MyReuteri contains high counts of the important gastrointestinal microbe, Lactobacillus
reuteri, that Dr. Davis has been talking about, making yogurt with, and studying in
humans and animals. Because L. reuteri, as well as many other bacterial species, is
susceptible to common antibiotics, many have lost this microbe and thereby all of its
potential benefits. MyReuteri is our way of restoring this important microbe.

While it does not hurt to refrigerate MyReuteri, there is no need to. It is helpful, however,
to store in a relatively cool area out of direct sunlight and, of course, with the cap on, as
want the microbes to avoid exposure to moisture.

MyReuteri can be taken with food or without, as it does not impact significantly on the
number of surviving microbes. The only precaution to take is to not consume the
probiotic capsules of MyReuteri while sipping or eating a food that is very hot, e.g.,
coffee, tea, hot soups, as the heat can kill the microbes and may reduce potential
benefits.

Also, the only issue with time of day is that some people feel a little sleepy if taken early
in the day. If this happens to you, simply shift the time you take MyReuteri to evening or
bedtime.

Our experience has been that, in general, greater numbers of microbes with probiotic
properties provide greater effects than smaller numbers. After all, the human
gastrointestinal microbiome numbers around 100 trillion. It may reasonably therefore
require tens to hundreds of billions to generate meaningful effects. Because of the effort
and expense of generating such “dose-response” observations, the understanding of
this phenomenon in the microbiome science world is limited. Until we gain a better
understanding, we include counts of microbes that we believe yield significant benefits.

Yes, but with some exceptions. Because MyReuteri is a living microbe, we avoid taking
it with anything that has antibiotic effects. This includes any supplement containing
iodine, any supplement you may be taking to manage intestinal dysbiosis, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), or fungal overgrowth. This includes supplements
such as berberine, curcumin (turmeric), and essential oils taken orally. Other
supplements such as vitamin D, fish oil, magnesium and many others are perfectly
compatible.

Yes, it is perfectly safe to combine MyReuteri with other probiotics including with Gut to
Glow.

The recommended regimen of four Gut to Glow capsules per day provides 40 billion
CFUs (microbes), a quantity that we believe yields significant benefits. Adding one or
two capsules of MyReuteri adds another 20 billion counts of L. reuteri per capsule. In
general, the greater the number of microbes, the greater the effects.

Yes, absolutely. The combination of MyReuteri and fermented foods can be a powerful
way to help restore a healthy gastrointestinal microbiome.

This is a common experience with any probiotic and is due to antagonistic effects that L.
reuteri and other probiotic species introduce against unhealthy microbes in the
gastrointestinal tract. One way to deal with this is to reduce the dose, e.g., reduce from
two capsules per day to one capsule per day or even one capsule every-other-day. You
can also take your dose with food to disperse the bacteria. Should you continue to
experience difficulty, consult your doctor but ask specifically about the possibility that
you have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, SIBO, i.e., unhealthy bacterial species
that have colonized your stomach and small intestine. When a beneficial microbe such
as L. reuteri is introduced, unhealthy bacterial species begin to die and this can yield
some unpleasant effects. Your doctor may have additional steps you can take that can
help you better tolerate MyReuteri, as well as other probiotics and fermented foods,
once this phenomenon is addressed.

Beyond the nausea, bloating, and diarrhea that can occur when initiating any probiotic,
we know of no side effects of supplementing MyReuteri. You may have heard Dr. Davis
say that nearly all hunter-gatherer humans and mammals have this microbe–it’s most
modern humans that have lost this microbe and thereby its potential benefits. Restoring factors that should have been part of the human experience all along is therefore
typically not associated with adverse effects.

Modern people have been overexposed to antibiotics such as amoxicillin, cefazolin, and
gentamicin. L. reuteri, the microbial species contained in MyReuteri, is very susceptible
to common antibiotics and has therefore been eradicated from the gastrointestinal
microbiomes of most people. There may be other factors that contribute to its
disappearance such as herbicide and pesticide residues in food, food additives with
antimicrobial properties such as food preservatives and emulsifying (mixing) agents,
and various pharmaceuticals. Even German microbiologist, Dr. Gerhard Reuter, who
initially discovered this microbe in the breastmilk of a breastfeeding mother in 1962
made the observation over his subsequent 40-year academic career, that it became
harder and harder to recover this organism from breastmilk, stool, and other body
locations over this time period. More recent analyses have corroborated Dr. Reuter’s
observation: L. reuteri has been lost by many people.

MyReuteri provides the microbe, L. reuteri, at relatively high counts, as does Gut to
Glow. While all mammals, including humans, are meant to have this beneficial microbe
as part of their gastrointestinal microbiome, we do not know if the high counts provided
by these products (or as the yogurt that you ferment from these products) is safe in the
setting of pregnancy. Recall that women can be given oxytocin intravenously to provoke
uterine contraction at term pregnancy, causing the baby to be delivered. (L. reuteri has
been shown in animal studies to increase oxytocin.) We therefore do not know if it is
safe to consume higher intakes of L. reuteri in pregnant females.

Yes, absolutely. You can use the microbes in MyReuteri as a starter for yogurt making.
Of course, it is not really yogurt in the conventional sense, but a fermented dairy product
that looks and smells like yogurt. In our analyses of the yogurts made from MyReuteri,
we obtain approximately 300 billion CFUs (microbial counts) per ½-cup serving. Yogurt
made from MyReuteri will be more sour than conventional yogurt because the extended
fermentation method we use to achieve high bacterial counts also converts nearly all
the lactose to lactic acid, accounting for the acidic or sour flavor. Feel free to add
blueberries, strawberries, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, and healthy non-caloric
sweeteners such as monk fruit, allulose, or stevia to soften the sourness.