You will find some mixed opinions on probiotics. If you already have pouchitis, they most likely won't improve the situation, but there is some data that suggests they can prevent or delay pouchitis from developing. As Jan posted, the only probiotic that has really been studied in pouch patients is VSL#3. Align has been studied and has been clinically shown to reduce symptoms of IBS, but again, there really isn't much data on its impact on pouchitis. That said, I personally take Align. I do not take VSL#3 as it is not covered in Canada and is quite expensive. I've been taking Align now for a little more than 3 years, and I feel it has been helpful, particularly in reducing gas. Prior to that, I took the Jaimeson 4-Strain probiotic, but noticed no difference whatsoever in pouch function. In the past I have had pouchitis, with my first bout 11 months post takedown. In recent years, I have had subclinical pouchitis, but no full blown pouchitis in over 4 years, and my most recent scope, which was just earlier this month showed that the pouch looked very healthy, so perhaps the Align is helping to keep pouchitis in check. That said, I started taking Align around the same time I also began taking turmeric, so it's hard to gauge which one has been most effective, or if it is a combo of the two that I am benefiting from. Overall though, since I have seen some improvements since starting Align and things appear to have remained stable, I have no intention of changing things up.
