i understand you need probiotics before going to India

[NoahVale]

would these be tablets you continue to take
or yakult before you go?

Used to visit India a lot pre this sort of advice being offered and like many survived with no ill effects.

Best way of avoiding problems was to avoid salads and buffets or any food that wasn't cooked fresh, no drinking of tap water, no ice in drinks.....

Probiotics won’t help avoid food poisoning (if only it were that easy), but may help with general upset due to the very different food.
I’ve been to India many times: drink bottled water, no meat, only fruit I can peel, no food that’s been sitting around keeping warm, keep hands clean, sleep well.
This is for back packing/travelling on a budget, not going on a fancy package in 5* hotels.
My digestion did sort of speed up so that I did need the loo quite rapidly at times, but nothing that stopped me doing anything.

If you manage to take them a little bit before vomiting? That’s rather helpful in my experience. You will still vomit but experience much less discomfort.

Yes, me too. Just be cautious about what you eat and brush your teeth with bottled water.

🤪🤪 Really? The brain power of MN is seriously lacking lately

I have just come back from India I took the Optibac travel abroad ones started 4 days before the holiday and one every day. I read that if you get sick they lessen the impact but won’t necessarily stop it. Don’t know if they work but I do know that neither my husband or I got sick and losing a few days of your holiday is worth the cost of the tablets in my opinion. Only eat cooked food and use bottled water and religious hand washing/hand sanitizer when out and about and touching money. It was an amazing holiday so enjoy!

Probiotics dont work at all generally. Most of them don't survive stomach acid and are destroyed by it. They never reach the bowel.

My husband regularly travels to India and has never been told to take these. He always takes Imodium though. He’s careful where he eats and so far has avoided Delhi Belly.

I have been to India many, many, times (I have family there) and have never been told to take probiotics. I can’t see how they would prevent food poisoning (if that is in fact the reason you have been told to take them.) And in case it reassures you, I have only got food poisoning twice - both times in the 80s and nothing since. My DH and DD have never got it. We are pretty sensible though and of course eat a lot of home cooked food. The big thing to avoid is salad, in case it’s been washed in untreated water. But most hotels etc will now wash in filtered water and you should ask if they do.

That said, probiotics are generally a good idea, all the time. And I can see that if it is different types of bacteria, rather than food poisoning that you are trying to protect your stomach against, that MIGHT be a thing? I see no harm in taking them. I have to take them for gastric issues anyway, and my gastroenterologist told me that the key is to take them every day as they build up over time.

Have an amazing time, OP. Obviously I am biased but India is amazing and unlike anywhere else. Recently two (non Indian heritage) friends who had never been before went and are already planning another trip!

I would take Saccharomyces boulardii (a yeast, not a bacterium), it is by far the best researched and evidenced probiotic for travellers diarrhea. You should start at least a week before travelling.

Avoid salad, ice cream, ice, I only drank canned juice with straws. Used hand sanitizer religiously. Still got giardia. Rest of family mostly ok. Street food better than hotel buffet unless you come early to it.

I’d be really interested in seeing the evidence. I also don’t understand the reasoning. It absolutely will not prevent food poisoning or parasite infections, and I’m not convinced by this idea of “tummy upset that’s not food poisoning but just different bacteria”, though would be very happy to be educated.

How can it be a sales pitch? Is the person doing the jabs taking a cut from the local pharmacy or Amazon where OP might buy her tablets?

My advice is dont eat any meat as well as following the usual rules about tap water/ice/salad that’s been washed
If you want to get your gut flora into good shape before you go, you should be eating a prebiotic diet and keeping sugar ti a minimum. I’ve been to India many times, never got sick, never taken probiotics. You should have Imodium with you just in case your bum does fall off.
in terms of where you buy food from, I can’t see the point in going somewhere like India, with such incredible street food and not eating it.

Wrong thread

There's no evidence that probiotics are beneficial in preventing stomach upsets or food poisoning.

There's a small amount of evidence to say that they might be mildly helpful for people with IBS, but it's possible that's the placebo effect.

Most of the bacteria in probiotics are just killed off in your stomach (just as most potentially harmful bacteria are - we all swallow loads of potentially harmful bacteria every single day with no ill effects because in most cases we kill them off. It's only in the rare cases that we don't/can't that we become unwell).

Probiotics aren't going to stop you from getting food poisoning or tummy bugs or protect you from 'new' bacteria abroad.

Same - been to India multiple times never taken probiotics.
I do eat yogurt when I travel and drink extra water.

I've been to India a few times. Once I got full blown food poisoning (I think from dodgy lobster) and the others I've been completely fine. Never taken probiotics and never heard it was a thing until now.

How can it be a sales pitch? Is the person doing the jabs taking a cut from the local pharmacy

The person doing the jabs is the local pharmacy, I'd imagine. That's usually where you go to get travel vaccinations. Most of them aren't available on the NHS.

This is the only thing that works, it says cholera but it's all water bourne viruses I think.
You do need a private prescription for it though. I had it years ago for China, it was c£50, I expect it would be triple that now though.

It lasts for three years as well

I’ve been to India 6 times and never got ill. I always go to a specialist travel doctor and get Dolores - it’s a cholera vaccine but also protects against Delhi belly. Your surgery should be able to get it in for you. It’s just a drink so easy to take! Highly recommend.

You can get travel vaccinations from gp surgery, you pay for them and they certainly are available

Sorry, image didn't post.

I don't bother with probiotics but do take a pack of Azithromycin with me in case I get food poisoning. I've been to India a lot and never needed to use it though. And you can probably buy Azithromycin a lot more cheaply over there if you just pick some up on arrival.

• cholera vaccine offers some general protection against bugs that cause upset stomach
• probiotics
• peptobismol (can be used preventively)
• no meat/fish
• no salad
• no fruit you haven't peeled or washed yourself
• no ice
• DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE