Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, believed that all diseases begin in the gut. Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride, a Russian neurologist and originator of the GAPS Healing Protocol, likens the digestive system to the roots of a tree. The root system is fundamental to the support of the well being of every single branch, twig and leaf of the tree. No matter how distant the leaf is from the root, if the roots are not healthy, it will effect the vitality of parts of the tree that are very far away. In much the same way, the health of the digestive system translates into the relative robustness or debility of all organ systems of our body, and most importantly our immune system.
Central to the theory of the GAPS Healing Protocol is that an imbalance of the micro flora of the gut, responsible for maintenance of the integrity of the gut wall, results in many symptoms of illness and disease states. Our intestines contain trillions of tiny diverse micro organisms, on our skin, eyes, respiratory, excretory organs and digestive system. The largest colony of these microbes is in the gut. The average adult carries 2-4 pounds of bacteria in the digestive system, which represents 10 times more microbial cells than human cells. In other words, we are 10% human cells and 90% microbial cells, and contain 100 times more microbial genes than human genes. We are sacks that carry around colonies of vast number of microflora. In this context Dr Natasha quipped, “Who is running the show here?”
We exist in symbiosis with these microflora, neither they nor we can live without one another. The beneficial bacteria perform vital protective functions essential to the preservation of our health, digestion and immunity. There are also harmful bacteria whose numbers in a healthy individual are kept in check by the beneficial bacteria. When these opportunistic bacteria gain the upper hand, the integrity of the gut wall is breached and contents that should remain inside the gut leak out, causing inflammation in the body and the brain. This results in digestive, auto-immune, neurologic and psychiatric diseases.
In a healthy individual, a thick band of beneficial bacteria line the gut wall, protecting the intestinal cells, the enterocytes, which perform vital functions. This wall of bacteria acts like turf which protects soil. When the turf is eroded by opportunistic microflora, the enterocytes become damaged, resulting not only in increased intestinal permeability, but also the absorption of nutrients is disrupted, resulting in malnutrition and malabsorption which further undermine health. In addition the enterocytes are responsible for detoxification, as well as the secretion of anti-viral and anti-bacterial substances. If they malfunction, toxic substances can no longer be neutralized, and viruses and bacteria can cause infections.
It is for this reason that the GAPS Healing Protocol focuses upon the restoration of the balance of the microflora in the gut through nutrition, supplementation and detoxification. Fermented foods are prescribed, as they provide a rich natural source of beneficial microflora. Not all people, however, can tolerate fermented foods. Individuals with histamine intolerance may find that fermented foods aggravate their symptoms.
In addition to fermented foods, Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride recommends probiotic supplementation for everyone. For those individuals who have adverse reactions to fermented foods, probiotics are particularly essential to their healing. I have tried several types of probiotics, and have not found them equally effective or tolerable. Some have worsened my symptoms of histamine intolerance, with headaches and increased constipation.
I recently began a course of Prescript Assist, a probiotic consisting of soil-based organisms, and have noted a remarkable response. This is the first time in all my life that I have had regular bowel movements, without the use of Magnesium Citrate as a laxative. Constipation is a particularly intractable problem, and thus the good results achieved with Prescript-Assist are especially noteworthy. There are also reports that it is useful for diarrhea and other symptoms of IBS. In addition, it does not need to be refrigerated, in contrast to some probiotics.
Chris Kresser, an acupuncturist with a large integrative medical practice, reported that he also has had excellent results in his practice with Prescript Assist, particularly in patients with constipation. He is so impressed with it that he is now selling it in his store. I bought mine from Amazon. In this transcript from a podcast he stated,
“A few months ago, I started doing some research about it. There’s one study that was double-blind, placebo-controlled that lasted for quite a long time, especially for probiotics. A lot of the studies are pretty short in duration. And essentially the theory behind it is that we evolved in an environment where we were continually exposed to these soil-based organisms. Our ancestors were not scrubbing their vegetables and fruits before they ate them. They were taking them out of the ground and maybe wiping them off a little bit and eating them. They weren’t buying them in the store after they had been scrubbed, and they weren’t scrubbing them themselves. And the other thing is that the soil diversity and quality has changed a lot since the industrialization of agriculture, and so we’re just not exposed to the same number and types of soil-based organisms to the same extent that we probably were for most of our evolutionary history. And as we’re going to discuss in a lot more detail in a later question, there’s a lot of evidence that these soil-based organisms have profound immunoregulatory effects. In other words, we evolved with them over a long period of time, and our immune systems have a symbiotic relationship with them and function much better in their presence. And so the soil-based organisms are a different approach than the lactic acid-forming types of probiotics, and I’ve found that they’re better tolerated in people with SIBO. As a fairly unrelated side note, they tend to work better for constipation than a lot of other probiotics. Oftentimes, probiotics can make constipation worse, so the soil-based organisms and Prescript-Assist, I think, is a really good choice for people with SIBO.”
I have begun recommending Prescript-Assist to the patients in my practice, with good results. Suggested dosage is 2 capsules twice a day for one month, and then decrease to 1 capsule twice a day. Over time, one per day may be sufficient for maintenance. I would be eager to hear from any of my readers who have experience with this probiotic, and from those who decide to try it. Please write to me with your results.
Hi Judy,
I have suffered from CFS for 15 years. Can you recommend a probiotic if one is TH2 immune dominant? I’m looking at Prescript Assist,but am unsure if it would be appropriate for Th2 dominance? As i have read that some probiotic strains can increase Th2 cells.
How did you find out that you were TH2 immune dominant? Is there a test to check for this?
Blood test confirmed it. Any chance i can get a reply to my question?
Wondered whether you could advise please. My nutritionist put me on some Prescript when I was on a protocol for Candida and gut dysbiosis but stopped it when I started a new protocol so haven’t had it for about 5-6 weeks.
I suffer from bad anxiety, nausea, fatigue etc. Last week I had to stop taking all my supps as I had to provide a urine sample for an OATS test. During the 5 day break from everything I felt really well but last night I had my first Prescript that she wanted me back on and today I have felt really awful. Anxiety and nausea is back along with fatigue and panic feelings. Could it be the Prescript not suiting me? I only took one at bedtime last night
Absolutely. People have very different reactions to probiotics. What works for one, makes another feel terrible and visa versa. They are powerful, and our response to them depends upon our indigenous gut flora.
thank you Judy. Would I do best at trying to stick to them by building up slowly from a quarter of a cap. I am pretty sure from what I have been reading I am herxing
Maybe even much less than a quarter of a cap. I have heard of using as little as a 16th of a cap. Good luck with it!
thank you. I am not going to take them. I had a phone call with my nutritionist last night and she confirmed that it was a bit of a coincidence that after having 7 really good days where I felt well that as soon as I started my supps and added a Prescript, I became very ill 12hrs later. She said to leave off my hcl/pepsin, acv and digestive enzymes for a few days to see how I feel but still take my baseline supps like B vits, my combined Vit A,D,E & K, Omegas and Zinc.
I mentioned to her that the important strains needed in a probiotic were bifidobacterium and lactobacillus. I have some by Metagenics called UltraFlora Restore. She mentioned trying them in a few days time but I am wondering whether I should try them now. I feel so poorly with the anxiety and nausea, I don’t know what to do
So sorry to hear about your distress. Its hard to know what to recommend to help this acute situation. Sometimes bentonite clay or activated charcoal can be helpful in situations where die-off (Herxheimer Reaction) is causing challenging symptoms. I would work with your practitioner to support you through this. You need a real person to help.
Jennie, your symptoms of anxiety, nausea and fatigue sound very familiar, as I suffer from these as well! H pylori seems to be the cause. Wondering if you’ve been tested for that? I ordered some Prescript-Assist because I heard that it’s helpful for H pylori. Could it be that you have H pylori and were experiencing “die off” from taking this probiotic?
I suffer from awful pains and anxiety at times. The fastest relief was from magnesium (ReMag) about 7ml in some oj. Its 100 % uptake and fantastic for so many issues. Its expensive but we always have it in the house. Also, half a tsp sodium bicarb in 8oz water really helps with detox pains. No more than 2 tsp a day.
The best I’d ever felt was after fasting for 4 days, then no sugar (in any form) for a few months. Lost no weight for 5 weeks then dropped nearly 3 stone over then next 4 weeks! Never felt healthier:-)
Stopping sugar starves the many nasties in our system – it allows our bodies to then get more goodness out if the food we eat as its functioning more efficiently, without being hindered.
Good luck!
I have very bad experience with Prescript Assist Broad Spectrum 1×1 and Swanson Epic Pro 1×1 taken together one month. It finished with very high pulse 144, lack of appetite, loss of 5kg of weight up to now, severe anxiety, sweats, nightmares, it is a one big horror.
It does seem to be such an individual matter, which probiotic agrees with a person. Its like that expression, “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.” I hope you find one that works well for you.
Taking Prescript Assist absent any other enzyme formulation – or probiotic will likely help you in ways you could only imagine. If you have read about this product you may ask yourself ‘why throw in the kitchen sink’ (as to add other probiotics which might contraindicate?
Maybe start out with a half a cap (opened) into your mouth.
Prescript Assist – first introduced back in 1993 – under a different name has proven itself remarkable safe and effective. I am sorry for your poor response and if you want to communicate directly with me – my company may be of help, all of which will be a ‘no charge, or expense to yourself.
Look up Prescript Assist in Google Scholar – you will see who provided the product for the Clinical Trial for IBS – back in 2004 (published in 2005) – and you can find your way to where you will get help and maybe a greater perspective on this truly remarkable product.
Die off.
Every time I take soil bacteria including BioKult there is severe anxiety, schizophrenia – despite I have no such sensations where not on probiotic. It is nearly one year since I stopped taking it and I have Multiple Sclerosis like symptoms. I’m sorry but it is to long for die off, my whole body reactions and responses for drugs have changed, I had personality change and I’m warning others that mistakes you do may never be fixed, because it is not a drug that will simply leave the body it is bacteria. Even to much of acid producing bacteria like acidophilus may cause arthritis, osteoporosis because body needs to keep proper pH. That is totally irresponsible to have worry free intake of probiotics as they are only good.
Do I think SBO may predominate the gut populations? YES
Microbiome is Pandora’s box and don’t try to say me that i should start from small doses and then increase because I well tolerated any dose at the very beginning problems started after one month when there was enough of bacteria to imbalance microbiome.
thank you for your comment, I will stay with the lactobacilli & bifidobacteria then, they seem to be much more safe really.
Is Prescript-Assist safe for people with Histamine Intolerance?
Thank you
My experience is that people have a very unique and individualized response to Pro-biotics. I cannot tolerate the one that Dr. Natasha Campbell-MdBride recommends, Bio-Kult but Prescript Assist is fine. I know another person who feels awful with Prescript Assist. I have not been able to generalize or predict how different people will respond to different probiotics.
I have histamine intolerance and Prescript Assist really gave me strong die off when I tried 1/4 of a capsule. I was really fatigued and achy. I backed down to 1/32 of a capsule and very slowly worked up from there. I have been taking it for over a year and now take 1/3 of a capsule a day.
Funnily I was the opposite to you Judy. I did not feel much effect from biokult and increased my dose quite quickly. When I started the GAPS diet I worked up to 8 a day but now just have 1 a day (at the opposite end of the day to the Prescript Assist).
I have developed chronic diarrhea which I believe caused by lost good gut bacteria from allergies. I am blood type O. I have tried alot of Pro-B products and nothing has helped much. I don’t do well with S. Boulardi. Any thoughts?
Strange. I take Garden of Life Raw Probiotics 100 Billion, Prescript Assist, and Jarrow Formulas Saccharomyces Boulardii + MOS, and my the diarrhea problem that I have had for years, has disappeared. I have a condition known as microscopic colitis and all the meds that I have tried never relieved the “problem”. Perhaps different people have different results, but it WORKS for me!!!!
I also have Microscopic colitis and now take a Soil Based Probiotic from Dr. Axe. Do you think I should also try the Jarrow Formula? I am willing to do anything it takes to heal my gut. How long did it take to go into remission?
Its a very individual matter how someone responds to a probiotic. There can also be value in trying different ones over time to increase diversity.
I have difficulty with both Garden of Life and S. boulardii probiotics. I took ONE dose of PA the other day, and I felt great. I am ordering more as we speak. So for those of you who’ve had bad results with other HSO-type probiotics, this could be the answer for you!
Everyone is so different. With probiotics it seems to be a matter of self experiment.
That is why Saccharomyces Boulardii is not included in Prescript Assist (P-A).
P-A is currently sold in over 18 Countries – and is ‘without question’ the most comprehensive and advanced probiotic available – anywhere – at any price.
I almost completely attribute the healing of my leaky gut to this product; I’ve been taking them for about eight months now and it’s been a night & day difference. My health journey started when I was 19; I started eating less processed foods and went pretty mcuh 100% organic. Then I became vegetarian, then vegan a few months later and it wasn’t until I really cleaned up my diet (after eating like absolute GARBAGE for the first 19 years of my life) that I uncovered a very severe gluten allergy. I cut it out completely last July when I was 21 and after months of not consuming it, I found that if I even had something that was made on the same equipment as wheat, it would send me into an allergy-induced vertigo episode, feeling like I was fighting to stay concious, with extreme naseua and the worst stomach pains you could imagine. It was to the point where I wasn’t really able to eat anything without first taking a high potency enzyme, not even simple foods, without keeling over in pain and getting extremely irritable, anxious and sleepy after I ate. Rightfully frustrated with my body, I did some research and came across soil based organisms at the beginning of this year and decided to give them a try. They have completely changed my life and healed my gut. I am now able to eat gluten in small amounts (like soy sauce) without any reaction. I can eat normally without having an enzyme or having to worry about being sleepy or anxious. This is something I will take for the rest of my life. I am very well versed on nutrition and alternative medicine as I am a nutrition/dietetics student and work in the supplement section of Whole Foods. I attribute my gut healing to:
Prescript Assist – 2 capsules a day
Glutamine powder – 20+g a day
Enzymedica’s Digest Gold – 3 capsules a day
Vibrant Health’s Green Vibrance – 1 scoop a day
And a VERY clean, non-processed, whole food vegan, 100% gluten free, zero refined sugar diet 🙂
Wow, what a great informative comment. Congratulations on all of your efforts to heal your digestion and all of the success that you have had. Its inspiring. Thank you so much for taking the time to share. Do you mix the Glutamine powder in water? When do you take it? Do you take the enzymes before your means. When do you take the green powder?
I put the greens powder in my fruit & vegetable smoothies in the morning for breakfast and I also put glutamine in there. I make at least two smoothies a day (one fruit & vegetable and one protein shake with loads of super foods) and put about 5g of glutamine in each. This helps with the absorption of all the goodness in the smoothies as well! The other ten grams of glutamine I usually take after my workout in the morning and then again with my supplements before bed. I take my enzymes at my three biggest meals of the day, even though I no longer NEED the enzymes, I think they’re only helping since we have a certain store of enzymes were born with and don’t generate more. I feel like supplementing with enzymes takes care of digesting my food so my own store of enzymes is free to roam my body and take care of any repairing 🙂 but yes it’s been an amazing journey so far. It’s truly amazing and beautiful the healing that our bodies can do if we just give it the right tools. I just simply love my body now and it loves me right back! 🙂
I love that you love your body. That’s the ticket. Thanks so much for sharing.
Sarah,
In addition to Prescript-Assist which is soil based organisms, you may also want to consider an excellent complementary probiotic: Garden of Life 100 Billion Probiotics as I do. They work quite well together. I am also adding Saccharomyces boulardii which I discovered in an NIH article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2868213/
You can buy this product on Amazon as Jarrow Formulas Saccharomyces Boulardii + MOS, Value Size, 180 Count.
Quoting the Jarrow product description:
Probiotic yeast that survives stomach acid and colonizes the intestinal tract
•MOS: Unfriendly bacteria binding site decoy
•One of the best substantiated probiotics
Quoting a very small portion of the NIH article:
In adults, S. boulardii can be strongly recommended for the prevention of AAD and the traveler’s diarrhea. Randomized trials also support the use of this yeast probiotic for prevention of enteral nutrition-related diarrhea and reduction of Heliobacter pylori treatment-related symptoms. S. boulardii shows promise for the prevention of C. difficile disease recurrences; treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, acute adult diarrhea, Crohn’s disease, giardiasis, human immunodeficiency virus-related diarrhea; but more supporting evidence is recommended for these indications. The use of S. boulardii as a therapeutic probiotic is evidence-based for both efficacy and safety for several types of diarrhea.
I can testify to this triple combination efficacy. They work quite well together.
Hi Sarah!
I came across this website when researching Prescript Assist for Candida. I dont know if you ever experienced an overgrowth issue but I am sure we have similar complications with leaky gut. One thing I am afraid of is severe die off. I understand its part of the process and I guess a good thing. I’ve been having effects of it just from diet (doing a really clean eating too fast). I have been taking Enzymedica for a week and can tell a slight difference (probably too soon to tell). Would you recommend just starting with one Prescript Assist capsule per day and see how I do with it?
Thank you for the help!
If you are concerned about die-off, you could open the Prescript Assist capsule and sprinkle a third or a quarter of it into applesauce and work your way up. Its always good to be cautious. There is no real benefit in my opinion to trying to rush the process.
I have heard that applesauce is too acidic for probiotics and not to mix them…?
Just in terms of common sense, that does not seem accurate to me. The milieu in the stomach would seem likely to be more acidic than applesauce.
Hi Christina
I started on PA one month ago, and instead of feeling better, I’m actually feeling worse. My stomach has expanded drastically. It’s this part of the process?
It may not be the probiotic for you. Everyone is different, and what is a good choice for one person is not right for another.
I have had SIBO for almost 5 years now after improperly administering a home-based enema. I am finishing my fourth round of antibiotics (3rd round of Xifaxan) and have decided to try Prescript-Assist, instead of other probiotics, in order to repopulate my gut flora with good bacteria.
I recently learned about the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii and will be adding it to the Prescript-Assist. Do you know much about S. boulardii? I found an academic article in the World Journal of Gastroenterology that did a meta-analysis of S. boulardii, and its benefits blew my mind. Here is the link if you and others have never heard of it before: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2868213/
Impressive! I may add it to my regimen. Thank you for taking the time to write and to share.
Dr Campbell-McBride has written about S Boullardii on her FAQs page. In France the doctors offer it along side antibiotics. And for my child when I had to give antibiotics it worked well to keep the yeast at bay.
How should S boulardii be dosed when used for candida?
Always start from a small dose and gradually increase it to a therapeutic level, stay on this level for 3-4 months, then gradually reduce to none. For an adult the therapeutic dose is usually 4-5 billion live cells per day. For a child use smaller doses depending on the age of the child: 3-5 years of age the dose is 1 billion live cells per day, for 6-11 years of age 2 billion per day, for older children 3-4 billion per day. I would not use S boulardii with children younger than 3, it is better to use homemade kefir for these children. It is important to always combine S boulardii with other probiotics, as it should not be allowed to dominate in the gut. Based on my experience, I would not use S boulardii permanently, only as a course. On a long term basis it is better to use kefir, which contains a group of beneficial yeasts as well as bacteria.
Thank you for sharing this! It is really useful information.
please PLEASE tell me how you got sibo from enemas?@!!??! I started doing at home enemas two years ago right around the time my on going battle got drastically worse and Ive always wondered if I somehow gave myself mold or bacteria???! Please share
not possible to get SIBO from enemas. something else is going on
the enema didnt give you SIBO
Has anybody heard of ALFLOREX. It is the only Pro-biotic approved by the FDA
I started Prescript-assist pro. I have IBS and immune/fatigue problems. I took it for a week and a week later still have diarrhea.
I took it with microbinate and ashwaganda and others in COCKTAIL supplements
One pill of prescript assist away from food… 6 to 8 hours later I became extremely gassy, foul smelling. I haven’t had gas like that since I started my digestive journey years ago.
that’s because these bacteria switch off digestion, reduce your testosterone, decrease your libido and makes you ill health.
I took prescript assist for one day. took only one cap in the morning. I had sever negative reaction to the product. stomach pain and bloating, sinus congestion, joint stiffness and pain. chills, head ache, blurred vision, nausea and sick feeling this continued for about 12 hours or so. my reason for taking the probiotic is h pylori and candida. So no really sold on prescript assist. Has anyone ever tried the probiotic Syntol. I understand it very good in killing off candida and other bad boys in the gut.
That is so interesting. Thanks for writing. I had a colleague to whom I recommended it and she had a terrible reaction as well. Some people have terrible reactions to others and Prescript Assist is very well tolerated. Its one of the things that seems to be extremely individual, and must have to do the composition of our own micro biome and how it reacts to the introduction of the probiotic. I have not heard of Syntol. But will investigate.
A strong pro-biotic will produce negatives symptoms as that shows it’s working. Once the pro-biotic comes into contact with the bad bacteria overgrowth in the intestines, it starts to take over and kill the bad bacteria. This die-off produces the nasty symptoms as it can be a bit too much for our systems to deal with. This reaction will clearly trouble people trying to live normally so it’s better to take your time with it or use a less stronger dose.
I once started taking a strong bad bacteria Killer drops (goodness knows what it was called now) and suffered severe anxiety and depression. Very nasty but I didn’t understand what was happening back then.
Warren. I read your comment from a year ago that a probiotic you took gave you anxiety. Did it ever go away? Did you stop it and the. It went away or did it work its way through? I’m dealing with the same symptoms. I have been on mega spores and now prescript assist. After an hour I get my heart elevated then feeling hot tube comes a sense of calmness with tiredness.
Hi Erika,
I’m sorry you’ve been suffering, having been through anxiety I know how awful it is. I don’t pretend to be an expert ( though I’ve been full of myself every time I’ve learnt something new) but when I stopped taking the strong anti-bad bacteria drops the anxiety died off (I made the classic mistake of upping the dose to hurry things along).
I do believe that how good our livers are plays a part in how we react to die off etc.
I had the same issue with megastore after a while. It could be histamine or salicylate or amines intolerance.
Have you heard of Megaspore? Someone recommended it to me but I can’t find any info other than what is on there site.
No, I never heard of it.
You can only get it through a physician. If you contact them I’m sure they can give you names of doctors that use it. Or go to Facebook Leaky Gut Syndrome/Candida people on here are using it and can help find how to buy it.
Judy,
Thanks for the great information, but I wanted to correct your statements about the proper dosage. I called the manufacturer and they told me in no uncertain terms to initially take 1 capsule in the morning and then 1 capsule in the evening for the first 30 days. Then revert to just 1 capsule per day after that. Your statement: ” Suggested dosage is 2 capsules twice a day for one month, and then decrease to 1 capsule twice a day.” is way too much according to the manufacturer and may be the cause of the problems with those reporting adverse effects. Just an F.Y.I. that you may want to revise your statement.
Richard Harold
Thank you for writing. You may be right that for some people, too high a dosage may be an issue, but I know that for others, only one capsule made them feel very ill. Its my experience that our response to probiotics is extremely individualized. Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride recommends high doses of probiotics, however, sometimes it is necessary to work up very slowly. I remember her saying that for some, it would be necessary to take 1/16th of a capsule to begin.
I wonder if the person with the gas and bloating after starting Prescript Assist is actually having a die-off reaction from the toxins as candida in the gut die. In which case, adding some bentonite clay may help….and remembering that this is a short-term healing crisis! Prescript Assist may actually be telling the person that they have a yeast problem, and then beginning to solve it!
I developed a bad skin reaction, skin breakouts and puss like spots that spread around the face. I got no bloating issues etc and actually got an improved digestion. If the skin breakout is because of the reaction to killing off bacteria how long will this process last? I stopped taking prescription assist 2 weeks ago and skin is still getting worse by the day. Are the spores transient in the gut or do they colonise the last gut forever. I am worried that my skin and reaction will stay like this forever
Would PA help with someone who gets chronic constipation and UTI’s? I’m guessing the chronic uti’s are do to chronic constipation :/
It’s a very individual matter. Some with chronic constipation find prescript assist helps.
Hi , I’m about to start making fermented vegetables and I’m wondering if I could use ‘prescript assist ‘as my starter culture .
Thanks
Kind Regards Bev
No idea. Maybe someone else would know. If you find out, let me know.
I do not think so. These are soil based organisms. Typically, starter cultures for fermented foods feed on sugars of some type. Think lacto-fermentation etc.
I was wrong. SBOs are the preferred way to ferment vegetables.
In fact here is a link with an explanation of why using a whey starter as suggested by Nourishing Traditions is not a good idea.
http://kitchenlib.com/basics/why-i-dont-use-whey-as-a-vegetable-fermentation-starter/
The author of the above post is simply using the vegetables themselves as the starter. I would assume organic is in order, and the producer didn’t do any funky processing to deliver a cleaner vegetable.
After a little research, here is a link of someone using a SBO supplement as a starter for vegetables. One of the main reasons given is the speed of fermentation. Not quite sure how they are doing a bacteria count as they claim….
http://www.curezone.org/forums/am.asp?i=1205862
Lol. I am so sorry. I was wrong again.
Let me first say, i was dedicating this weekend to researching and learning about fermenting foods. I have been taking Prescript Assist and was also curious if it could be used as a fermentation starter.
The term SBO (soil based organism), is incorrectly used in describing Prescript Assist. In nature, Lactobacillus bacteria are prevalent in soil.
It is more accurate to say that none of the organisms in Prescript Assist produce lactic acid as a byproduct of metabolism. Thus, Prescript Assist does not contain any of the Lactobacillus family.
Lactobacillus bacteria by definition produce lactic acid as a byproduct of metabolism. In all of my research this weekend, all fermentation of food is lacto-fermentation.
The production of lactic acid is what preserves the food.
Prescript Assist cannot be used as a starter. The links I posted earlier refer to SBO, however they are referring to Lactobacillus species prevalent in soil which grows vegatables.
My apologies. I have learned a lot this weekend :).
I love your honesty about your process. Thank you!
What are the inactive ingredients in Prescript Assist?
I do not know the answer. Maybe another reading does.
Ingredients:
Each 600mg capsule of Prescript-Assist™ contains a proprietary blend of Leonardite and the following microorganisms:
Arthrobacter agilis, Arthrobacter citreus, Arthrobacter globiformis, Arthrobacter luteus, Arthrobacter simplex, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Azotobacter chroococcum, Azotobacter paspali, Azospirillum brasiliense, Azospirillum lipoferum, Bacillus brevis, Bacillus marcerans, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus polymyxa, Bacillus subtilis, Bacteroides lipolyticum, Bacteriodes succinogenes, Brevibacterium lipolyticum, Brevibacterium stationis, Kurthia zopfii, Myrothecium verrucaria, Pseudomonas calcis, Pseudomonas dentrificans, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas glathei, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Streptomyces fradiae, Streptomyces cellulosae, Streptomyces griseoflavus.
Other Ingredients: cellulose (vegetarian capsule), l-leucine, bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) extract
Thank you for taking the time to post this information! very kind of you. I appreciate it!
I have been taking 1 capsule PA twice a day and 800 mg magnesium glycinate (usually at around 8PM for the magnesium glycinate) to good effect for constipation.
What dosage would you recommend for 8 year old boy?
I am not sure. I would contact the company.
My 8 year old and 5 year old take PrescriptAssist. My GAPS practitioner said for them, too. First they started with BioKult.
I have SIBO with many (10-15) BM’s a day and am treating it with diet as I don’t want any more antibiotics in my system. Had C:diff twice. I am trying to figure out which probiotic would be best for me. Any suguestions???
Its such an individual matter. I believe the best approach is trial and error. See what agrees with you. Prescript Assist is good for many, but definitely not for all. I wish you all the best.
I have normal bowel movements without a probiotic, when I go on a probiotic I tend to get foul smelling gas that lingers for months and does not go away. Bowel movements also become loose. I hesitate to go back on, however I completed a GI profile that shows low bio-diversity and somewhat of a leaky gut. Your thoughts on using the prescript-assist product for this? Thanks for your time.
It can be a long process of trial and error to find a probiotic which works for you. I believe the only way to know if Prescript Assist would be a good choice, would be to try it. It agrees with many people who do not tolerate others, but it makes others feel awful. If you cannot find one that works, it becomes even more important to include fermented foods and beverages in your diet. Hope you find something that works well for you.
I started taking Prescript Assist about two weeks ago. I had some heartburn for the first couple of days, which is unusual for me. Then the past 4 or 5 days have brought on the bad gas problem. Like some others have mentioned, I also see some loose BM’s as well which also hasn’t been normal for me recently…I’ve noticed the loose BM’s seem to happen whenever I have some dairy (butter, yogurt, etc). I’m at the point where I’m thinking about quitting the Prescript Assist trial and focusing more on fermented foods instead.
We are all so different. Prescript Assist may not be the right probiotic for you. I recommended it to a colleague of mine and it made her feel horrible! We all need to experiment on ourselves to see what works. Fermented foods are super important, but I would recommend that you keep trying to find a probiotic that works for you. It can be an important support to gut healing.
From what I have researched, SBO probiotics are very powerful and spore and spread to your whole GI track, but if you dont have other probiotic strains to keep the SBO spores in check then you can have a toxic situation due to overgrowth. I’m taking PA but also BioKult (which contains other lacto-based strains and only has one of the same strains as PA. I’m alternating each every other day. And from what I’ve read, fermented foods wont repopulate the lower gut, they are good to help give you lacto strains and that will help balance out the bacterial war that is constantly happening within us all.
i have sibo, taking herbal antibiotics. Need prescript assist because of constipation. When is the best time to take it, before or after antibiotic.
I don’t know the answer, but if we’re me I think I would take probiotics continuously, along with fermented foods that are well tolerated to replenish your microbiome with healthy microflora.
Hi Judy,
Are you still using prescript assist? I have mild leaky gut syndrome and I’m debating between Prescript assist, Bio-Kult (suggested by Dr. Natasha) and GutPro probiotic?
Please share your thoughts.Thanks.
This is such an individual matter. A person’s microbiome is completely unique, like a fingerprint. What is beneficial and well to,rested by one person, may be just awful for another. Prescript Assist seems to be well tolerated by many. I am sure Biokult is a product of excellent quality, otherwise Dr. Natasha would not recommend it. It makes me feel quite sick. You will need to figure out what is best for your own unique system.
Thank you Judy. Makes sense, I guess I have to try em’ all with trial and error to see what works.
Thanks.
I know someone with ulcerative colitis. Ive done the research and after a year with the condition, willing to go the alternative route. Ive linked it to several causes, antibiotics being a major contributor. Ive been looking into the gaps diet, paleo diet, bone broth, juice fast using cabbage, and nutriceuticals. Ive seen oxy powder, vsl#3, l-glutamine, prescript assist, and megaspore biotic. Ive even considered FMT’s. Im gonna try this combination of methods, but I’d like to hear you take on it.
I am not familiar with some of the treatments and approaches you mentioned, but the ones that I am familiar with are all good things to try.
Dear Dr. T,
You mention that you have long had constipation and that you have had good results using Natural Calm, a magnesium citrate powder.
I have some questions about taking magnesium citrate for constipation –
Would magnesium citrate tablets (sold as a mineral supplement) work the same way as the powder, to help with constipation? Or does the powder work better than tablets?
How many milligrams of magnesium citrate (either powder or tablets) would you suggest taking daily, to help with constipation? Should it be increased gradually to “bowel tolerance”?
I currently take two 200 mg tablets of magnesium citrate (basically to get magnesium as a mineral, part of a basic vitamin/mineral array that I take) but that amount doesn’t seem to do anything for my chronic constipation.
[I have read that the US “upper intake level” is 350 mg, the United Kingdom “safe upper level” is 400 mg, and the US “adult female RDA” is 320 mg, so that is why I have been taking 400 mg a day.]
When using magnesium citrate as a promoter of bowel movements, is it better to take the whole daily amount at one time, or to spread the dosage out across the day (perhaps taking 1/3rd of the daily total after each meal)?
Is it better to take magnesium citrate with food or on an empty stomach?
(I have recently had weeks of bad acid reflux, so I have stopped taking any supplement/pill on an empty stomach, to try to calm my upper digestive system between meals. Therefore, I will probably stick with taking supplements only with food, but I thought asking this question might help other readers, if the answer is “on an empty stomach”.)
I have recently read on the internet that “Zinc, Magnesium, Calcium, and Iron all compete for transporters in the intestine for uptake above a threshold of approximately 800mg, so consuming these minerals together below this level should not interfere with uptake” (I didn’t record the source for this quote) — is this statement correct, as far as you know? Up to now, I’ve been careful to take zinc, iron, calcium, and magnesium at different times of day because I thought they competed with each other for absorption, but if I am going to take more magnesium, more often, in a bid to solve my constipation problem, then it won’t be so easy to separate my intake times for these 4 minerals.
—
Having been constipated for almost 50 years, I have tried many things, and one thing that helped me to have more and better bowel movements was a small daily dose of Milk Thistle, which I took for 3 months. Unfortunately, it totally depleted my serum ferritin (after getting such a low ferritin test result, I did further research on the various supplements I was taking at the time, and learned that Milk Thistle is a known chelator of iron) and I had to stop taking it.
If you don’t have any concerns for your iron level, then I would suggest giving Milk Thistle a try.
After I had to abandon the Milk Thistle (and double-up on my iron supplementation!), I tried Triphala, but it didn’t do anything for my constipation.
—–
Aside from the 400 mg of magnesium I am currently taking, I am also now trying 1000 mg of Vitamin C a day (up from taking 500 mg for my general vitamin intake), but doing that hasn’t impacted my bowel function in the slightest.
I am thinking I’ll next increase the C to 1500 mg, since the US “upper intake level” is 2000 mg (the UK “safe upper level” is just 1000 mg), and taking a little extra Vitamin C doesn’t appear to have much of a negative effect on the body.
—
With my new health condition of GERD, I think an aggravating factor is my constipation, because if things moved better in the lower half of my digestive system, I’m sure the upper half wouldn’t be erupting so much into my throat/mouth.
I have also been taking digestive enzymes at every meal for about a month (never took them before), but they don’t seem to be helping.
—–
Thank you for all your information here and your kind responses to commenters.
I do not think that mag citrate powder necessarily works better than tablet form. I think that experimentation is needed to see what works for you, and I suggest the same regarding dosage. You need to find what is appropriate for you.
I too have the constipation issue(following self treatment for SIBO).fir me- Naturalcalm didn’t help, but Magnesium Glycinate did. I take it after dinner/before bed& it actually helps me sleep better and have easier BMs. Win win!
This is my new favorite remedy for constipation. I take 2 capsules nightly and it is very effective and gentle. It’s called Mag 07. Many reviewers of this product on Amazon agree. There are many who said that they have tried many products in the past, and that this was the only one that worked reliably. For many, constipation is an intractable life long problem, and the number of people who had an unusually good response to this product is noteworthy.
Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Aerobic-Life-Digestive-Cleanser-Capsules/dp/B00028OVXM/ref=sr_1_8?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1426077992&sr=1-8&keywords=magnesium+oxide
Dear madam/sir,
Greetings,
I am kumar,male,aged about 54 years and residing in chennai,India.I am suffering from chronic giardiasis and other associated roblems such as chronic gastritis,loss of appetite,indigestion,falling of mucus from stools,dandruff on face,eczema on face,chronic malabsorption of food,gross under weight etc.Endoscopy and colonoscopy done did not reveal anything and one gastroenterologist suggest I undergo CT scan of abdomen, for which I am scared.Can the prescipt assist cure my all problems.Can I take this product without doctors prescription and for how long?
I am eagerly waiting for your kind and valuable advice
kumar
I am sort to hear of everything you are going through. No, Prescription-Assist would not likely cure all your problems, but I doubt it would hurt you. There is no need for a doctor’s prescription.
Is it ok to continue using PA the day before a colonoscopy?
I do not know the definitive answer, but it seems like it would be fine.
I wonder if this stuff would be beneficial in colonic therapy.. Milk based common probiotics have been used in colonics for ages.I wwonder the same thing about keifer flora.
Hi, I have been diagnosed by a naturopath as having SIBO. I hear the best treatment is Prescript Assist. can you recommend this probiotics too? thanks!
I don’t believe that there is a best probiotic for everyone, whatever the diagnosis. I suspect that there is not. Each of us is so different, and your SIBO may be based upon different microflora than someone else’s, whose clinical picture which looks very similar to yours. At this point, I think the best thing to do is to try different probiotics, and see what seems to work the best for you. And what works the best now, may not be the same in a year from now. I think that each of us is our own guinea pig. I wish you all the best.
Wife and I both have FMS, CFS, MCS (bad enough total isolation is needed for survival) and we have benn on a slow increased detox protocol for about 8 years now. We combine Dr Pall’s peroxinitrite / NO protocol with others that are similar, adaptogens, and as glutathion dexox is fairly broken we do nebulized glutathion (Pall again) with org coffee enemas (amazing for pain reduction). I know dysbiosis is an issue. Nothing that pI wish people understood that NOTHING that properly aadresse dysbiosys or a high toxic load o without nasty symptoms (even with slow uptake and support) – it will be uncomfortable for most people. Even professional MD administered faecal transplants are commonly accompanied by horrid symptoms because a war is being waged in the gut. Heavy metals are released, bad strains die and flood the body with toxins, biofilm break down freeing up tightly seqyesrered bacteria. This will nearly always be unpleasant and the sicker you are, the nastier it will be. Also – be aware petrochemical exposure can cause dysbiosis (Vasquez 2006) so to make solid recovery you will be faced with hard choices. You can’t bathe in, slather on, drink down and eat piosons and stay well. Conventional foods (as well as farms, gardens, lawns and parks) are nearly all heavily treated with glyphospate and the stuff kills soil bacteria! Think of how eating food treated with it will effect you gut… breathing the roundup in sprayed paces will create respiratory dysbiosis. Triclosan is just as bad and it is in antibacterial soaps (proven to be no better than norml soaps at killing bacteria) and in tons of plastics (unlabeled). Triclosan is now in all surface water and in breast milk due to its massive use. One last point. Eating organic (which we do) is vital here. Complicating this is there is no off the shelf access to good fermented foods and very sick people are not well enough to make their own fermented veg & drinks. This requires a very clean and toxic-chemical free home. Many of those most in need of fermented foods are so I’ll they can barely walk, much less do the extra work & we live in a world where the FDA & its equivelent bodies have removed the ability to get most natural fermented foods. Today’s store bought tempe is not the same. Today’s sour krouts are just cabbage in vinegar (pasturised). So there is no simple answer… just a lot of hard work…. work done by very sick people for themselces without wupoort … without medical supervision due to poverty. The evidence is very strong for dysbiosis in fibro, CFS/ME, MCS & docs don’t want to hear it. Most of the sickest folk with MCS have been badly mistreated … villified by docs and given psych labels for a clearly physical disease … abandonded by spouse, kids, parents, friends… as soon as they stopped being ‘fun’ and life contained unbendable rules. We need to fix our guf issues, but doing that means changing how we live … and how society lives too. We are what we are, as a result of other peoples emotional/mental heath issues which are at the roots of their greed, pollution production, selling toxic food. There is solid evidence that the worlds most powerful people are all very high in psychpathic traits(no empathy, compullsive grabs for power, irrational compulsions to manipulate & control) which is WHY they don’t care & refuse to stop. Our gut issues are a side effect of letting th lunatics run the show.
Do you know if it is safe to use PA before becoming pregnant or while pregnant?
I have never heard of it being unsafe to use a probiotic before becoming pregnant or while pregnant.
I ordered PA based on this post. I have been on GAPS for almost two years, and will need to be on GAPS for some more time as my gut is still not healed. I had oral cavitation and extractions surgery to clean out some bone necrosis and root canal toxicity, and the surgeries, medications, and resulting abscesses have set me backwards a bit, although for the most part my long term fatigue is gone and I feel good. I have taken Bio-Kult, fermented foods, raw goat’s milk kefir, Custom Probiotics (which was quite helpful to calm the bloat), and now PA. I don’t have die off symptoms from one capsule per day, and it works well to relieve gut pain, gas and bloating (my intolerance to egg whites returned recently after the last round of surgery and the gut pain, bloating and gas were horrible). And it makes me more regular. I only had looseness on the first day. The PA has been gentle and effective with my system, thank goodness. I sent it to my mother also. She needed to cut back to 1 capsule per day due to looseness (and our goal was to relieve constipation), but overall she’s doing good without die off. I am very appreciative to have found this probiotic and wished I had known to use it earlier in the GAPS diet process, when constipation was such a huge persistent problem for months. I tried Primal Defense Ultra and did not feel good on it, whereas Prescript Assist went to town right away to set things right without much fuss. The first capsule on the first day gave me profound relief from gut distress within hours for which I am grateful and relieved.
Thank you for taking the time to write. Its so great to hear that PA was helpful to you. It sounds like you are really on the mend. Each of us is so different. I did not feel well with Biokult but Prescript Assist does agree with me. I also experience it as gentle. I am not asymptomatic, but I feel like I do better with it than without.
Here’s a strange one for you… I recently bought Prescript Assist after reading about it on Chris Kesser’s site and the initial results were fantastic. Almost a complete 180 in my symptoms. However 2 weeks in and the effect seems to have worn off entirely. All the bloating and *ahem* looseness is back. Any clue why this would happen? I haven’t changed the dosage at all (1 pill a day). Maybe I should ramp it up to 2-4 a day to see if the good effects return? It’s so very frustrating to think I finally found a solution only for it to flame out so quickly.
Well, that is incredibly frustrating and disappointing as well, to have the effect wear off. I do not know if increasing the dose will make a difference. Response to probiotics seems to be so individualized. I would be interested to hear back from you and to learn what happens if you do decide to try a higher dose.
Hi, guys. Here is another perspective on Prescript Assist.
http://fixyourgut.com/hso-probiotics-part-3-prescript-assist/
I also tried it myself. It did help with constipation but I got bad acne and changes in appetite. So i quit it.
Thanks for sharing that. With probiotics it’s definitely not one size fits all.
I am having the same issues. How long did your acne last for? I am having bad skin issues on my face and I have never had problems with acne before so it must be the reaction to PA.
Hello would this product help with skin rashes, breakours, rosacea, etc? I desperately need to find sonething that will work
Skin problems are often related to the immune system and a quality probiotic is a good support for our immunity. So, I don’t know if this probiotic is the right one for you, but it might be.
I would try the gaps diet. Very often skin issues are related to gut dysbiois. Starting with biokaut is recommended by gaps. Prescript-assist seems to have adverse effects on quite a few people. Me included. However, I reduced my dosage and that is working fine now but I’m having to open the capsules and sprinkle some into another capsule which is an added step. I’m currently taking a third of a capsule twice a day. Eventually I will work up to a full capsule hopefully. I have had no issues with biokaut and have not heard many people say they have had issue with it. But definitely look into gaps. It can be challenging to get into at first but you will be very pleased by the results so it is worth the effort!
I cannot tolerate biokult at all. It makes me very ill. Each of us is so different with very unique micro biomes that react differently to probiotics.
Hi I took an entire bottle of PA for 4 weeks. i was severely constipated the entire time so had to discontinue. after i stopped things returned to normal. i read numerous similar reports from taking this supplement. any suggestions?
Well, I think it is good that you stopped it, as it does not seem to agree with you. It’s like shooting in the dark. I think we really have so little understanding of what micro organisms are inside of us, and how the microorganisms in the probiotic will interact with the natives. It’s really very much a case of trial and error. I would keep trying other brands, and also if you can tolerate it, add fermented foods to your diet and eat them regularly. They are a great source of beneficial microflora.
Thanks Admin & others for their interesting contributions!
I live in Sydney/Australia & soil based probiotics are ( I believe ) is regulated by TGA of some sort/s? Thus not freely available …
As I have mentioned I have tried many refrigerated & “without refrigeration” ( non-soil based ) with very little or no succes at all.
This is my 2nd day of “Prescipt Assist” & so far it seems to produce some sort of positive results. Take 2 in the morning & 2 before bedtime. I will reduce gradually in the next few weeks. 6 months into it to 1 capsule a day!
I am awaiting for the Primal Defense & will assess the differences in the effects! I am very seriously considering about Swanson soil based probiotics & that is a great product & value of money as these probiotics need to be taken for a life time ( from what I understood ) . Thus it could be very costly in the long-run!
I have suffered from “Candida”. Allegedly, as up to now, I am not 100% sure of course!.
I tend to be tired periodically & “oversleep” due to many year of night shift work.
One particular time approx 1 year ago, I came across Nature’s Biotics ( Based on Soil-Based Organisms ) that was sold in a particular franchise. Being open-minded to any form of alternative healing over 20 years with very little result to a bit more than a little, I desperately try it with a totally open mind. Behold, I slept only 6 hours for the next few weeks. And being constipated here & there, it was a miracle that I experience “complete evacuation”. Also, my energy level is very high. It is such a wonderful experience as my whole life I was never that energetic!
Unfortunately, the franchised no longer stock those products anymore. So, once I stopped the treatment, back to “square one”. I pursued these products in America as it has changed to Body’s Biotics. Tried at least 6 bottles, for some reaon/s it is no longer effective. Also, I have tried 3lac & many other refrigerated probiotics over 25 years with very little or no results!
I am looking forward to Prescript Assist which I ordered just few days ago. Also Primal Defense. I will try both at different time periods & assess which is better!
Lastly, how long do I need to take before I ‘stopped’?
Thank you for writing. That is a remarkable story. That must have been awful when they no longer stocked it. I think that if it works for you, its best to continue at a maintenance dose.
I have been following Chris Kresser’s routine from a podcast regarding SIBO. I developed rosacea a few months ago, read that SIBO can be the cause, and began his protocol of PA SBO probiotic, NAC(biofilm disruptor), garlic, Monolaurin, and saccromyces Boulardii.
Within 3 days the redness went away on my face and things were going well. Took these 2x/day for 5 weeks. Now though I’m extremely constipated, my heart feels like it’s pounding, and I feel so wired at night I cannot sleep. Any idea what might be going on? Needless to say I’ve stopped taking these supplements today and have made an appt with a gastroenterologist. Comments??
I wonder if you might have a die off (Herxheimer reaction) Sometimes when the pathogenic microflora die they release toxins and it can make a person feel very ill. The treatment also potentially could be causing the release of histamine, which could result in those symptoms. It sounds like your sympathetic nervous system is very stimulated by an immune response. I would be surprised if the gastroenterologist was helpful. Conventionally trained doctors are not aware of these things. I would be curious to hear follow up about what has transpired for you.
Sounds like you might benefit from seeing an alternative M.D., ask about and research adrenal fatigue.
Hi- do these need to be taken indefinitely or will a 1 month course be sufficient to repopulate and colonize the gut? i have tested low for lacto and bifido in the past but not sure if those strains are really that important in the gut
I suggest taking a higher dose for 6 months and then reducing the dose to a maintenance dose, meaning one capsule a day. It is also very effective to eat plenty of fermented foods to promote gut health.
Regarding Prescript-Assist, you mention that “I suggest taking a higher dose for 6 months and then reducing the dose to a maintenace dose.” Based on the experience you have had so far by talking to your patients, how many pills are the “higher dose?” And how many pills are the “maintenance dose?” Do you still recommend to take the higher dose for 6 continuous months? (I understand that each person is different, but I would like to have an idea about what has worked for patients in your practice). Thank you!
I would suggest one capsule twice a day for 6 months then reduce to once a day.
I understand you recommend taking Prescript Assist and fermented foods. I understand that the manufacturer of Prescript-Assist recommends taking it with meals because the stomach would be alkaline and would not kill the bacteria in Prescript-Assist. Would taking fermented foods kill the bacteria in Prescript-Assist? 1) Because fermented foods are acidic 2) The bacteria in fermented foods would displace the bacteria in Prescript-Assist.
I think you do not need to worry about this. I do not think that the beneficial microflora from fermented foods will compete with the Prescript Assist. But this is speculation on my part.
Lacto & biffida are far less important than most providers of probiotics think. This is why the new probiotics are so important. Lacto flora is the probiotic equivelent of a bandage. They are not long term colonizers & there is evidence (Vasquez 2006) that these supposed good flora can, in some circumstances, turn nasty. Think abou the humble grasshopper. Normally not an issue but in special circumstances they becom a locust plague. The trouble is we are sick people in need, and what we need is information that is decades away. So we do our best… but our best is limited by what is known and the items we can obtain. We are trying our best. Probiotics can help but most priobiotics simply do not contain any long term colonizing flora & western people tend to have very sad flora compared to those poor folk in the third world. Unfortunatly, Milk based flora is a temporary (and eternally repeated) way of trying to outcompete bad flora, but with the wrong stuff. Many of us would stronlgy benefit from a properly administered (by colonoscopy) and fully vetted faecal transplant after killing most of the existing biome. Of course we can’t get that as it has made too many very sick people become rapidly well and no longer dependent on their doctors. The worlds first bank for gut biome transplants had begun operating. So the FDA stepped in and shut it down, claiming that healthy humangut flora outside of the body is a drug, once out of a body … yup .. pooing officially creates drug according to the FDA … shocking docs everywhere. A tissue became a drug because it sat for a few hours to a few days in the lab before a transplant. Oddly enough nobody took them to court. Now transplants are (in the USA) only available as a last choice for ulcerative cholitus c-diff. And then oly if the donation came from a close friend or relative (imagine treating blood that way).
Hi, I’ve just upped my dosage og Prescript-Assist to 2 capsules twice a day (from 1 capsule twice a day) at your suggestion on this page, but I’m having difficulty finding others who recommend that dose. The Gaps Diet store stocks the product but recommends 1 capsule twice a day, as does Chris Kresser. I’m wondering where you found the “Suggested dosage” you mention, or if this is your own suggestion. Thanks.
I would go with Chris Kresser’s recommendation. I see a much smaller volume of patients than he, and thus he has more direct clinical experience than I do. I hope it is helpful to you. One thing to remember is to eat a lot of fermented foods, if you tolerate them. They are a great source of probiotics. Much more cost effective as well, especially if you make them yourself.
I’ve just started taking Prescript Assist because I have GERD and reflux and was hoping it would help. Also I was on 2 courses of antibiotics within a 2 month period. So I started with 2 PA capsules per day, but became very constipated which is not normal for me at all. I was then told to take 4 capsules per day which I did for one day, but it didn’t seem to help and so now I’m just taking 1 per day but still am not back to normal with my bowl movements. I’m wondering if constipation means I need more or less of the Prescript Assist?
I do not know the answer. Prescript Assist is helpful for some people who suffer from constipation, but maybe for you it’s effect is the opposite. We know and understand so little about all of this. I think our best hope is to experiment on ourselves and see what seems to work.
I was wondering, for someone going through a course of antibiotics, or taking natural antibiotics (GSE, Olive Leaf) for a candida protocol), is the max doseage to repopulate good bacteria still only 2 capsules? This seems so low to me. I don’t know if I haven’t done enough research or not, but I can’t find any numbers on how many organisms prescript assist offers in a capsule. Does that make a difference? I know VSL #3 has 450 billion per sachet, though I don’t respond very well to using them consistently.
Any luck for acne??
Dear Judy,
There have been some legitimate concerns about soil-based probiotics. It’s a muddy discussion because some people report tremendous results. Others report severe health repercussions. And, as I understand it, there have been few formal studies to clinically elucidate either. Similarly, I am not familiar with any studies that have demonstrated the safety of the product. It may be that safety and efficacy is great for a majority of users. But if there is a risk to even 1% of users, consumers need to be made aware of this, along with information about who may be at high risk for such outcomes. I’m going to leave a link to an old (2004) article that, nevertheless, clearly articulates concerns about all this. Pardon the long link. It’s the download of a newsletter (by Dr. Nan Fuchs). Please let me know if you have any studies that would disprove these concerns as I, myself, am looking for a way to reconcile such a contrast in effect. Thanks! http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&ved=0CGoQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.essentialformulas.com%2Fnews%2FNan_Fuchs_September_Newslet.pdf&ei=UyAeU6PBHqSRygHex4D4BA&usg=AFQjCNEt_u2TeNbwxhwbsF31LMQicfia5A&sig2=_kDkRagnPEuwtN7SxC3Mvg&bvm=bv.62578216,d.aWc
Thank you for writing. I cannot shed light on this matter. It seems like a person’s response is very individualized and idiosyncratic. I have not heard of adverse reactions to Prescript Assist, but I am sure it is not for everyone.
Fair enough! Thanks 🙂
Jay,
There are a couple other pieces online similar to the Nan Fuchs article, but as a whole they are generally misplaced fears predicated upon no science, junk science, or inapplicable studies. To be fair to Nan Fuchs though, her article is from 2004 and is considered ANCIENT in contrast to the current progressive research on the human microbiome. 99% of the developments have occurred since. Track down the full text Eckburg/Relman study from 2005… not recent mind you, but the beginnings of where the research has evolved today. Once thought to be “hundreds” of bacterial species in the gut, it is now known to be thousands – and oh by the way lacto and bifido bacteria are slim to non-existent in the microbiota makeup, they are transient. There are too many flaws in the anti-SBO argument to detail in this comment.
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/308/5728/1635.abstract
Also, from Chris Kresser’s site:
Prescript-Assist and *spore forming organisms*
There is a lot of confusion about this topic. Jini Patel has raised concerns about soil-based organisms (SBOs) in this article , based on claims made by Natasha Trevnev, the founder of Natren (a company that sells lactic acid-based probiotics). Most of the objections raised in the article are either technically inaccurate or outdated by current research. It has become clear through DNA sequencing of the gut microbiota that the human gut has a makeup of bacteria similar to or already of SBO origin. From an evolutionary perspective, it’s likely that we were exposed to SBOs to a much larger degree than we are now, due to the industrialization of agriculture and food distribution, and changes in soil quality and diversity.
The term “spore former” refers to microflora that can form spores that are biologically active, i.e. reproduce in the spore form, and are highly resistant to the environment and cause disease. Endospore formers, on the other hand, are biologically inactive and remain that way until environmental conditions allow resuming normal forms. Prescript Assist does have endospore formers, but they simply pass out of the system if they ever form in the gut of any mammal.
The Relman-Stanford group studies have shown that SBOs are more numerous in the gut than lactic acid microflora, and that the microflora resident in the healthy mucosa of the gut differ considerably from what is present in fecal material (which tends to have higher numbers of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria).
Finally,Prescript-Assist microflora are recognized Class 1 Etiological Agents, non-toxic, non-pathogenic, from independently maintained lines — this is well documented in both of the Clinical Therapeutics Articles. More than a decade of use as a supplement has revealed no adverse effects and/or side-effects [including reportedly patients with impaired immune systems], as well as the initial demonstrations with repeated consumptions of doses amounting to 500X that recommended for ordinarily daily use with no ill effect.
Would it be good to take the PA in a small amount of coconut milk Kefir (like an ounce or two)?
Is it good to take a bacterial probiotic as well like Renew life or custom brand d Lactate free? How would u take both types of probiotics?
I do not know the answer to this. I often take a probiotic for a year or so if it agrees with me, and then try another, with the thought that it may be useful to introduce variety, but I know of no studies to support my approach. I do not think that there is a problem with taking more than one type, if it agrees with you.
Hello! This is very interesting, thank you for the information.
I’m on gaps for about 20 months now with my 4 years old son who has gut dysbiosis. What would be the recommended PA dose for him please? Would you recommend him taking bio kult as well?
I don’t really know the answer. I would work up slowly, maybe to 2 capsules a day, but that is a guess. Maybe call the company. I would not take 2 different probiotics together. It will get confusing if your son has a reaction. You could do one for a while and then try another.
Thank you so much for your answer!
Do you recommend this with food or on an empty stomach?
It is optimal to take then separate from food.
I’m a little confused as to the optimal time to take the Prescript-Assist. Someone mentioned that the manufacturer recommended with meals and you suggested apart from food. I would just like to know what the benefits of each are.
I would follow that manufacturer’s recommendations. They have more experience than me. There are other probiotics where the recommendation is to take them between meals, but I am not sure about the rationale.
I wanted to add my experience with Primal Defense. I have Hashimoto’s, celiac, histamine intolerance, etc. On my health path I’ve taken several strains of probiotics. I would change strains/brands after the bottle was finished. I was tested for leaky gut with Cyrex Array 2, and also had the Genova comp. stool test #2100. Both indicated leaky gut, and the Genova test indicated gluten exposure. I also did the Cyrex cross-reactivity test which showed positive for barley (equivocal for buckwheat, positive to quinoa, and negative for oats … all of which I was eating in sporadic amounts). I was shocked. Where would I get barley? After looking at every product in my kitchen: Primal Defense states it’s gluten-free, and legally they would be (even if this was prior to the legal standard). I asked Jordan Rubin myself when he was in town on book tour, and he told me they test it and it meets that requirement. Well, 20ppm was too much for this celiac, so celiacs be warned.
Wow, that is fascinating information. Thank you for taking the time to share. It’s a cautionary tale.
I’m sorry, I didn’t complete my thought about Primal Defense – the product has BARLEY GRASS which is why I tested positive for gluten on the tests mentioned.
I had a horrible reaction to Primal Defense and bet this is why. Thank you for the information!
I had a bad reaction to Primal Defense also, they gave me hives all over my body! It was like hundreds of itchy mosquito bites. PA seems to work better, but I cycle them along with another brand, do not take them every day, and hives are gone.
Each of us has a unique micro biome which interacts with the flora in the probiotic in a unique way. Its possible that Primal Defense has histamine producing microflora, or that it contains a strain of bacteria that causes your body to release histamine. In any case, we are all different and there is definitely not one size that fits all or even most. PA seems to be quite well tolerated by many people. Thanks for writing in about your experience.
What do you think of Primal Defense Ultra which has soil based probiotics?
The whole probiotic thing seems so individualized. I think of Garden of Life who makes Primal Defense as a reputable company, so that I believe it probably would be an excellent choice for some people.
I tried primal defense and for me, prescript assist is way more effective. In fact , I take about 1/4-1/3 capsule a day now. I also tried d-lactate free by custom probiotics. Very high quality product. It is also my understanding that custom probiotics can mix pretty much any strains by request. I have tried at least 20 probiotics over the years and these are the strongest and best by far for me.
Thank you for taking the time to write. I was not exactly clear about what you were saying. Did you mean that d-lactate free was the strongest and the best for you, or prescript assist?
I would say that both prescript assist and d-lactate free are great probiotics. The best I have ever tried out of dozens. Each are different.
D-Lactate free needs to be taken on an empty stomach first thing in the morning and needs to be refrigerated. But you can travel with out refrigeration for 2-3 weeks. Also Custom Probiotics will supply custom blends on request.
Prescript Assist is a soil based probiotic which does not need refrigeration and is a lot stronger. I am up to taking 1/3+ capsule per day.
I have taken each separately for about 14 days and recommend both products.
Thanks for clarifying and the useful information. I am curious what is your criteria for judging those the best?
Jim, what time of day do u take the prescript assist and how are u taking it (are u opening up the cap into water? Empty stomach? How far away from food?)
I have the d Lactate free one too… How do u take it, how long do u wait after taking it to eat, and how much are u taking?
Did u start both at the same time?
And Judy, can u give us an update on how u’ve doing with PA? Do u suggest start out with a low dose by opening the cap? Do u take before eating or after or a couple hours away from food?
If I take it in the evening, how many hours do I need to separate it from my bedtime dose of herbal antimicrobial s? I take scram and it’s a great product
I don’t know the answer about how far to separate PA from your anti-microbial. I believe that the prescript assist is helpful. I was able to start with a full capsule. It did not have any adverse effect upon me, but everyone is different. I take it away from food.
I definitely have histamine intolerance, and so far PA is the only probiotic I’ve found that I can tolerate. Any probiotic with L casei gives me skin issues like hives, it’s in practically all of them. Garden of Life was the worst I’ve found, gave me hives over my whole body. I’m more aware now of histamine producing bacteria and histamine degrading, so I’m going to try some others.
I have heard that before that those with histamine intolerance do well with Prescript Assist. I have also heard that it is good to rotate probiotics. So it makes sense to explore other options as well.
I have digestive (constipation/diarrhea)and other health problems and get much relief with both these products.
That is helpful to know. Thanks so much for taking the time to write.
Sometimes you can get a bad reaction because of the pathogenic organisms that are being attacked when a probiotic is introduced. Certain pathogens release toxins and sometimes they bind with toxic materials which are released when they are destroyed.
For instance, Candida Albicans is a commonly known pathogen which is known to bind with Mercury. You get a sudden release of Mercury into your system and it is bound to affect you. Best way to deal with it is to promote detoxing at the same time. I won’t go into details but something like Chlorella powder is good at helping to detox.
It really is a whole new area of science at the moment, I personally believe the different reactions we get depend on what has infected us and the balance that we currently have. Hope this information has been useful.
Thank you for taking the time to provide this very useful information.
Chlorella is actually a very risky supplement when it comes to mercury detoxification. A google search for “Andrew Hall Cutler” will turn up more details regarding the risks.
Can you tell me what brand and where you ordered your saccharomyces boulardii?
I am using Jarrow Formula and I ordered it from Amazon.
And this is what Chris Kresser wrote:
One of my patients that has histamine intolerance discovered, I guess, a German study that was translated and posted in a Facebook group that talks about these issues, a fecal bacteria therapy group. And this study apparently looked at various microbial strains and broke them into three categories: one category that’s histamine producing; another category, which seems to be sort of neither histamine producing, nor histamine degrading; and then the third category would be histamine degrading. And so obviously you have histamine intolerance, you’d want to focus on the ones that are histamine degrading, and you’d want to avoid the ones that are histamine producing. And the histamine-producing category is Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactococcus lactis, Enterococcus faecalis, and various types of E. coli. And then the ones that seem to degrade histamine and be beneficial are lots of bifidobacteria species, but particularly Bifidobacterium infantis and then Lactobacillus rhamnosus and salivarius and sporogenes and Lactobacillus gasseri.
Thank you for taking the time to write and provide this useful information!
any ideas of how to give this probiotic (black powder) to children? It turns everything black and my boy won’t touch it. Also, dosing for children (babies and young ones)?
THanks
This is an interesting question. How about putting it in some blueberry compote?
Hi,
Have had ibs-c for years, also celiac and hoshimotos. Was just treated for sibo and during that treatment I Noticed the vsl#3 i was on made my symptoms worse so i stopped. Since I had a neg. breath test i have wanted to try some probiotic. I have been sprinkling a small amount of P-A in some water in the morning. I believe it was the cause of my very loose daily stools and abd . Cramping. I stopped about 5 days ago and am now better. Wondering what to do next?
It makes sense if you had an adverse reaction to stop. Everyone has different reactions to different probiotics, so I would just experiment to see what agrees with you.
Hi, is anyone with mast cell activation sysndrome or mastocytosis taking PA? Suspect this is the only pro bio which could be of use.
I tried vsl3 some time ago, and that agrravted things so much it pretty much bought on my sudden mcas. i had never had allergies other than hayfeever previously.
Thanks
Thank you for writing. I don’t know know the answer. But it does seem like Prescript Assist is well tolerated, but there may be others as well. For me it seemed to be more effective intially than it was over time. I don’t have an adverse reaction, it just does not seem to do as much for constipation as it originally did.
thanks for your reply Judy. I wondered if you still used digestive enzymes in the context of histamine intolerance and if so which brand. i just wonder if they have any positive or negative effect on mast cells
Digestive enzymes can be useful for some people. I don’t know about their impact on mast cells.
I have been taking several different probitics for my digestive issues for years now and don’t really notice much difference in my digestion/constipation. 2 things that have helped me noticeably though are transcendental meditation and the other is a product called triphala…both are highly recommended for anyone with digestive issues
I am glad that you wrote about your experience. The mind/body/spirit piece is I believe a huge piece of digestion and gets short shrift in favor of physical remedies in our culture. Triphala is an Ayurvedic formula made up of 3 different ingredients, and has a very honored place in this ancient Indian medical tradition.
i have tried the prescript-assist and it is very strong. it helped most of my digestive issues, which is amazing. one thing though, it made my stools much harder and it seemed like i needed to go to the bathroom several times a day. i stopped taking it for 2 days and yesterday, cut the dose to about 1/20th of a capsule and i think it is going to be great…time will tell. this is the first probiotic that has done anything at all that i have noticed..i would recommend it for sure.
Thanks so much for taking the time to write. Response to probiotics is so individual, which reflects the diversity of our micro biome which is I am sure as unique as our fingerprint.
I seem to have had a similar experience! I’ve had symptoms associated with mast cell issues for 10+ years, but after a doctor gave me vsl3 to treat chronic diarrhea, I began to have these “episodes” that I now realize must be mast cell related. Don’t know what to do now, because that was over a year ago, and just recently I’ve been to the ER three times because of episodes no one can figure out: dizziness, palpitations, tingling in hands and head, passing out for a few seconds, hives, rashes, convulsions. Can’t seem to tolerate any meat, even very fresh. Only a few veggies and lentils which also turn on me. Don’t know what to do. What are your symptoms? [email protected]
Well, it sounds really challenging. Thank you for that list of histamine producing microorganisms. I never heard of polybac 8. You know, I am really confused about my own symptoms which shift a lot. Sometimes I wonder if histamine intolerance is really the issue for me. My consistent symptom when I am reacting to a food is insomnia. This may or may not be accompanied by depression and anxiety. And I never have been able to “cure” my constipation. I manage it with Natural Calm, a magnesium powder which is very effective. When I thought that I had histamine intolerance, I omitted the high histamine foods from my diet and I was more careful about left overs. But I don’t know if I was reacting to a specific food that I was eating then, like almonds or sesame or sunflower seeds, because at that time I was frequently eating these homemade crackers which I had made. They had become a staple. I made so many changes at once, that’s its hard to know why things shifted so dramatically. I thought it was histamine, but I tolerate many high histamine foods without any issue. So, I don’t know.
I am trying to inform myself about the MTFHR mutations and other enzyme mutations. I have a number of those, but have not yet really understood the topic. It seems to me that it may be quite important.
Anyhow, I wish you all the best. I also think mind body approaches are key to calming down the system.
Also thought I should share this list of bacteria that produce histamine and should therefore be avoided and those that don’t. Don’t know how reliable it is but the person who posted it said she did a lot if research. She also said she did well on polybac 8.
http://salicylatesensitivity.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2683
Hi Christina, great article thank you. I have come across another soil based strain which sounds interesting called Latero Flora. I was wondering if you would you knew anything about it and if you would recommend Prescript Assist above Latero Flora. I suffer from small intestinal bacterial overgrowth which was treated with Antibiotics (Rifaximin) but it has since relapsed. I’m looking for the best way to repopulate my intestinal flora and fight the battle of dysbacteriosis. Thnaks in advance!
Here is another SBO spore-based probiotic that is at my MD’s office…any thoughts on this? http://www.gomegaspore.com/ (Megaspore Biotic)
I don’t know how to assess this product, but think it looks very interesting. It seems like individuals have such unique responses to specific probiotics. It really seems a case of one woman’s meat is another woman’s poison. I would be interested in trying it. It looks good, but that is just based on a feeling rather than any real knowledge about the product.
Hi, I work at an allergy clinic in the UK. We actually find that different probiotics suit different blood types.
Prescript assist works best with blood type A. Blood type O’s do not do well on it. Conversely we find the lactic acid bacteria don’t suit A’s.
For O’s we often use saccharomyces boulardii. We don’t have enough data for Bs and ABs yet.
This is just fascinating. Thank you so much for writing. I am Blood Type O and have had good results with Prescript Assist in terms of improved digestion, though not perfect.When you say do not do well on it, what do you mean? I am interested now in trying Saccharomyces boulardi. Are you suggesting a probiotic that is that strain and no other?
While we are not fully paid up members of the d’Adamo “blood type diet” we have over the years noticed that blood type Os are much more likely to suffer from gluten related problems while As have more issues with cowsmilk.
This got us thinking about supplements and probiotics in particular.
Choosing the wrong type of bacteria seems to cause problems for people with autoimmune disease while others experience more subjective side effects like tiredness and not feeling well. Rashes and itchy skin also.
You could say that these people are just experiencing die/off but what I found interesting about PA was that contrary to the herxheimer theory I just felt better while taking it, more energy, better bowel movements especially while travelling and eating unusual foods (I didn’t have specific digestive issues but we like to test all the supplements we recommend on ourselves first).
This area of research is fascinating and recently I came across this
http://www.livescience.com/13810-gut-bacteria-metagenomics-digestive-symbionts.html
Now this may or may not have anything to do with blood types and as you do well on PA maybe there are other factors at work. By the way you are not O rh neg are you?
Ps We use the S Boulardii on its own but I am sure it would be effective in conjunction with other probiotics.
Thank you so much for writing about your experiences. The Prescript Assist worked initially better for me than it has over time. I mostly manage my constipation with Natural Calm a magnesium powder that is very effective for me. I ordered the S. Boulardi and am going to try it. Its alot less expensive than PA. I am O positive.
Its very interesting about the O’s and gluten and the A’s and cows milk.
I know someone who was taking Primal Defense and just started to feel very unwell with it and was much improved after she stopped it. It makes so much sense that one size does not fit all when it comes to what bacteria would agree with a person.
The link you sent is fascinating. Thank you.
Robert,
I have been on PA for several months now but have noticed rashes and lethargy (however allergies and rashes are one of the reasons I am on it in the first place so it is hard to make a direct correlation).Wondering what was recommended for blood type O rh negative? I had been on s. boulardii a few years ago for a short while but I had so much going on at the time with my body, it was hard to determine the effectiveness.
Sincerely,
Megan
Megan
Sorry for not replying sooner but just dropped in by chance.
O- is an interesting one. We sometimes find that the negative bloodtypes differ from their positive counterparts. i.e. O- are not always as gluten intolerant as O pos and can indeed be dairy intolerant a trait we more often see with A+. In terms of probiotics it does sound like you are an O, with PA not suiting you for long term use. Here at the clinic we find S Boulardii and L. Acidophilus to be the best for blood type O.
I am not knowledgable about this. I am sorry. If someone does have something to contribute, that would be terrific.
Darn. I am a B pos. And would love to find a probiotic that will calm this crohn’s flare! Hope more info on this comes out soon!
Hi Stacy, I’ve been I’ll going on 3 years, feeling the worst at the moment. Strep overgrowth is known as is fungus/yeast, Lyme and perhaps a few parasites. All I know is I’m pretty much intolerant to everything now. With regard to probiotics I just read this which resonates with me, “Some probiotics (including bacteria in Kefir) produce amines and glutamates.” (http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/why-probiotics-can-be-harmful-amines.4536/). With regard to Mast Cells, there is a tryptase blood and histamine urine or blood test for it but a bone marow biopsy may be required. This article is interesting, http://geneticgenie.org/blog/2013/01/31/mast-cell-activation-disorder-mcad-chronic-illness-and-its-role-in-methylation/
Troyza, I’m so sorry u are having a rough go lately. I had no idea that some probiotics could aggravate glutamate. That’s def an issues with me, as well as histamine.
How are u addressing these issues? Gutpro is another probiotic that is strep – free… Maybe that one might work? If not, then u may just need to nix the probiotics for now and address other areas. Have u done any genetic testing like thru yasko or 23andme?
A few people I know have had success using quercetin, histame, dao enzymes, neuroprotek, and/or gastrocrom for the histamine reactions. Have u tried these?
Stacy, I have a similar situation to you except the nerve damage from colitis. I’ve taken 2 of these capsules, one last night and one this morning and have to say the die off symptoms are pretty extreme. Similar to when I’ve taken other no dairy probiotics in the past. I’m jittery, lethargic, weak, brain fogged more than normal and right eye pressure pain. It may be great for others but for me I think it’s competing too much, potentially with Mast Cells?!? to be tested.
Thanks so much for taking the time to write. We are all so different. There are other probiotics that do not agree with me, like Biokult at very low doses. It makes me feel like I have the flu. I have not adverse reaction to Prescript-Assistat, even at high doses. Everything about this health journey is finding out what works for you.
Troyza, oh no… I’m sorry abt ur reaction. What kind of dysbiosis are u dealing with? Maybe it might be best to take a short break from it and then do only one pill a day…. Start slowly. Is this die off worse than other probiotics u’ve done?
Interesting abt the mast cells… Why do u think this probiotic is making it worse? It’s been thought I have that, but idk how to get it diagnosed, nor what to do abt treating it. Can u share what u r doing?
just wondering if someone with IBS/ up to 8 BM’s daily should try this product? Please email me!
The response to a probiotic is so individualized, that one person with IBS and frequent bowel movements might have an excellent response to a specific probiotic, and another person would feel worse. I think, unfortunately, where things stand at the moment, there is only the trial and error method to rely upon. I believe it would be worth trying. Maybe buy a smaller bottle, so if it does not work, you are out less $$.
Hi, would the P-A be an appropriate probiotic to take for someone just trying to improve their overall health/energy/quality of life ? I’m 48 yr old male in pretty good shape(6-2, 200, 13% bodyfat) and overall health…no medical issues, workout regularly,etc I’m trying to improve my eating habits…trying to eat less processed crap and more greens,etc Itrying to get closer to a paleo-ish diet. I’ve never really ever taken a probiotic but i totally understand the supposed health benefits and i’m ready to start now and want a high-quality product regardless of cost. Thanx for any advice anyone can provide !
Thanks for writing. Your health is enviable, and it sounds like you take great care of yourself and are in terrific shape. Prescript-Assist is a high quality probiotic and would be a great addition to your regimen if you find that it agrees with you. Everyone is different. If you do not have gut issues you probably would not need to take more than one a day. People with GAPS conditions need to take higher dosages.
Hello Tim,
Pardon my english i am not a native english speaker.
I would really suggest you to staying off from any kind of probiotics. Fit people doesn’t need any kind of supplementation. Over a period of time i have realized that probiotics make you dependent on them. For some reason if you don’t take them you will more likely to face digestive issues. It will do more harm than good. Its all up to you.
I took this product for a month. Didn’t notice anything. But then again, I’ve never had an issue with regularity – must be to make up for metabolic hand I was dealt. My 3-yo twins eat the exact same paleo-ish foods. One is regular and the other is not. I’m going to buy another bottle and sprinkle it over their favorite stuff. I’m also gradually winning the argument over not sanitizing their hands when they get home from the park. 🙂 Thank you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write and to share your experience. When you write that you did not notice anything, was there a particular symptom that you wanted it to help with?
That’s so interesting about your twins. Are they identical?
Yes, not sanitizing hands, allowing some dirt and having pets apparently boosts immunity.
Yes, I was hoping that it would help with rhinitis, congestion and basic sinus crap. The gut appears to be connected with everything…so why not swollen turbinates?
No, twins are not identical. Boy-girl. Night-day. Dogs, check. Cats, check. But they still get their hands scrubbed a lot. The other day my girl handed me a half-eaten roly poly. She was sharing. The suburbanite in me said ‘eeew’ but paleo-dad was secretly pleased. Twisted, I know.
I completely agree about the gut being connected with all of it. It must be wonderful to have night and day twins. Thanks again for writing.
Hi Judy,
I am excited that you have discovered this great probiotic! I have been using Prescript-Assist in my practice for over a year now and find it to be very valuable part of the GAPS protocol. I took it myself for several months and experienced intense die-off. I have had several client become so tired while on it that they could barely move but after just a few days this passes. I normally have my clients take 2 per day for 1 month then 2 per week from then on while taking a 14 strain lactic-acid forming probiotic on a daily basis. I am seeing excellent results with this strategy. I am enjoying your blog postings and glad to know that you are doing well!
Hi Christina. So nice to hear from you.Thanks for writing. Its so interesting, neither I nor any of my patients have had die-off reactions with Prescript-Assist. You also seem to be using it at a lower dosage than me, and are having good results. What makes you switch over the to lactic-acid producing strain? What symptoms do you find to be responsive to Prescript-Assist?
The protocol of using P-A for one month and then twice per week was developed after talking to Caroline at Immunitrition and George at Safer Medical who makes P-A. (George did say that it can safely be taken at higher amounts long term.) I switch over to the lactic-acid producing strains to be consistent with the GAPS protocol. If you look at the formulation of BioKult, it has both SBO and lactic acid strains. Primal Defense which I know you have used in the past also contains both types of good bacteria. There is one study “out there” showing concern over the use of SBO’s (the only one I have ever seen) and if the children we have on GAPS are going to be playing outside in the dirt or if the adults are going to be working in the garden then I think it may be best to cut-back during those seasons. The only time I do not start a new GAPS client on P-A is when they are extremely sensitive to many many foods. In this case I usually begin with GUTPro which I also find to be excellent. But even these people will take P-A at some point – even if it is just a pinch a day. Interestingly enough I have had two clients with very stubborn constipation and neither one of them has responded to P-A. But there are so many components involved with constipation that it’s hard to know. Dr. Natasha was right when she said it is very difficult to treat! For the most part all of my clients regardless of their symptoms have responded well to P-A. I’m very happy when they experience die-off or report some sort of improvement and I am perplexed when they say they feel no difference. I also wouldn’t use P-A in the case of extreme diarrhea due to the fact that the SBO’s are cleansing, however, once the bowel is normalized I would introduce it. The world of beneficial microorganism is indeed complex and very interesting!
Thanks, Christina for sharing all of this valuable knowledge with us.
Im interested in this due to bad constipation… I have pelvic floor dysfunction and nerve damage in my intestines from ulcerative colitis and dysbiosis.
However, I thought the strep strains were ones to be avoided? I had read that people with autism should avoid the strep strains too (it can cause an autoimmune flare in some people, or lead to d-lactate issues or something of that sort). I dont have autism, but I have similar physical issues (gut, food intolerances, metals, etc). Can someone expand on this?
Thanks for writing. I don’t know the answers to your questions. Hopefully somebody who is more knowledgable will write in and help us out.