Do Probiotics Cause Diarrhea?
Yes, some probiotics can cause diarrhea which can continue as long as you consume the probiotics. This is often caused by other ingredients in the probiotic and not typically the probiotic itself.
What Ingredients in Probiotics Cause Diarrhea?
The individual probiotic strain is NOT typically the cause of diarrhea. It is more likely due to the prebiotic or poor manufacturing standards. Some common examples are:
Dairy (NOT found in DocDigest Probiotics)- Over 50% of the population has some level of lactose intolerance and although it is not as common as the following two ingredients, some manufacturers do include dairy in their probiotics which can cause diarrhea for you if you are dairy sensitive.
Gluten ( DocDigest Probiotics are Gluten Free)- Celiacs are around 1% of the population but 6-7% of the population has a gluten sensitivity. If the probiotics are manufactured with gluten as a bonding agent or even produced in a facility which is not gluten free, this can cause diarrhea if you are sensitive to gluten.
Prebiotic Fiber (common in probiotics but not DocDigest Probiotics)- Prebiotics are the “food” which probiotics need to survive. Various types of fiber are very common in prebiotics which may lead to increased symptoms of diarrhea specifically with people with IBS. This is due to the bacterial fermentation of the fiber in your gut. This can also result in gas and bloating. IBS affects 12% of the population and most probiotics contain prebiotic fibers. There are multiple options on the market, but we produce two versions of IBS friendly probiotics, one for IBS-D and one for IBS-C.
How to avoid Ingredients which cause Diarrhea?
Manufacturing Location– In some countries the quality control standards for manufacturing can be inadequate for anyone with IBS, gluten sensitivity or lactose intolerance. Choose probiotics made in the USA, the EU or Canada as they have high production standards and enforcement mechanisms. All DocDigest products are made in the USA
Check the Label- You will want to see Gluten Free, Dairy Free and in the ingredients listed, SunFiber®. There are other types of non-fibrous prebiotics, but SunFiber® is the most popular. DocDigest Probiotics are Gluten Free, Dairy Free and contain SunFiber®.
GMP Label- The Good Manufacturing Practice label is a good way to quickly identify a quality probiotic business. It is a system of quality control for the entire production process. DocDigest products are manufactured in a GMP facility.
