A healthy individual response to probiotics is different than a person with CFS etc. What helps one may hurt the other. Dr. Mercola is well respected but does not focus on CFS, Crohn’s Disease or other autoimmune diseases.

This probiotic blend only specifies one specific strain, the rest are described at the family level (which means that we do not know exactly what their effects could be).

• Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1

There were just 9 PubMed articles on this strain

• Nonlipopolysaccharide component(s) of Lactobacillus acidophilus stimulate(s) the production of interleukin-1 alpha and tumor necrosis factor-alpha by murine macrophages (1997). “stimulate(s) the production of IL-1 alpha and TNF-alpha by macrophages”
  • CFS patients have ” increased levels of tumor necrosis factor-α” [2016]
  • Evidence for inflammation and activation of cell-mediated immunity in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): increased interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor-α, PMN-elastase, lysozyme and neopterin [2012].
• Some effect reports for other conditions
  • Probiotic supplement reduces atopic dermatitis in preschool children: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. ” 33.7% in the probiotic group compared with 19.4% in the placebo” – thus minor
  • The effects of the DDS-1 strain of lactobacillus on symptomatic relief for lactose intolerance – a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial [2016].
• No effect reports:
  • Probiotic capsules do not lower plasma lipids in young women and men.
  • Role of short-term use of L. acidophilus DDS-1 and B. lactis UABLA-12 in acute respiratory infections in children: a randomized controlled trial. “short-term use of probiotics does not reduce the incidence,”
  • Probiotic consumption does not enhance the cholesterol-lowering effect of soy in postmenopausal women.
  • Plasma phytoestrogens are not altered by probiotic consumption in postmenopausal women with and without a history of breast cancer.
  • Short-term soy and probiotic supplementation does not markedly affect concentrations of reproductive hormones in postmenopausal women with and without histories of breast cancer.

Bottom Line

Do not take this probiotic because it will likely increase any symptoms associated with the increased TNF-alpha and interleukin-1 that is typical with CFS  patients.

Crohn’s Disease

This applies to likely all autoimmune conditions, for example:

• “These consistently raised TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-6 secretions by normal appearing mucosa from patients with Crohn‘s disease provide evidence for a sustained immune stimulation in Crohn‘s disease even in the absence of patent inflammation.” [1996]