What is Saccharomyces boulardii?

Saccharomyces boulardii is a type of yeast that is commonly used as a probiotic supplement. It is a unique strain of yeast that is believed to have beneficial effects on the gut microbiome and overall health.

How does it work?

Saccharomyces boulardii works by colonizing the gut and competing with harmful bacteria for space and resources. It also produces lactic acid, which can help to lower the pH of the gut and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

What forms does it come in?

Saccharomyces boulardii is available in capsule, tablet, and powder form.

First used for medicinal purposes?

Saccharomyces boulardii was first used for medicinal purposes in the 1950s.

Imbalance or deficiency:

A deficiency or imbalance of Saccharomyces boulardii in the gut can lead to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, which can result in digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain.

Summary

Saccharomyces boulardii is a type of yeast that is commonly used as a probiotic supplement. It works by colonizing the gut and competing with harmful bacteria for space and resources, as well as producing lactic acid to lower the pH of the gut and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. It has been shown to be effective in treating conditions such as diarrhea, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Clostridium difficile infection, and

What does Saccharomyces boulardii help with?

Saccharomyces boulardii is a yeast, not a bacterium. A French scientist named Henri Boulard first found it in the 1920s. He took it from lychee and mangosteen fruit in Indochina.

It is sold today as a probiotic. The strongest human evidence is for diarrhea tied to antibiotics and to gut bugs. Other uses rest on smaller studies, on lab work, or on practice alone.

• Diarrhea that starts when you take antibiotics
  Strong evidence — repeated human trials of the yeast taken alongside antibiotics; trial sizes and doses are not recorded in our file. This is the use with the strongest evidence on file. In trials, people who took it with their antibiotic had a much lower risk of diarrhea. Because it is a yeast, antibiotics do not kill it. In these studies it was started on the same day as the antibiotic and kept up for 1 to 2 weeks after the last dose.
  Evidence grade A · Traditional tier T0
• Diarrhea from a stomach bug, in adults and children
  Strong evidence — consistent human trials in adults and children, including rotavirus cases; sizes and doses not on file. Across these trials, the diarrhea ended sooner and was less severe. That held for rotavirus too. It is one of the few probiotics with strong trial data in children, and it was safe for them.
  Evidence grade A · Traditional tier T0
• C. difficile gut infection that keeps coming back
  Good evidence — human trials, mainly in people with repeat infections; sizes not on file. C. diff is a harmful gut bug that often strikes after antibiotics wipe out helpful bacteria. In studies, the yeast lowered the chance of a repeat infection. In lab work, it makes enzymes that break down C. diff toxins.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0
• Side effects of H. pylori treatment
  Good evidence — human trials adding it to standard triple or quadruple antibiotic therapy. Added to the standard drug regimen, it cut gut side effects in trials. Clearing rates rose slightly in some studies. It was always an add-on, never used alone.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0
• Traveler's diarrhea
  Early evidence — small or mixed human studies; no sizes or doses on file. In these studies, people began it a few days before the trip and kept taking it while away. Risk of traveler's diarrhea looked lower. The proposed reason is that the yeast competes with germs from food and water.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Irritable bowel syndrome, mainly the diarrhea type
  Early evidence — small human studies, mostly in IBS-D. People in these studies passed stool less often and felt less urgency. Signs of gut inflammation also went down. Results were mixed, and the studies were early work.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Crohn's disease and colitis flares
  Early evidence — add-on studies in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis; sizes not on file. In these studies, flares came less often and remission held longer. The yeast was added on top of prescribed drugs. It was never tested as a swap for them.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Leaky gut, or a loose gut lining
  Not yet tested in people — lab and cell studies only; no human trial on file. In lab studies, the yeast tightened the joins between gut lining cells. A tighter lining would let fewer toxins and bacterial bits slip into the blood. Whether that happens in people, and whether it helps, is not shown by any trial on file.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T0
• Bloating and everyday gut upset
  Not yet tested in people — reasoning from gut-bacteria work; no human trial on file. Some people take it for bloating after antibiotics or a stomach illness. Our file holds no human trial for this use. Any easing of bloating here is reported by users, not measured in a study on file.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T0

What Saccharomyces boulardii has not been shown to do

• It has not been shown to replace the drugs prescribed for Crohn's disease or colitis; studies used it only as an add-on.
• It has not been shown to clear H. pylori on its own, apart from standard antibiotics.
• It has not been shown to repair a leaky gut lining in people; that work comes from lab cells.
• It has not been shown to lower whole-body inflammation or to help conditions outside the gut.

How to read this:

Grade A means several human trials agree. B means at least one good human trial. C means small or mixed human work. D means the human evidence is weak or clashes. Insufficient means no human study on file, only lab work, animal work, or long use. No overall grade has been assigned to this remedy. This page lists options and what studies found. It is not medical advice, and it is not a claim that this yeast treats or cures anything. Talk with your doctor, above all if you have a serious infection, a weak immune system, or a central line.

What can Saccharomyces boulardii help prevent?

• Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (when taken concurrently with antibiotics)
• Traveler's diarrhea (when started before and during travel)
• C. difficile recurrence (in people with prior C. diff infection)
• Diarrhea in hospitalized patients on enteral feeding

Foods rich in Saccharomyces boulardii:

1. Kefir
2. Yogurt
3. Sauerkraut
4. Kimchi
5. Kombucha
6. Tempeh
7. Miso
8. Pickled vegetables
9. Sourdough bread
10. Fermented milk products

The most common side effects of taking Saccharomyces boulardii include bloating, gas, and digestive discomfort.

Recommended daily dose:

The recommended daily dose of Saccharomyces boulardii varies depending on the condition being treated, but it is usually between 250 mg to 1 g per day.

How many days does it take to work:

It can take anywhere from 1 to 7 days for Saccharomyces boulardii to start working, depending on the individual and the condition being treated.

Time of day to take:

Saccharomyces boulardii can be taken at any time of day, with or without food.

Take it with or without food:

Saccharomyces boulardii can be taken with or without food. However, it is recommended to take it with food to help improve absorption and reduce the risk of digestive discomfort.