Why do people take pre/pro biotics?

[Woodznutz]

Prebiotics and probiotic are just another form of 'pills' that people take so they don't have to change their habits. In this case their terrible eating habits.

 

[braalian]

Many people who have had to take antibiotics for various reasons take probiotics to repopulate the good bacteria in their gut

 

[BothWings]

Prebiotics and probiotic are just another form of 'pills' that people take so they don't have to change their habits. In this case their terrible eating habits.

I don't have poor eating habits compared to most Americans. In my house we eat steamed veggies, rice, lean meats, fish, whole grain bread, eggs, and we eat fruit several times a day. The average American goes heavy on fat, salt and sugar in almost every meal.

However I still have gastric issues and have lived with IBS ( actually a neurologically rooted problem) all my life. and I'm 54. Eating yogurt, bananas, papaya and pickled things clearly helps me keep the inflammation at a minimum, and in spite of my usually good diet, I do suffer from inexplicable bouts of diarrhea from time to time. This is when I increase the pickled (pre-biotic) things and also take a couple pro-biotic pills for a few days. Then I gradually pull back into the "normal" lane.

It's true there are people who are obsessed with health supplements and take them just to take them, apparently believing that doing so is going to somehow make them super human....when in fact too much of these things can have just the opposite effect that you want after a while. I am not a regular user of these things only when I find my gastric health slipping and in need of some TLC.

 

[Woodznutz]

I don't have poor eating habits compared to most Americans. In my house we eat steamed veggies, rice, lean meats, fish, whole grain bread, eggs, and we eat fruit several times a day. The average American goes heavy on fat, salt and sugar in almost every meal.

However I still have gastric issues and have lived with IBS ( actually a neurologically rooted problem) all my life. and I'm 54. Eating yogurt, bananas, papaya and pickled things clearly helps me keep the inflammation at a minimum, and in spite of my usually good diet, I do suffer from inexplicable bouts of diarrhea from time to time. This is when I increase the pickled (pre-biotic) things and also take a couple pro-biotic pills for a few days. Then I gradually pull back into the "normal" lane.

It's true there are people who are obsessed with health supplements and take them just to take them, apparently believing that doing so is going to somehow make them super human....when in fact too much of these things can have just the opposite effect that you want after a while. I am not a regular user of these things only when I find my gastric health slipping and in need of some TLC.

Have you tried chewing each (small) bite of food into a liquid (the liquid is needed saliva) before swallowing? This may yield some positive results.

 

[Harry Dresden]

i drink Kefir.....thats all the pro-biotics i need....

 

[BothWings]

Have you tried chewing each (small) bite of food into a liquid (the liquid is needed saliva) before swallowing? This may yield some positive results.

I pretty much always drink as I eat. My wife who is an RN and tells me this is actually bad practice but I'm not sure how right she is on that. She's she's not originally from the US, and she says drinking cold drinks with their meals is one of the worst things Americans do for both cholesterol and obesity. Like I said I'm not sure if I fully buy that but I do give it some credibility.

 

[Orangecat]

I prefer amateur biotics. They’re in it for the love of the gut, not just the money.

 

[Woodznutz]

I pretty much always drink as I eat. My wife who is an RN and tells me this is actually bad practice but I'm not sure how right she is on that. She's she's not originally from the US, and she says drinking cold drinks with their meals is one of the worst things Americans do for both cholesterol and obesity. Like I said I'm not sure if I fully buy that but I do give it some credibility.

Some dry foods benefit from a small sip of liquid, however more than that can dilute needed saliva. Interestingly as well is that full saliva production doesn't occur right away. It can take 50 chews to fully activate the saliva glands in the mouth. Some foods require 75-100 chews to be fully processed for swallowing. Perhaps the worst thing for proper eating/chewing is the family or social meal where conversation, and often family drama, causes one to hurry the meal. Eating 'on the run' is also bad.

 

[wamose]

I developed Colitis when I was 16. Eating poorly or being out of shape were definitely not causal. I took pills to control that into my sixties, then I found out about probiotics. After a couple months, I never had symptoms again. It allegedly creates good bacteria in the stomach and my understanding is that the lack of these bacteria can cause a lot of problems, not just colitis. I generally don't believe in pills, but probiotics are the real deal as far as I'm concerned. I just wish I would have discovered them earlier instead of dealing with symptoms for almost 50 years.

 

[initforme]

People dont like to eat fiber.

 

[Woodznutz]

People dont like to eat fiber.

Certainly not manmade fiber.

 

[braalian]

Metamucil helps many with bowel regularity and with cholesterol

Being knee-jerk mistrustful of any and all medicine is pretty stupid

 

[Dekster]

People dont like to eat fiber.

You can swallow it in a pill

 

[DGS49]

Poop management.

With the probiotics, the texture of stool is impacted, and with just the right probiotic, you get the desired result.

I use Metamucil for the same purpose. I have for years. It works perfectly.

 

[Woodznutz]

Metamucil helps many with bowel regularity and with cholesterol

Being knee-jerk mistrustful of any and all medicine is pretty stupid

Most people bypass natural methods in favor of pills and other unnatural remedies. That said many do need these remedies.

 

[Woodznutz]

Poop management.

With the probiotics, the texture of stool is impacted, and with just the right probiotic, you get the desired result.

I use Metamucil for the same purpose. I have for years. It works perfectly.

Metamucil is a natural high fiber product. Bananas are my fiber management tool. One half per day does the job.

 

[braalian]

Most people bypass natural methods in favor of pills and other unnatural remedies. That said many do need these remedies.

If by natural methods you mean regular exercise and a sensible diet, I definitely agree with you.

But if you mean the whole natural cure, essential oils and unnecessary vitamin industry, etc etc. in lieu of actual medicine…. That’s just a scam to take money away from the gullible.

And potentially dangerous if they’re lead to believe they can manage serious medical conditions like diabetes or hypertension with silly frou-frou supplements