Saccharomyces Boulardii (SB)
SB promotes the growth and adhesion to the intestinal wall of friendly probiotic bacteria, and treats infectious diarrhoea and antibiotic diarrhoea, as well as decreasing gut permeability. It competitively inhibits the Candida species and I have had some truly stunning results in the clinic using SB to treat some rather resistant cases of both gastrointestinal and vaginal Candida infections. (Those with a true yeast allergy – meaning anaphylactic shock – need to avoid SB.) In the gut it produces lactic acid and some B vitamins, and as it becomes established, it crowds out unfriendly strains of yeast.
SB is also beneficial in the treatment of digestive discomfort associated with food sensitivities, as it improves the body’s natural metabolism of carbohydrates. It does this by increasing the activity of our digestive enzymes; namely sucrase, maltase and lactase. Lactase in particular is required to digest lactose found in milk, and sucrase assists in the digestion of carbohydrates.
SB also has been shown to be beneficially therapeutic in the treatment of such common bowel pathogens as Salmonella, Yersinia and Clostridium difficile, as well as Crohns disease, ulcerative colitis and chronic diarrhoea.
A meta-analysis has proven that there is a significant reduction in the occurance of diarrhoea for travellers taking 250 mg to 1 gram of SB daily, with supplementation starting 5 days before their trip and continuing for the duration of their holiday.
A very pleasing human pilot study on SB usage (1 gram) for Crohns patients in remission has shown a significant improvement in relapses. SB was given in conjunction with mesalamine, a standard medication for Crohns, for 6 months. Results showed that the control group who were administered only the mesalamine had a 37.5% relapse over the 6 months. The group taking the SB and mesalamine had only 6.25% relapse in symptoms. They also noticed a marked improvement in other clinical symptoms such as abdominal pain, general well being, and red blood cell levels.
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