Saccharomyces Boulardii: Probiotic Supplement Benefits and Side Effects

Saccharomyces boulardii is a form of yeast (Brewer’s Yeast) which was officially discovered by a French scientist when he was visiting countries of Southeast Asia.

He noticed the indigenous people regularly chewed the skins of two fruits as a method of controlling diarrhea and other symptoms associated with cholera.

Becoming curious, he isolated the yeast from the skins of the lychee and the mangosteen and introduced it to the rest of the world as an effective probiotic and treatment for rotavirus in children, traveler’s diarrhea, antibiotic associated diarrhea, HIV-related diarrhea and clostridium difficile.

It has also been used to aid in the treatment of acne, urinary tract infections, fatigue and GI tract disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and some inflammatory bowel disorders including Crohn’s disease.

Probiotics

Digestive Supplement

Gut Health

Digestion

Immune Function

How It Works:

• Supports a healthy immune system & microflora
• Promotes digestion & nutrient absoprtion
• Combats pathogenic bacteria; Improves metabolism

Dosage:

Between 1 - 10 Billion CFUs per day

Safety:

Rated Likely Safe

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How Does Saccharomyces Boulardii Work?

Saccharomyces boulardii is a yeast, which means, like all yeasts, it is a fungus. It, along with other good bacteria, makes up our gut microbiome. We call the billions of microorganisms in our digestive tract “gut flora”.

Stress, illness, exposure to certain infectious agents or environmental triggers, age and medications can all disrupt our gut flora and cause an imbalance to occur.

When this happens, pathogenic (bad) bacteria can begin to flourish and dominate our small intestine, large intestine and our stomach.

For example, an individual may need to take antibiotics to fight off an infectious process, but antibiotics are unable to specifically target only the bad bacteria causing the illness. Instead, both good and bad bacteria are killed off, en masse.

In a healthy person’s body, it can take up to six months to re-establish a healthy, balanced microbiome.

Probiotics like saccharomyces boulardii help to replenish our good bacteria, causing our systems to stabilize more quickly, assuring the unhealthy bacteria does not regain a foothold.

Saccharomyces boulardii works in a variety of ways:

• Antitoxinogenic: degrades harmful toxins and prohibits them from binding to the GI tract
• Antimicrobial: harmful bacteria like E coli and salmonella bind themselves to saccharomyces boulardii and are expelled out of the body with the next bowel movement.
• Anti-inflammatory: works to inhibit the secretion of inflammatory agents. Some researchers are hopeful this may help treat those with inflammatory bowel disease.
• Trophic Effect: Studies show that during cholera, E coli, or other intestinal infections, saccharomyces boulardii inhibited the hypersecretion of fluids and electrolytes from the cells which line the walls of the small and large intestines (called enterocytes) and helped to inhibit spread of the infection.
• Immune System Booster: in rats, saccharomyces boulardii has been shown to induce the secretion of immunoglobulin. At this time, It is unknown if this same response will be seen in humans.

Benefits

Saccharomyces boulardii can replenish and restore the intestinal microflora if it is known or suspected a disruption has occurred.

Besides being used worldwide to treat symptoms of disease-associated diarrhea, individuals report relief of some symptoms experienced with IBS, IBD, Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.

Saccharomyces boulardii Dosage

Dosage can vary significantly, depending on the symptoms being treated. For example, if restoring the GI tract following antibiotic treatment, the recommended dose is usually 250mg – 500mg three times each day for 3-4 weeks.

A qualified health specialist can provide instructions for best results.

When purchasing saccharomyces boulardii, the yeast need to be active and plentiful in the supplement selected. Always buy from a vendor who performs extensive testing to verify the viability of their products, making their knowledge about their product’s content more reliable.

Buying from a reputable and reliable company is recommended for best results. Some high-quality vendors will package their probiotics with a prebiotic such as MOS, to improve efficacy.

Negative Side Effects

In healthy individuals, this probiotic is considered generally safe. In rare cases it has caused fungal infection to spread through the bloodstream. This condition is known as fungemia.

Those with compromised or weakened immune systems should not take saccharomyces boulardii.

In addition, those with allergies to yeast or yeast products should avoid this supplement.

Pregnant and nursing mothers should speak with their healthcare professional before using this supplement.

This probiotic is known to be safe for most children if taken in the proper dose. Administer to children only under the guidance of your physician or other healthcare professional.

Review of Saccharomyces boulardii

Saccharomyces boulardii is often referred to as brewer’s yeast and is a safe and effective probiotic supplement for most people.

It is useful in the treatment of diarrhea caused both by bacterial and triggered (stress, travel) causes. It works effectively to relieve varied symptoms related to gastrointestinal disorders.

It has been reported to help with certain inflammatory processes within the digestive tract, including IBD. Dosage varies, depending on symptoms.

Saccharomyces boulardii is commonly used to help restore the microflora within the gut following treatment with antibiotics.

When buying saccharomyces boulardii, it is important to ascertain that the yeast is alive and plentiful in the supplement chosen.

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