.

Edited September 14, 2012 by MomWithOCDSon