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Author Topic: The latest craze on probiotics?  (Read 12161 times)

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Offline HD

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Latest probiotic craze....

Yakult is a Japanese company that makes a probiotic dairy drink, which is also called Yakult.

Founded over 80 years ago, the company is a mainstay at local grocers and markets throughout east and southeast Asia.  “Yakult ladies” market and deliver the product in a hybrid network-marketing style manner, selling cases of the drink off the backs of their bicycles and mopeds.

So did I get on board? This explains everything:

All good? Let’s continue…

In more recent times, Yakult has expanded internationally, and their products are now available in dozens of countries.

To date, their marketing strategy for English-speaking countries involves only a retail sales model, but given the success of network marketing strategies for similar health and wellness products, plus the increasing popularity of probiotics, it would not be unexpected if the company eventually expands its distribution to include network marketing as well.

Yakult has the slow, steady increase in popularity of a company on the up and up.  Search engine traffic for the company has followed a slow, steady increase year by year. 

A consistent and steady long-term increase in search traffic is also what you see when you track public interest in probiotics–products containing these good bacteria are definitely the next hot thing in health and wellness, since more and more scientific studies attesting their use keep coming out.

Products

Yakult (the company) sells only two products: Yakult (the drink) and Yakult Light. 

Yakult is made by using the Shirota strain of the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus casei to ferment a mixture of sugar, skim milk powder, glucose, and Lactobacillus casei Shirota cultures.  The regular version contains 11 grams of sugar per bottle, while the light version contains only four.  The difference is made up by adding corn dextrin and Stevia to lower the sugar content. 

One important thing to remember, if you are watching your diet, is that not all of the sugar in Yakult is sucrose (a.k.a. cane sugar).  Since this is a dairy product, some proportion of the sugar is lactose, which does not have the same detrimental effects as sucrose or fructose. 

At the same time, the company notes that the lactose content of Yakult is somewhere on the order of that in yogurt, so it’s not nearly as aggravating as regular milk to people who have lactose intolerance.  As a general rule of thumb, if you can eat yoghurt without digestive issues, you can drink Yakult.

When it comes to the science of probiotics, Yakult has some decent footing for its health claims.  A 2006 scientific study published in the journal Clinical and Vaccine Immunology investigated the effects of Lactobacillus casei on the immune system of lab rats.  A probiotic dosage of the bacteria was demonstrated to increase immune system activity, as measured by increases in specific immune-related cells in the body. 

A healthy gut biome is known to help “crowd out” bad bacteria in your body, but research like this suggests that specific probiotic strains have direct immunity-boosting effects.  Other researchers have even used this as inspiration to use the probiotic to boost the immune system’s response to vaccines.

Yakult has also sponsored some of its own research that’s been published in peer-reviewed journals.  A 1998 study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition studied how Yakult affected the gut biome in healthy male test subjects. 

Ten subjects were given Yakult to drink every day, while ten more subjects were given a non-fermented placebo drink.  The subjects’ diets were strictly controlled to ensure that they were not consuming any other fermented foods or beverages, like yogurt, cheese, or beer.

At the study’s conclusion, the researchers found that the men who had been drinking Yakult for eight weeks had a substantially altered gut bacteria population. 

As you’d expect, levels of Lactobacillus casei were much higher in the subjects drinking Yakult.  Levels of a potentially harmful type of bacteria, the Clostridium genus, were down, though there weren’t enough subjects to establish whether this change was statistically significant or not.

If it is significant, though, this means that Yakult could prove useful for people with an unhealthy gut biome that’s causing health issues, like digestive problems.

Unfortunately, markers of immune system activity were unchanged in the human volunteers, perhaps indicating that Yakult doesn’t  modulate the immune system of healthy people. 

Distribution model

Currently, it’s not possible to join Yakult as a network marketing distributor in most of their markets.  However, if you operate a retail store, you can get in touch with their product distribution team and order Yakult wholesale.

If you truly believe that probiotics are going to be game-changers in the health and wellness market, or if you have connections at a local health and wellness store, it could be a lucrative business arrangement to start ordering wholesale and selling locally. 

The real question is whether and when the company will move to a network marketing model, and if so, what their compensation model will look like.  When there’s an answer to that, it’ll be a lot easier to evaluate whether or not Yakult represents a strong income opportunity.

Recap

Yakult’s products are a mainstay of Southeast Asia, and there is at least some scientific evidence that their probiotic bacteria could be a helpful immune-system booster.  Its gut biome altering properties could also be useful for people who have gastrointestinal issues caused by an unhealthy gut biome.

If and when Yakult moves to a network marketing model, the quality of the compensation plan will dictate whether or not it’s a smart business opportunity.

Look, if you’re simply doing it for the money, there are better ways to kill your day job.

You might like this coaching because it shows you the good life without peddling health products to your family and friends.
Mama always said, If you ain't got noth'in nice to say, don't say noth'in at all!

Offline Rebel SS

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Hmmm...About the same thing as Activia?  :scratch: My daily yogurt works for me....

Offline HD

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Not sure Rebs.... I have had gastral issues since I can remember. I take probiotics every day to relieve the pain in my guts. I was thinking of starting a different regiment with this... just figured I'd ask what you boys thought....
Mama always said, If you ain't got noth'in nice to say, don't say noth'in at all!

Offline Rebel SS

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Try Activia for a bit, HD....or the one ya posted; sure can't hurt.

https://www.activia.us.com/what-are-probiotics/faqs
« Last Edit: September 09/22/17, 05:21:47 PM by Rebel SS »

Offline delcecchi

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Might be worth a try... Here I thought you were trying to recruit Reb as a downlevel to ride are Rochester on a bicycle peddling a magic elixer.... DrJuice would be all over it... 

Gut Biome is being found to be very important.  Not sure how to alter it is the problem.    And quacks are everywhere....

Let us know how it works out should you decide to try it.    Sympathetic since my daughter has UC. 

Offline HD

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Thanks Del.... this is the stuff that I have been talking for some time...it sure does help. Always looking for a better light bulb.....

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Mama always said, If you ain't got noth'in nice to say, don't say noth'in at all!

Offline mike89

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sure hope you find some thing to help ya along, 
a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work!!

Offline Rebel SS

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I've got a buddy who had diverticulitis off and on for years...found a couple things that made it bad was things with small seeds, like strawberries, raspberries,  'CUKES, PICKLES.......hmmm..... just sayin'.  :scratch:

Online glenn57

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Dr Glenn days ya gotta eat more green beans! :rotflmao:
2015 deer slayer!!!!!!!!!!

Offline LPS

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HD have you ever been checked for Gluten intolerance? 

Offline HD

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Nope LPS, I have not.
Mama always said, If you ain't got noth'in nice to say, don't say noth'in at all!

Offline LPS

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That can have bad stomach issues.  My Aunt kept losing weight and was sick to her stomach for a long period of time.  The Drs. said to eat more carbs like bread to put on weight.  She just got sicker and sicker and even thought she may die from whatever was going on.  One Dr. came up with the Gluten idea and sure enough that is what she had and as soon as she got some meds and quit eating Gluten she got better immediately.  Might be worth checking out.  ??? 

Offline delcecchi

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Celiac disease, bad stuff.   The daughter and a couple of the grandkids of a really good friend have it.   The immune reaction and inflammation to gluten wrecks the inside of colon, with bad results.   

Other things, like ulcerative colitis or Irritable Bowel Syndrome can have similar symptoms.   

And of course some folks have lactose intolerance, which also produces digestive upset from milk and cheese.   

Offline Rebel SS

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Thank god I can eat cheese! I should cut back from my ten lbs a day. Poop a brick about every other day.  :rotflmao:

Offline mike89

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Thank god I can eat cheese! I should cut back from my ten lbs a day. Poop a brick about every other day.  :rotflmao:

dat's a pic I don't want to see>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work!!

Offline LPS

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Ya thanks Rebs..   :tut:

Offline Rebel SS

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Well, no worse than folks talking about getting a Kaepernoscopy on here!!! Sheesh!! Suck it up!

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« Last Edit: September 09/23/17, 07:32:52 PM by Rebel SS »

Offline HD

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The doc told me that my discomfort is likely irritable bowel syndrome....but, I would rather have a definite diagnosis. The probiotic does help with the discomfort, but, there has to be a better alternative.

I will be seeking a 2nd opinion (and yes LPS I will be asking about gluten)

I was just checking to see if you boys have been down the same path.
Mama always said, If you ain't got noth'in nice to say, don't say noth'in at all!

Offline Rebel SS

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They told me that too. IBS. Went thru all the tests, and lotsa Docs...and that was their diagnosis.  But, after I was forced to retire after the injuries and getting bounced around every friggin' day, and got away from the place, in about a month I figured it it was all stress. Cleared right up. My guts haven't bothered me since. They don't know everything.....start keeping track of when they really bother ya, and after what ya ate that day, I'd start there. Is it better on weekends? At nite? In the am? Try to narrow it down as much as ya can.
« Last Edit: September 09/23/17, 07:44:44 PM by Rebel SS »

Offline delcecchi

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I think that ibs might be like colitis in that it can come and go for no reason that the sufferer can tell.

Offline ThunderLund78

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Not sure if he was missing a certain enzyme or what, but my 6 year old has suffered from chronic constipation for pretty much his whole life.  We FINALLY found a solve (and a natural one) from a combination probiotic/cleanse supplement.  Much better than making him take laxatives or even the occasional suppository (which was torture to give him).

He now goes every 1-2 days.  we have to stay on top of the pills but we're not putting medicine in him anymore.  It's been a Godsend.  I was skeptical, but this one worked for us.

Offline delcecchi

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Actually you are putting medicine in him if it is pills.   But if it works, go for it.   

Offline Rebel SS

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Yer startin' to sound like Juice, Del.   :doah: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

Online glenn57

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Yer startin' to sound like Juice, Del.   :doah: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:
:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

alabeit quite entertaining reading!!!!!!!!!!!!! :happy1:
« Last Edit: September 09/25/17, 01:42:10 PM by glenn57 »
2015 deer slayer!!!!!!!!!!

Offline delcecchi

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Yer startin' to sound like Juice, Del.   :doah: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

Not bloody likely. 

But trying to split the hair of what is a drug and what is a supplement is more your thing I guess. 

 :mooning:

Offline mike89

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a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work!!

Online glenn57

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here we go again!!! :rotflmao: :rotflmao:
                             

                                                                     :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
2015 deer slayer!!!!!!!!!!

Offline mike89

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a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work!!

Offline Rebel SS

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Yer startin' to sound like Juice, Del.   :doah: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

Not bloody likely. 

But trying to split the hair of what is a drug and what is a supplement is more your thing I guess. 

 :mooning:

Me???! I don't care about drugs!!! Is a suppository chewable?!  Give it a try!  Who's the one looking for just ground corn meal by Pedro-the-burro for his tostadas?! Bagged stuff not good enough for ya? Huh? Huh? Here; check out THIS burro!!!  :mooning:   
« Last Edit: September 09/25/17, 03:21:55 PM by Rebel SS »

Online glenn57

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                                :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
2015 deer slayer!!!!!!!!!!