In this blog post, I am going to be taking a look at a study that looked at the effects that probiotic supplementation had on participants experiencing Chrons Disease.
I will be sharing whether or not probiotics can be useful for the uncomfortable symptoms of chron’s disease and sharing what probiotic strain may work best and if probiotics can even make chrons worse.
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Probiotic Study for Chrons
A 2006 review written by Dr. C Prantera from Italy was published in the British Medical Journal and it was titled “Probiotics for Crohn’s disease: what have we learned?”. It gave a detailed scientific look at whether or not probiotics could be useful for people suffering from Chron’s Disease. The inspiration for the review was that evidence seemed to suggest that intestinal gut flora did play a role in the inflammatory effects that caused Chron’s Disease. It was thought that while typical treatments like antibiotics could be helpful initially the longer terms on the gut bacteria could be a cause for concern.
The Lactobacillus Rhamnosus strain GG probiotic strain was of interest because of its previous use in studies related to C Diff, IBD, Ulcerative Colitis, and also chron’s disease. The L Rhamnosus strain was the ability to survive in the human intestinal tract and also continue to grow with minimal side effects. Some placebo trials showed no differences in the severity of Chron’s Disease lesions but the use of probiotics in other studies showed that probiotics may be useful in the early stages of Chron’s by strengthening to intestinal barrier & reducing intestinal permeability.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that have health benefits when consumed. They can be found in fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, and kefir. Probiotics are also available in supplement form. Some probiotic supplements contain multiple strains of microorganisms, while others contain a single strain. The specific probiotic strains that are most effective for a particular health condition are not always known. Probiotic’s can also cause gas which is also a symptom of Chrons because of undigested food.
Probiotics are thought to work by balancing the bacteria in the gut and by helping to break down food and absorb nutrients. Probiotics may also help to reduce inflammation. Some research suggests that probiotics may help to treat or prevent diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, eczema, and vaginal yeast infections. Probiotics may also boost the immune system. However, more research is needed to understand how probiotics work and which probiotic strains are most effective for specific health conditions.
Is Crohn’s Disease Similar to Diverticulitis?
According to this source at the Clinical Gastroenterology, there is some overlap between Inflammatory Bowel Disease like Chron’s and Diverticulitis but ultimately they are not the same thing. Chron’s Disease is a type of autoimmune disorder that affects the gastrointestinal tract, while diverticulitis is a condition that results when pouches form in the colon wall and become infected. Although both conditions share some symptoms, they are not the same.
Chron’s may also cause joint pain, skin rashes like Psoriasis, and eye inflammation, while diverticulitis does not. Finally, Chron’s disease typically affects the small intestine, while diverticulitis affects the large intestine. While Chron’s disease and diverticulitis share some similarities, they are not the same condition.
Because of the anti-inflammatory effects of Probiotic Lactobacillus bacteria, chrons & diverticulitis symptoms may be eased in some people after getting more probiotics into their diet. Alicia Harper from ProbioticReviewgirl.com put together a guide on some probiotics for conditions like Diverticulitis that references some peer-reviewed scientific studies. The top probiotic FlowFlora had a 40-billion CFU count, prebiotic fiber, and a mixture of both Lactobacillus / Bifidobacterium strains and this could also be helpful for Chrons.
Can Yakult Help with Chron’s?
Yakult a type of fermented dairy probiotic drink contains the probiotic bacteria strain Lactobacillus Shirota. This bacteria has been shown to be effective in treating and preventing diarrhea in some studies, which is often a symptom of Crohn’s disease but more human studies are needed and it doesn’t work for everyone.
In addition, Yakult probably won’t help to restore the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut, which is often disrupted in people with Crohn’s disease because it contains one single strain. The other major negative with Yakult however is that it is high in sugar which could worsen intestinal permeability and further aggravate chrons symptoms. To put it simply, Yakult won’t help out much with the symptoms of Chrons.
What Is Chron’s Disease?
Chron’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that can cause a wide range of symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and weight loss. It is thought to be caused by an abnormal immune response to the bacterium Escherichia coli, although the exact mechanism is not fully understood.
Chron’s can be difficult to diagnose due to its variable symptoms, and it is often confused with other gastrointestinal disorders like Diverticulitis for example. Treatment typically involves a combination of medication and lifestyle changes, and most people with Chron’sdisease can manage their symptoms and lead relatively normal lives. In rare cases, Chron’s disease can be severe enough to require surgery.
If you experience any symptoms of chrons it’s vital that you first receive a diagnosis from your doctor and follow all prescribed treatment. Never use Probiotics as an alternative to prescribed because more studies are still needed and probiotics may not help everyone with chrons. The content in this guide is not medical advice and was not written by a doctor. Probiotics take time to work and also may cause side effects like diarrhea, bloating, and gas that usually pass after several weeks. If you are new to probiotics always start with a lower CFU count and work your way up.
denise says
Crohn’s Disease is misspelled. It is a real disease.