‘IBD and the Microbiome - A practitioner's guide to addressing these conditions' sponsored by OptiBac Probiotics

To download a PDF of the presentation, click here.

OptiBac invite you to receive a free trial pack of their ‘Saccharomyces boulardii’, when you complete their free online product training with a member of their qualified team. To receive your free training session along with free trial pack of ‘Saccharomyces boulardii’ email OptiBac at: campractitioners@wrenlabs.com referencing IHCAN WEBINAR in the subject line.

Questions and Answers

1. I have a 24 yr old male client diagnosed with IBD at 21yrs following 2 years of insomnia ( 2 hours sleep per night) Severe anxiety and panic attacks so has been put on 30mg Amyttriptiline for the past 3 years. His sleep is better but he still has blood in his stoll and limited diet. He only eats organic now and uses some fermented foods. I am considering which tests to run, and whether to start him on broad spectrum probiotics before testing. Thanks!

During the webinar I spoke briefly about a strain-specific approach when it comes to choosing a probiotic supplement for your clients. One size does not fit all and so it’s important to choose probiotic strains that are more targeted for your clients’ condition. Two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus acidophilus Rosell-52 and Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175, have been shown to help with psychological distress, anxiety and depression. These strains can be found in our ‘For every day’ probiotic supplement which is a daily probiotic and prebiotic to support gut health. This supplement can be combined with Saccharomyces boulardii for a dual-action approach for IBD.

2. Apologies if you have covered this but would someone with IBD taking OptiBac everyday need to take prebiotics/prebiotic foods first?

Our ‘For every day’ probiotic supplement contains both prebiotics and probiotics. This can be taken at breakfast with any food. With that being said, we do encourage the intake of prebiotic foods such as leeks, Jerusalem artichokes, etc as part of a healthy diet to support a healthy microbiome.

3. Should probiotics be taken with food? Can all 3 be taken at once or do they need to be split throughout the day?

We recommend our probiotics to be taken at breakfast time with food. You can take Saccharomyces boulardii and our ‘For every day MAX’ probiotic supplement at the same time, with breakfast. However, if you’re referring to the 3 capsules of S.boulardii I recommended daily for IBD, then these can be spread out throughout the day.

NB: Saccharomyces boulardii can be taken away from breakfast time as this strain is very robust, and need not necessarily be taken with breakfast, or even with food. It can be taken as and when required, at any time of day.

4. How do we book some product training?

To book product training with us, please email us at campractitioners@wrenlabs.com and we will arrange this for you.

5. 5. Would you recommend a stool test to assess a client’s microbiome?

Stool tests can be useful in terms of highlighting more long-term situations such as parasitic infection, however they aren’t a definitive test. The issue with these tests is that they only give a “snapshot” of the gut microbiota, it is so much more complex than what the analysis includes. The tests can really only tell us what bacteria we know are likely to be residing in the gut, there are still groups of bacteria we may not be able to identify or have the molecular tools to culture in the lab. Some of these tests also have thresholds and cannot always identify organisms in lower concentrations. These are all things to bear in mind if you do decide to go down the stool analysis route with your client.

6. What do you recommend for coeliac disease please?

If there is any tendency towards diarrhoea then I’d recommend our product Saccharomyces boulardii. This transient probiotic yeast binds to pathogens and removes them from the gut, while at the same time it provides a more optimal environment for the indigenous beneficial bacteria to flourish. Clinical trials have shown it can really help to control symptoms of diarrhoea.

It has also been shown to reduce inflammation and help promote healing of the epithelial cells lining the gut. In coeliac disease often the cells can become damaged, and S. boulardii may help to promote healing of the gut lining. We actually often recommend S. boulardii alongside ‘For every day MAX’ as they both work in completely different ways, and can complement each other. This is a dual-action approach which I referred to during the webinar.

7. Protocols to be taken with meals?

We recommend our probiotic supplements to be taken with breakfast. However, Saccharomyces boulardii can be taken away from breakfast time as this strain is very robust, and need not necessarily be taken with breakfast, or even with food. It can be taken as and when required, at any time of day.

8. Can someone take Saccharmyces boulardi for Candida vaginosis and Bifodobacterium lactis for constipation at the same time?

As the Candida is localised in the vagina, I would recommend a specific probiotic combination that is especially developed to maintain vaginal health in those susceptible to such infections. Our ‘For women’ is a probiotic supplement containing Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 which have been clinically proven to support vaginal health, especially in those with cystitis, thrush or bacterial vaginosis. So I would recommend taking 2 capsules of ‘For Women’ daily (to help with Candida vaginosis) alongside ‘Bifidobacteria & fibre’ (to help with constipation).

9. Can you mention vegan suitable?

The three supplements I mentioned during this webinar are vegan; Saccharomyces boulardii, ‘For every day MAX’ and ‘Bifidobacteria & fibre’.

10. Can you recommend a good Liquid Supplement?

There are many liquid supplements available on the market and you will have to choose based on your clients’ needs.

11. Can you take S.Boulardii while breastfeeding?

We recommend that pregnant or breastfeeding women consult their doctor before taking ‘Saccharomyces boulardii’. This is because we have not seen any clinical trials which administer S. boulardii to pregnant women and hence, in the name of making safe recommendations, which are always backed up with as much research as possible, I feel it’s best that pregnant & breastfeeding women take S. boulardii only under a doctor’s care.

12. And how much for IBD C?

For IBD-C, I would recommend our ‘For every day MAX’ as this is good for constipation, helps to lower inflammation and modulate immunity.

13. Are these protocols suitable for children too?

Saccharomyces boulardii and ‘Bifidobacteria & fibre’ are suitable from age 1 year+. ‘For every day MAX’ is suitable from age 4 years+. However, for a child under 12 with IBD, I would recommend Saccharomyces boulardii in combination with our ‘For babies and children’ supplement, as these strains are more suitable for a child’s gut.  

14. Would S boulardii be beneficial in coeliac disease also?
15. boulardii been shown to reduce inflammation and help promote healing of the epithelial cells lining the gut. In coeliac disease often the cells can become damaged, and S. boulardii may help to promote healing of the gut lining. We actually often recommend S. boulardii alongside ‘For every day MAX’ as they both work in completely different ways, and can complement each other. This is the dual-action approach I was referring to during the webinar.

15. How do I search the probiotic database for a particular condition?

You can use our Probiotic Professionals website to search for a particular condition and it will provide you with the probiotic research associated with that condition. On our probiotics database you can click on different strains to view the health conditions for which each strain is particularly researched. Follow the links below to find out more:

Probiotics Professionals: https://www.optibacprobiotics.co.uk/professionals

Probiotics database: https://www.optibacprobiotics.co.uk/professionals/probiotics-database