probiotics ethical issue

[Dr. White]

What do you guys do when you need a probiotic? Recently in my practice, I have found that one of the enzyme products that I use contains "animal products" The extent of the animal product is that it is a probiotic culture that is grown on milk and then it is tested to be sure that no milk is remaining in the culture. ...

Are there other probiotics that any of you have used that are completely vegan? I know that they can be grown on molasses, but lactobacilli are grown on milk. Any help would be appreciated as I plan on calling the company today.

[VeggieMel]

Fermented foods like sauerkraut and kim chi are natural probiotics :)

[Dr. White]

Let me clarify my question.

How would you all feel about a culture being in an otherwise plant based product that was cultured on milk but has no trace of milk left in it? This is a product that I use to digest candida and I've had great results with it, but I want to also have a good ethical practice.

I'm calling the company today and want to have some good information to give them about possibly changing their formulation as well.

[RawVee]

Is there another possible formula on the market you can use with comparable results? Thorne makes a lot of great supplements for candida that the ND I used to work with loved.

http://www.thorne.com/physician_and_pharmacy_line.wss


Also, I think if you're upfront and provide your patients with printed information about the source, a lot of them will be okay with it. It's when a claim is made that a product is vegan and it turns out it's not that people have an issue. It's not just nutritionally that milk turns some people off--it's ethically. And while there are no traces left, it was still used. So being honest about it is your best bet. I commend you for being so incredibly ethical!!

[Dr. White]

so, I called the company and this is what they said.

They said that "all probiotics are grown on milk culture and that very soon companies will have to mark their products so. They have started doing it to come into compliance with a new law that was passed."

I'll update how this progresses because now my secretary is researching it as well.

[RawVee]

Dr. White,

Maybe this (and the Thorne link I gave you above) will help?

http://differentdaisy.com/Yahoo_Stor...lPrebiotic.htm

http://www.foreverhealthy.net/html/p...p?CategoryID=2

so, I called the company and this is what they said.

They said that "all probiotics are grown on milk culture and that very soon companies will have to mark their products so. They have started doing it to come into compliance with a new law that was passed."

I'll update how this progresses because now my secretary is researching it as well.

[Mishka]

Dr. White...

Would this formula work: " NATREN's Healthy Trinity " it says it's dairy free .

[Dr. White]

YESSS! It is grown on a garbanzo bean base. This is perfect! Now, I am going to contact this company and the one that I am already ordering from and see if either of them would be willing to make a complete enzyme with the probiotic like what I am using, but make the probiotic portion with the garbanzo bean culture...

Thanks for finding this!

[codajess]

There are vegan probiotics.

I use FloraSmart, as do a few other vegans I know.

[Mishka]

Dr. White~

Well...let us know how it goes, and if the company is going to make the combo for you. It would be good to have that as a resource to help with candida!! I love that you are being so proactive about this.

Mishka

[Stina]

Hey Dr. White-

do you mind if I sidetrack you with a couple of questions?

I understand that probiotics are very important and also that they can be expensive in a health food store.

How do we know they work? I used to get very expensive Renew Life's Vaginal support and pop 'em and can't say as I ever felt any different.

If someone was diligent about eating fermented food, would you consider that an acceptable amount of healthy bacteria into the system?

Do you have an opinion on colonics washing away good bacteria?

What's your favorite color? Okay, just kidding. wow, a naturopath going raw! You're in a position to help and influence so many people- that's wonderful!

Thanks from the Oregon coast

[Dr. White]

Hey Dr. White-

do you mind if I sidetrack you with a couple of questions?

I understand that probiotics are very important and also that they can be expensive in a health food store.

How do we know they work? I used to get very expensive Renew Life's Vaginal support and pop 'em and can't say as I ever felt any different.

If someone was diligent about eating fermented food, would you consider that an acceptable amount of healthy bacteria into the system?

Do you have an opinion on colonics washing away good bacteria?

What's your favorite color? Okay, just kidding. wow, a naturopath going raw! You're in a position to help and influence so many people- that's wonderful!

Thanks from the Oregon coast

I reccomend a raw vegan diet without supplementation.... probiotics are only reccomended by me if someone is in a healing crisis with candida.

Fermented foods work well, but a healthy person should have the right balance of good and bad bacteria in their colon.

I am not a proponent of colonics unless the person does not begin cleansing from the raw diet. IF they are not, then we need to look at why. Yes, I think colonics would wash out the good bacteria, but I am not that studied on them. I just truly believe that if you give the body the right tools, it will heal itself and that includes cleansing the colon of years of SAD food.

My favorite color is blue

[Stina]

You're right on doc!

[Craig]

Vegan or not:

I'll use any decent piobiotics product regardless it where it come from.