I was thinking of ordering some... i have heard many good things... I just happened across this.... any thoughts from those with more information or personal experience?? The following is copied from a web site...
Along with a book I ordered called "The IBD Remission Diet" by Jini Patel Thompson, came a page inserted later by the author that essentially withdrew her prior recommendation of Primal Defense. Horrified, I searched the Internet and could only find glowing testimonials (most of which eventually stemmed from the Garden of Life company's own marketing.) I could find nothing from a scientific or unbiased source. The inserted warning is frightening. Here it is:
"On Page 108 of the IBD remission diet, I suggest that readers may want to try a product called Primal Defense after they've been completely healed for 3-5 months. I learned of this product from numerous readers who wrote in to let me know how well it's worked for them. Since I couldn't try the product myself (I've been pregnant or breastfeeding for four years and counting,) I questioned numerous respected naturopaths, microbiology professors and gastroenterologists for their opinion on the product and all said it looked fine.
However, since meeting the founder and president of Natren Inc. (top quality pro-biotic manufacturer,) Natasha Trenev, I must change my opinion of bacterial soil organisms. Natasha is a world renowned expert on microorganisms and maintains one of the largest research libraries on that topic in the world. She has sent me an entire CD ROM of articles, research and clinical data and other scientific studies, (most done outside of North America,) outlining why it is not safe to consume bacterial soil organisms (like those contained in Primal Defense and numerous other products.)
To summarize the research briefly, soil organisms (SO) are spore formers, so they make make good competitors for yeast, fungus and other pathogens. This is why so many people taking soil organisms will initially experience very favorable results. However these spores are are extremely difficult to kill, surviving sterilants, disinfectants, acceleration forces, heat, pressure, radiation and many antibiotics. Strong antibiotics -- like Vancomycin -- can suppress certain spores. Spores are so persistent in the intestines that another round of germination may occur after the the drug is stopped. Soil organisms can also adapt loose genetic material and incorporate it into their cellular structure - the ramifications of which are yet unknown. Various soil organisms can also produce harmful peptides, affecting hemoglobin in the blood. It's important to keep in mind that virtually all antibiotic drugs were were initially developed from soil organisms and as antibiotics become more potent, they cause more damage to the host, not just in the immediate gut environment, but systematically as well.
In the EU (European Union) the use of soil organisms in animal feed is being stringently controlled and questioned at this time. There are simply too many questions and unknowns to sanction the use of soil organisms for human consumption and one can certainly cannot qualify them as safe at this time.
I'm very sorry for any confusion this may have caused you. To be honest, this is the very first time I've recommended a product that I've not tried and tested exclusively myself -- I admit I was swayed by so many good recommendations from readers. Rest assured that I will not do so again!
My sincerest apologies, Jini Patel Thompson July 2003"
Not sure if I should order it or not.... hmmm
Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :
I just have to say first what works for some doesn't work for all.
I tryed this product for over a year and didn't notice a difference.
But it does sound good in principle and some people do like it.
For me it seemed like over priced dirt
make sure to talk over everything first with your LLMD
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
THERAlac is way better in my opinion. Also, Primal Defense products are OUT for celiacs.
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
From the more I learn about the lack of regulation of supplements in this country, my new rule is that I stay away from any supplement that has any suggestion of danger.
There is no requirement that a nutritional supplement do research to prove safety, let alone efficacy.
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
quote:Originally posted by visionoftruth: this supplement has a suggestion of danger?
Re-read the first post on this thread by AmyJ. Primal Defense is a soil organism, and the piece she quoted says soil organisms may cause harm.
Posted by Badtick (Member # 9794) on :
It didn't do anything for me. It was a waste of money and I now believe the rest of his products are too.
There is better stuff out there.
Posted by Areneli (Member # 6740) on :
I use it for a second year and it works well for me. I use powder form and package of 81 g lasts me about 10 weeks. Since I pay about $70 per package the cost is about $7 a week ... and I can live with it.
Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :
I've been avoiding this product, too. Like posted earlier, many of the products in this line are not appropriate for those who must be gluten-free.
However the reason I avoided it was there was an article in a newsletter I've been subscribing to for years called Women's Health Letter, by Nan Fuchs, PhD, a nutritionist I've respected for decades. Back when I had chronic fatigue syndrome in the 1980s, I heard her speak in person and she was far ahead of her time in terms of appropriate supplements for CFS, viruses, etc.
Anyway, in one of her newsletters, she cautioned against soil-based organisms/probiotics. Unfortunately I don't have the newsletter in front of me and it would take a while to find. But it also had something to do with a few cases, perhaps in Europe, of people who got sick from them and they were difficult to eradicate with medications.
I figure there are so many probiotics out there with good track records that I just didn't want to risk anything that might be controversial. But again, we must all make our own decision.
Jill
Posted by mjbucuk (Member # 843) on :
Can you give examples of the soil-based organisms/probiotics that are being referred to? Posted by sadie420 (Member # 9294) on :
I guess I am in the minority. From everything I have heard it is considered a superior product. I just ordered some myself from ebay
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
quote:Originally posted by mjbucuk: Can you give examples of the soil-based organisms/probiotics that are being referred to?
Primal Defense is the name of a probiotic made by the company Garden of Life. Their probiotics are made with what they call "Homeostatic� Soil Organisms (HSOs)."
My understanding is these probiotics are naturally in soil, not naturally in our digestive track.
Posted by Areneli (Member # 6740) on :
Our ancestors used to eat food contaminated with soil so there is a logic behind it.
Posted by Cold Feet (Member # 9882) on :
I talked to a friend today that was taking some SBOs, so I searched through old posts and found this post from Amy to be helpful.
I never took SBOs, and I doubt I ever well. I'd like to see all these creatures under a microscope!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I prefer my Theralac!!!
Posted by Cold Feet (Member # 9882) on :
Ditto on the Theralac. I recently tried their new product, Tru Flora, and noticed some changes in my GI function. I never had that with Therelac, but the effects with the new product were obvious. I was surprised! See:
I've never had GI issues, but I am rethinking the health of my gut, given the candida that's been there (years?). And also noting my reaction to this new product.
I didn't see the particular ingredients on their web site, but it's on the bottle. No, I aint tellin either! Maybe they'll put it on their site soon.
Posted by Cold Feet (Member # 9882) on :
Duh, found the "bug breakdown" in the FAQs: ____________________________________________
What are the probiotic species in TruFlora� and how are they special?
There are three species: Bacillus coagulans (BC-705) or Lactobacillus sporogenes, Lactobacillus plantarum (LP-29), and Lactobacillus salivarius (LS-30). These three probiotics are present at a total viable plate count of 12 billion CFU/capsule guaranteed through expiration (TruFlora� is formulated > 24 billion CFU/capsule). These probiotics colonize intestinal contents (food in small intestine, waste in colon) including niches and crevices where intestinal motility is slow. All three possess strong lactic acid-producing ACTIVITY. Each lot of TruFlora� is tested for activity and the results are available here. ____________________________________________
Thank you, manufacturers, for being open about the ingredients!
Posted by sofylyme (Member # 7900) on :
I used this product when it first came on the market and it made such a fabulous difference for me and my grown daughter that we both thought the expense was well worth it and then they changed the label but I didnt notice it until the benefits from the product went away.
The original label used organic ingredients and the new label didnt.
The manufacturer wrote a book and said probiotics should be tested in 2-4 oz. of whole milk for a coule of days and if the milk doesnt look like yogurt then the probiotics are dead.
Well when they changed the ingredients their product did nothing to the milk except change its color so now its a trash product.
If you want to test capsuls its best to open them and sprinkle the dust into the milk cuz it can take forever for the capsule to disolve with stomach acid.
Posted by Fordace (Member # 14874) on :
Hi Coldfeet,
I always think of you because I have COLDFEET all the time, or at least they feel cold, or numb most of the time. Anyway, so which one to get, theralc or the new one?
Right now I use "ultimate Flora, by Renew for life
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