Saccharomyces Boulardii – Serena Coan Bsc, DipION, CNHC
Saccharomyces Boulardii is known as a probiotic yeast, a well-researched probiotic that has been used for a number of purposes, one of the most common being against traveller’s diarrhoea. Our gut flora is a complex, balanced system containing trillions of bacteria that play a key role in gut health, cognition, mood, skin health and overall health. However, sometimes the gut bacteria can become imbalanced and allow pathogenic bacteria to colonise, due to stress, diet, infection or other factors. When this occurs we experience digestive symptoms of bloating, cramping, diarrhoea, constipation,etc. and this may progress to influence the absorption of nutrients, therefore creating further issues of brain fog, low energy, skin breakouts and low mood.
Although it is classed as a probiotic, S. Boulardii has a unique characteristic that means it isn’t a naturally occurring part of our beneficial gut bacteria, therefore it cannot colonise in the gut. Instead, this yeast has the ability to adhere to pathogenic bacteria, e.g. E. coli, and encourage the removal from the body. The most common clinical application
of this probiotic is traveller’s diarrhoea, however it has also been researched and used for antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Numerous studies show that the benefits of this yeast extend past the gut and even support the bacterial colonies in the urinary tract.
S. Boulardii is not consumed through food, only supplementation, and is recognised as a safe supplement to be taken up to 30 billion CFUs per day, however this high dosage should only be reached when working with a nutrition professional.
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