Digestive enzymes are an essential part of the digestive process. They are one of the three main things(enzymes,acid & muscle contractions) your stomach uses to breakdown foods into things like sugars and peptides which your small intestine can then absorb. Some are born with digestive enzymes up the wazoo while others may be deficient or as they age become deficient. Signs of enzyme deficiency are rather generic and may mimic many others issues. Usually the symptoms are bloating, belching, heartburn, nausea or indigestion. Digestive enzymes are used mainly in the stomach & don’t normally affect the intestinal tract, however upper digestive issues can manifest new or worsen existing problems in the intestinal tract.

Today I am reviewing DigestActiv by Source Naturals which is a multiple vegetarian digestive enzyme pill. It’s pretty much a standard mix of enzymes such as Amylase, Lactase, Protease, Pancreatin(vegetable based), Bromelain along with some herbs such as ginger root, peppermint & black pepper extract. They also throw in some Betaine Hydrochloric Acid(stomach acid) for good measure.

DigestActiv is a good starting point when trying out digestive enzymes because it contains lower doses of these enzymes than some of the other brands. Taking too many digestive enzymes may have the opposite effect of what you’re trying to achieve. The pill size, while not small, is about the same size as a quality multi-vitamin capsule. The serving size on the nutrition info is 2 capsules, but I usually only take one.

Source Natural’s touts that DigestActiv is “Bio-Aligned™” what this means is pretty unclear, it has something to do with their other buzzwordy “SystemiCare” system which seems to be filled with foo-foo words about bodily harmony. Ultimately “Bio-Aligned” & “SystemiCare” seem more like marketing mumbo-jumbo than anything of real value added to the product. I am not going to knock the product on the marketing though as the contents of the pills seems to be of quality.

The pills do have a funky odor to them, but this is kind of normal for digestive enzymes or hydrochloric acid pills. The stomach doesn’t smell pretty, neither should the pills.

My personal experience with these pills is that they do help from time to time & don’t have the overwhelming effect like some of the other digestive enzyme pills I’ve taken in the past.  I’d suggest these for anyone who has never tried digestive enzyme pills or who has but experienced a mild-worsening of symptoms(heartburn & or nausea, etc..), which might have been a symptom of taking too many enzymes. If you’re dealing with Gastroparesis, heartburn, indigestion or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, these are definitely worth a shot.

Buy DigestActiv by Source Naturals from Amazon.com

Related posts:

1. Digestive Enzymes & Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS)
2. Review: Nature’s Life Betaine HCl – Hydrochloric Acid
3. Review: Iberogast for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Opioid receptors play a big part in how our body works. The delta receptor can play a part in depression, kappa can have sedating effects or cause dysphoria, while the mu(and it’s subtypes) control things like euphoria and gastrointestinal motility. Since MuDelta focuses on stimulating the delta receptor while reducing stimulation on the mu receptor, one would deduce that they are probably trying to simulate an antidepressant effect, while reducing signals to the the gastrointestinal tract. This seems like it could work as many have had success with treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome via antidepressants and antispasmodics.

While this idea is not entirely new(see Naltrexone), MuDelta may prove to be a more targeted drug for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Related posts:

1. Asimadoline IBS Drug Gets Fast Tracked By FDA
2. Penn State Study Boosts Naltrexone Treatment For Crohn’s Disease
3. Ironwood’s Irritable Bowel Syndrome Constipation Drug Seeking European Approval

Thierry Thaure, President and Chief Executive Officer of EndoGastric Solutions commented: “Our technology offers significant clinical, economic and strategic benefits to our hospital and surgeon customers. Over the past two years, the EsophyX and StomaphyX product platforms have been embraced with a high level of enthusiasm by the surgeon community…

Esophyx is a fundoplication device & procedure that does not require incisions and instead is performed completely through the esophagus. Esophyx has come under fire recently for misleading statements & performance. It is marketed as a reversible procedure, but many have been told that their procedure cannot be undone. Additionally some have found no benefit or have had their symptoms worsen after the procedure. There is currently at least one lawsuit claiming Endogastric Solutions has made misleading statements regarding the Esophyx procedure.

References:
Endogastric Solutions Press Release

Related posts:

1. Esophyx Procedure Reduces Heartburn For Some. For Others The Results Vary
2. Twin Peaks Actor James Marshall Suing Accutane Creator For $11 Million
3. SmartPill Aids Diagnosis of Gastroparesis & Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Most people will find themselves dealing with constipation one point or another in their lives. Sometimes synthetic laxatives can be harsh and uncomfortable to use. Before reaching for a laxative drug, perhaps you can give these natural remedies a try.

#6 – Exercising

Even if you feel sluggish from  constipation, it’s still a good idea to try to get some movement going. Try to focus on the abdominal area. Getting blood flowing through your system may help wake-up your gut to start moving things again.

#5 – Magnesium

Magnesium is an element that attracts water, this can help soften stool that may be to stiff to allow easy passage. You should look for a magnesium supplement that does NOT have calcium, as calcium will only worsen constipation. Look for a magnesium supplement that has about 250 – 500mg.

#4 – Ginger

Ginger is great for your digestive tract all around. In some cases it can also help with constipation. I’d try a ginger tea or Ginger Chew candies.

#3 – Iberogast

Iberogast(STW-5) is an herbal mixture that helps with digestive movement. I would try taking it on an empty stomach instead of with a meal and see if that will get your lower bowels moving again.

#2 – Juices

Many juices can have a laxative effect & are usually pretty gentle. The most well known is prune juice, but other juices such as grape or orange juice might work for you as well. I myself do not like the taste of prune juice, but will happily drink grape or orange juice. For me these seem to only cause a bowel movement if I am dealing with constipation, otherwise I don’t get the laxative effect(which is a good thing!).

#1 – Raisin Bran

This seems to always work for me, but it is the last on my list as usually it causes quite a bit of gas as well. Raisin Bran cereals taste pretty good & can definitely get your digestive motor going. It’s probably a bit harsher than the other items listed here, but if nothing else has worked, raisin bran probably will. You could also try other things like a bran muffin or an over the counter fiber product.

Other Options?

Do you have a favorite natural constipation remedy? Please post it below.

Related posts:

1. “Natural” Colon Cleanses May Ultimately Not Be Healthy
2. Ironwood’s Irritable Bowel Syndrome Constipation Drug Seeking European Approval
3. Review: Best Magnesium Supplement? Nature’s Bounty Versus Nature’s Way

This is a follow-up to my post “Align Probiotics Review: First Glance“. I did have some time to try out Align Probiotics and see how they worked out for me. Check out below for a week by week run-down.

Week #1

Week  #1 started out pretty well. I did notice that I was dealing with some aches and fatigue, possibly due to Align clearing out toxins or possibly due to something else entirely(I am known to get sinus infections randomly). Within a few days these aches and pains stopped. I think I did start to see some benefit from Align almost immediately. Improvements such as not having to go to the bathroom as often, bowel movements feeling more complete & perhaps even less gas/cramping. Having the pills labeled by the day of the week was pretty handy to keep on top of taking it. I tried to take it the same time each day.

Week #2

Continued improvement, but maybe not as large a leap as the first week. Things seem pretty stable. Maybe a small amount of constipation this week ,but not too bad. I think Align is probably a bit more gentle due to only having 1 billion colony forming units versus other products promoting having 6 billion or sometimes 20 – 50 billion colony forming units.

Week #3

This is where our story goes a bit south for Align. I started having chronic constipation again and even started getting some mild lower abdominal pain. Mild nausea also, probably from being constipated. This is pretty typical for me when my body has decided to go south on the probiotics. Also during this time I was under some stress, so perhaps this played a part in it as well. So ultimately I do not blame Align probiotics for fouling up, but rather I just have a touchy system.

Week 4

Unfortunately, at this junction I decided to discontinue taking Align probiotics, in hopes of reliving some of the constipation. Also the stress eased up in my life during this time as well.

Conclusion

I do not think that Align is a faulty product and actually it’s been the most successful probiotic I’ve used. I have a very touchy system and have had much less luck with other probiotics.  I definitely think Align probiotics are worth trying, especially if you’re suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

[Buy Align Probiotics from Amazon.com]

Special thanks to Proctor & Gamble for supplying the samples of Align Probiotics.

Related posts:

1. Align Probiotics Review: First Glance
2. Review: Iberogast for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
3. Product Review: Goodbelly Probiotic Drink

Align Probiotics Review

Buy Align from Amazon.com

Recently Proctor & Gamble’s marketing department got in touch with me to take a look at their flagship probiotic, Align. While I haven’t actually started taking Align yet, I’d like to share some of my first thoughts on the product.

I’ve seen Align advertised before & it has received good reviews on places like Amazon.com. I am a little skeptical on mass marketed products that have slick packaging. In some cases the word probiotic is used to attract people to a product that has little digestive benefit. In one case I got some terrible breakfast bars that supposedly had “probiotics” in them, but they were barely a step above sweetened laminated cardboard. I don’t think this is a goal of Align since they are strictly focusing on a probiotic supplement where the cardboard is only in the packaging, not the actual product.

Packaging

As I said above the packaging looks very nice. I received some sample sized versions which have a little fold out flap with information about Align & it even has a nifty 7-day calendar to track your progress. The capsules themselves come in a flat blister pack for 7-days. You can tear each capsule away from the sheet before opening it. Each capsule has a day of the week listed on it. I am not quite sure if this is how the retail 28-day supply is packaged, but I’d imagine it is similar. Additionally Align promotes the use of the AlignGI.com website, which has an online digestive tracker. All these ways to track your progress, I feel are helpful. One of the hard parts about taking probiotics is taking them consistently and at a regular time. Anything that makes it easier to remember to take your probiotic or to really be able to track your progress, I see as a good thing.

Contents

As for what’s in Align, it goes 100% with the B. Infantis 35624 strain of bacteria for it’s probiotics. There are a lot of products that mix it up and go for a bunch of different strains. I am not too worried about only one strain of bacteria being in there, it may even be beneficial to focus on producing a single high quality strain than to put in a mix of different, but lower quality strains. B. Infantis 35624 has been shown in studies to improve Irritable Bowel symptoms.

Align contains 1 Billion Colony Forming Units(CFUs) of B. Infantis 35624, this is considerably lower than other probiotics on the market. Again I don’t mind this so much as I think CFUs are overrated. Really it’s about quality. If you have 20 billion CFUs but they all die before hitting your gut or are contaminated with other things, it’s not going to do you any good. Also a lot of people have problems tolerating high doses of probiotics. Going low & slow may be the best approach.

Another positive is that it would appear Align uses a vegetable based capsule(not geletin), so vegetarians probably shouldn’t have any problems taking this. There is no lactose, gluten or soy in Align either. There is “Milk Protein” listed as an ingredient, but trace amounts are found in other probiotics as well.

Criticisms

One thing that does bug me is the use of Titanium Dioxide & FD&C Blue #1. Perhaps this was something that came out of focus groups or something. I would have preferred no artificial coloring in the product at all. I am sure there’s only a tiny bit in there, but if I am only going to see the capsule for a few seconds before popping it in my mouth, I shouldn’t care if it’s “white” or “off-white”.

Cost & Money-Back Guarantee

Align is some what pricey, especially when you are dealing with only getting 1 billion CFUs per capsule. However, if it does turn out to be higher quality & works for you, then I am sure it’ll be worth the money.

Align is offering a Money-Back Guarantee, which is actually pretty sweet. Try it for one month, if it doesn’t work, take them up on the refund.

Where To Buy

• Buy Align from Amazon.com
• Find a local store.

Disclosure:  I was supplied by Proctor & Gamble with samples of Align. The positive or negative outcome of this review is not based on receiving these samples.

Related posts:

1. Align Probiotic For Irritable Bowel Syndrome Update
2. Review: Custom Probiotics CP-1 50 Billion CFU Adult Formula
3. Review: Nature’s Way Primadophilus for Children

So I am sure we’ve all probably had times were we’re filling gassy or bloated. When dealing with IBS these times are probably more often than we’d wish. Now, normally I’d suggest a natural product, but in some cases a less than natural product is needed. This is were Gas-X Thin Strips step in. Why do I like Gas-X Thin Strips? A) It works. B) The packaging and form factor are very discreet.

Thin strip style products have been around for awhile, I first saw them showing up in the early 2000s for things like mints. At the time my co-worker handed me something that looked like a piece of colored tape and said “try it”… I pondered for a bit as I wasn’t sure if I was being handed some sort of psychotropic drug or an actual piece of tape. Luckily it turned out to be a a minty breath freshener. I don’t think my co-worker was trying to tell me something as we didn’t sit near each other, he was just showing me this cool new product(at least this is what I tell myself). So now instead of minty freshness we have minty gas relief thanks to Gas-X Thin Strips.

Gas-X contains Simethicone which is basically an anti-foaming agent, it helps the bubbles that form in your digestive tract form into large bubbles which makes it easier to pass gas. So while it’s advertised as an anti-gas drug, it actually makes it easier to fart. This is probably of benefit for people with IBS, I’d rather fart than feel bloated. Being bloated makes you feel tired & flabby. One of the benefits I’ve found with Gas-X is that it seems to also help motility so if I am feeling constipated as well, it usually helps get things moving again.

The main reason I tried Gas-X Thin Strips in the first place, was because it was in thin strip form. These things are very handy & very discreet. You can fit a bunch of them in your wallet, which is just not possible when dealing with pills. The only thing non-discreet about them is that it says “Gas-X Gas-X Gas-X Gas-X Gas-X” all over the outside of the package. It’s not that big of a deal though as you can easily tear it open and gobble it down with no one the wiser.

Overall Gas-X & Immodium(though haven’t been using this in quite awhile) are my trusty over the counter standbys which I use from time to time. There are probably other similar products that use Simethicone & they would probably work in a similar fashion. Gas-X is just the one I’ve been using. You get 18 strips per box, which is a pretty good value. I am still on my first box and it’s been a few months since I bought it. You can probably find it at your local pharmacy or department store – OR you can support this site and buy it from the Amazon.com link below :)!

Purchase Gas-X Thin Strips Peppermint from Amazon.com.

Related posts:

1. Review: Iberogast for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
2. Align Probiotic For Irritable Bowel Syndrome Update
3. Irritable Bowel Syndrome & The Great Prune Debate

What’s in Nature’s Way Primadophilus for Children?

It contains the following probiotic strains:

• Lactobacillus Rhamnosus
• Lactobacillus Casei
• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Bifidobacterium infantis
• Bifidobacterium bifidum
• Bifidobacterium breve
• Bifidobacterium longum

The main one we’re concerned with is B. infantis, which as been proven in studies to help with IBS symptoms. Overall, these strains all have a purpose in our gut. One thing to keep in minds is that this product does contain FOS, which can cause gas for some people.

What does Nature’s Way Primadophilus for Children taste like & how do you use it?The taste of a probiotic is not something you normally have to deal with as most are in pill form. The taste is sweet, most likely due to the FOS content. It doesn’t taste bad at all, I liken it to a mildly sweet apple flavor. Once you mix it in with water or a beverage you can’t really taste it. I would recommend mixing it with room temperature or moderately warm water. Cold water seems to cause it to clump together.

Again the nice thing about this product is that you can measure it out exactly to control how much you’re taking. I decided to start with a very small amount, 1/8th teaspoon and then double it every week until I reached maximum dosage. This is not something you can usually do with other probiotic supplements because they are in pill form and rely on the probiotics being contained within the pill before entering the lower gut. The FOS in this product, I believe, is suppose to help it get through the stomach acids and into the lower gut where it can be effective. Though, I am not certain how effective this delivery method actually is.

Keep in mind as well that this product does require refrigeration

Did it help my IBS?

Initially, I believe I was having some positive results. The first couple of days were similar to other probiotics I’ve taken, I felt bloated & somewhat nauseated. This did subside somewhat over the following weeks. I noticed a mild improvement in the regularity of bowel movements, though my symptoms were not dramatically improved. Unfortunately after about a month of use, I accidentally left my fridge door open and all my food became spoiled & perhaps my probiotics. Not wanting to risk taking “rancid” probiotics, I bought a new container. I resumed my 1 teaspoon regimen, which is where I was at, at that time. Unfortunately I got bloated and became nauseated again with this product immediately, even though I seemingly had been using it before at the same dosage. I am guessing perhaps the batch I had before was older and thus perhaps less potent.

Would I recommend the product?

Yes I would. It did improve my symptoms for a short period of time. I have a touchy system so don’t use it as an example, it may work much better for you than for me, so it’s definitely worth a shot. Taking a powdered form is good for dosage control, which is pretty much impossible with a pill.

Where can I get it?

You can check out your local supermarket or nutrition store. I found some at my local Fred Meyer’s(may also be called Kroger’s in some areas) or purchase Nature’s Way Primadophilus for Children from Amazon.com, by clicking the link.

Related posts:

1. Align Probiotics Review: First Glance
2. Align Probiotic For Irritable Bowel Syndrome Update
3. Product Review: Goodbelly Probiotic Drink