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We host huge numbers of bacteria in our bodies—so many, in fact, that there are more bacterial cells than human cells in each of us. What are those bacteria doing there, and what happens when our personal ecological systems get disrupted? We’ll learn how probiotics can help re-establish a beneficial balance.
Guests: Kelly Karpa, R Ph, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. She is author of Elsevier’s Integrated Pharmacology and Bacteria for Breakfast: Probiotics for Good Health.
Gerald Callahan, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Immunology and the Public Understanding of Science, with appointments in the departments of Pathology and English at Colorado State University. He has written many books, including Infection: The Uninvited Universe.
I had a tendency to not eat correctly, causing digestive irregularity. My allergist recommended 2 Probiotics before I go to bed at night. I have started eating more responsibly and the Probiotics keeps me regular without cramps. I noticed the difference in just four days. I am sold!!
About ten years ago I had serious emergency surgery to correct a D&C procedure that injured my small intestines, uterus and bladder. I was given antibiotics to prevent peritonitis, for many weeks. I suffered almost constant, extremely severe cramps, bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness. Doctors could not figure out how to relieve this condition. It took six months before I recovered from these symptoms.
After extensive personal research and reading I learned that PROBIOTICS might have helped me. I have told my experience to doctors who have performed colon surgery on my husband. I give probiotics to him after every course of anti-biotics. He has not had post surgery intestinal pain.
I wish that my physicians had been aware of the benefits of PROBIOTICS and had prescribed them for me at the time of my post surgery ordeal.
I caught only the last 15 minutes of your radio show on October 20. Kelly Karpa made a statement about probiotics possibly not being a good mix with immuno-suppressant drugs. I have a son with Crohn's Disease who takes probiotics along with his azathioprine (with his GI doctor's approval). Nothing was mentioned as to why this could be a problem (it was at the very end of the show) and this is the first time I have heard this. Could you explain or direct me to a publication where I could read more about this? Thank you.
Last year (2007) I had surgery for cataracts and basal cell cancer, while at the same time having numerous problems with my house and car, and illness in my family. I developed extreme soreness in my lower right gum, went to my dentist who recommended a root canal. Because of all the other problems I was dealing with, I could not schedule a root canal at that time.
Not knowing anything else to do, I increased the amount of probiotic (20 billion live bacteria) I was taking from 1 a day to 2, 2 X a day. After three days, the swelling and pain were completely gone. About three months later I had swelling in the upper left side of my mouth, with a very sore throat on only that same side.
I again took 2 capsuls, 2X a day, for 3 days, and again the infection completely cleared up. I figured I saved about $3000 in medical bills.
The probiotic I'm taking was originally prescribed by Dr. Harold Cherne, who was working with people with chronic health problems, in Wildwood, GA. He's been semi- retired to Colorado, for about 20 years.
Forty years ago our pediatrician advised us to give our child buttermilk from time to time while she was taking a course of antibiotics, in order to restore the good bacteria in her digestive tract.
She was under a year old at the time, and she was quite happy with buttermilk. Over the years it has worked beautifully to avoid or stop the diarrhea children often get with antibiotics, and I have used it for myself as well. It is certainly cheaper than buying probiotics! I was surprised that neither you nor your guest mentioned it.
My daughter has Lupus. Will probiotics help her?
I have a couple of comments. First to Joan Baxter, you commented that your relative takes probotics for Cohn's. Has it helped? And second, has anyone got sarcoidosis and take probotics and found it helps the inflamation.
Sheila W.
Madison WV