What This Acidophilus Probiotic Is For
NOW Gr8-Dophilus is the acidophilus probiotic people take as a steady daily capsule for digestive comfort and regularity, and it is the one pack on our shelf that carries both the bacteria and the fibre they feed on in the same capsule. Eight species, four billion live organisms, in an enteric-coated capsule.
Our shelf is called probiotics and prebiotics, and this is the only product on it that is both at once. Alongside the eight bacterial species sits a small amount of fructo-oligosaccharide, a fibre the body passes through undigested and these particular bacteria use as food. Everything else here is one or the other, and buying the two separately costs a good deal more.
Why an Acidophilus Probiotic Comes Enteric Coated
Stomach acid is harsh enough to destroy most of a dose of live bacteria before it ever reaches the bowel, which is the only place it has any work to do. An enteric coating holds the capsule shut through the stomach and opens further down.
Two practical things follow. Swallow it whole, because opening the capsule or crushing it throws away the whole point of the coating. And take it between meals or on an empty stomach, which is when it passes through the stomach quickest.
Eight Named Species, and Why That Matters
A probiotic does whatever its particular species and strains do, and a label saying live cultures tells you nothing at all. The eight here are Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32, Bifidobacterium lactis Bl-04, Lactobacillus salivarius Ls-33, Lactobacillus casei Lc-11, Bifidobacterium longum Bl-05, Streptococcus thermophilus St-21 and Bifidobacterium bifidum Bb-02, built around the acidophilus and bifidus families that have been in daily use longest.
The blend weighs 370 mg a capsule, and the strains are identity-verified by DNA fingerprinting, which is how a maker proves the organism in the capsule is the organism on the label. It is a quality control step rather than a benefit, and it is worth knowing it was taken. One thing to flag if you avoid soy: this pack carries trace amounts of it, where the others on our shelf do not.
Four Billion, and How to Place It Against the Rest of the Shelf
Four billion is a steady daily number rather than a short intensive course, and that is exactly how to use this pack. One to three capsules a day means sixty capsules run anywhere from three weeks to two months depending on the amount you settle on with our pharmacist.
If the reason you are here is the fortnight after a course of antibiotics or a bad stomach bug, a much higher count for a few weeks is a better fit, and NOW Probiotic 10 carries twenty-five times as many organisms in a single capsule. If you want a daily pack that sits at room temperature on a shelf in this climate, the Nature’s Aid five-strain capsules are built for it. Tell our pharmacist which of those three situations you are in and the choice takes a minute.
Taking It Around Antibiotics
An antibiotic swallowed at the same time as a bacterial probiotic destroys a good share of it on the way down, so keep two hours between them and carry on for a few days after the course finishes.
If your course is still running and you would rather sidestep the timing altogether, a probiotic yeast is untouched by antibiotics, which is what NOW Saccharomyces boulardii offers. Ask us and we will set you up with whichever suits the week you are in.
How to Take It, and What the First Week Feels Like
One capsule, one to three times daily, between meals or on an empty stomach, swallowed whole with a full glass of water.
Begin with one capsule a day for the first week even if you intend to work up, because the fibre in the capsule is the part people notice. Wind and fullness in the first few days are common with any added fibre, they usually settle within a week, and starting gently is the difference between carrying on and giving up on a pack. Keep the bottle closed, cool and out of the sun.
What We Are Permitted to Tell You
No health claim for any probiotic is authorised anywhere, and the same is true of every prebiotic fibre assessed so far. Every claim submitted has been rejected or left on hold, so nobody may promise you that this pack supports your immune system or restores your intestinal flora, and we hold back from saying it.
What we give you instead is the species count, the organism count, the fibre, the reason for the coating, how to take it around an antibiotic, and who ought to ask a pharmacist first. On a shelf where everyone else is promising results, the plain version is the more useful one.
Is This Acidophilus Probiotic Right for You?
Please talk to our pharmacist or our doctor before you start if any of these apply to you.
- A weakened immune system, or treatment that weakens it. Live organisms deserve a proper conversation first if you are having chemotherapy, taking immune-suppressing medicines, or living with an illness that affects your immunity.
- A central line or any indwelling catheter. Please speak to us, and to the team looking after the line, before taking live organisms of any kind.
- Irritable bowel syndrome, or a gut that reacts to fibre. The fructo-oligosaccharide in this capsule is a fermentable fibre, and some people with sensitive bowels find it adds wind rather than settling things. Come and talk to us and we will find you a pack without it.
- Diarrhoea with fever, blood, severe pain, or lasting more than two days. Come and see us the same day. Fluids and salts come first, and a probiotic sits alongside proper treatment rather than in place of it.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or a child. Ask us for the right product and the right amount rather than sharing an adult pack.
Where to Buy NOW Gr8-Dophilus in Kenya
Order online and we deliver countrywide, or collect from our pharmacy at Kahawa Sukari Shopping Center, Nairobi. We send orders to Nairobi and every neighbourhood around it — the CBD, Westlands, Parklands, Gigiri, Muthaiga, Runda, Rosslyn, Kitisuru, Lower Kabete, Lavington, Kileleshwa, Kilimani, Karen, Langata, South B, South C, Eastleigh, Buruburu, Donholm, Embakasi, Ngong Road, Kasarani, Roysambu, Zimmerman, Githurai, Ruaka, Banana Hill, Two Rivers, Village Market and Pride Lands — and across Kiambu, Thika, Juja, Ruiru, Kikuyu, Limuru and Ngong.
Beyond the capital we deliver to Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos, Athi River, Kitengela, Kajiado, Naivasha, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Siaya, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Webuye, Kitale, Nandi Hills, Iten, Kapenguria, Embu, Meru, Chuka, Kerugoya, Murang’a, Othaya, Nyahururu, Nanyuki, Maralal, Isiolo, Marsabit, Moyale, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Lodwar, Kitui, Mwingi, Makueni, Emali, Kibwezi, Voi, Taveta, Wundanyi, Mariakani, Diani, Ukunda, Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi, Lamu and Hola. At one to three capsules a day a pack runs for a known length of time, so tell us the pack size you want and we will work out how many months that covers before you order.
Across Africa, ask us before you order. We have sent orders to Uganda, Tanzania, Somaliland and as far as Malawi, and we will quote for Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and the rest of the continent. Tell us the destination and we will confirm any import paperwork before the parcel leaves us.
Living abroad? Order from wherever you are and we deliver to your family here in Kenya. Kenyans in the UK, the United States, Canada, South Africa and the Gulf order from us regularly for parents and relatives at home. A daily probiotic like this one taken steadily month after month does far more than a single pack, so tell us who it is for and how many months you want covered and we will set up the repeat.
Why Buy Your NOW Gr8-Dophilus from HealthAlone Kenya?
HealthAlone is a pharmacist-led health ecosystem licensed by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, and our stock is original, sealed and correctly stored. Kahawa Sukari is a real counter with real pharmacists behind it.
Our pharmacists will settle how many capsules a day you actually need, which is the difference between a bottle lasting three weeks and two months. Our doctor is here too if you would rather have the whole question looked at properly.
It is one more step in our vision: building Africa’s most trusted health ecosystem, accessible to everyone, everywhere.
NOW Gr8-Dophilus: Your Questions Answered
What is in NOW Gr8-Dophilus?
Eight species of live bacteria, four billion organisms per capsule, built around the acidophilus and bifidus families, plus fructo-oligosaccharide, a fibre those bacteria feed on. No health claim for any probiotic is authorised, so we hold back from promising you a result.
Is this an acidophilus probiotic or a prebiotic?
Both, which makes it the only product on this shelf that is. The bacteria are the probiotic part and the fructo-oligosaccharide is the prebiotic part, in the same capsule.
Why is the capsule enteric coated?
Stomach acid destroys most of a dose of live bacteria before it reaches the bowel. The coating holds the capsule closed through the stomach and opens further down, where the organisms have work to do.
Can I open the capsule or crush it?
Please swallow it whole. Opening or crushing it undoes the coating and wastes most of the dose. If swallowing capsules is difficult, ask us and we will find you a powder or a liquid instead.
How many capsules a day?
One capsule, one to three times daily, between meals or on an empty stomach. Begin with one a day for the first week even if you plan to work up, and settle the final amount with our pharmacist.
How long does a bottle last?
Sixty capsules run from three weeks to two months, depending on whether you settle on one, two or three a day.
Four billion sounds low next to a hundred billion. Is it?
It is a different job. Four billion suits steady daily use over months. A hundred billion suits a short intensive course in the weeks after antibiotics or a stomach bug. Paying for the higher count as a daily habit is usually money spent for nothing.
Should I take it with my antibiotic?
Leave two hours between them, because an antibiotic taken alongside a bacterial probiotic destroys a good share of it, and carry on for a few days after the course ends. If your course is still running, ask us about a probiotic yeast, which antibiotics leave alone.
Does it need refrigerating?
Keep it closed, cool and out of direct sun. If you have a fridge, use it, because cold slows the loss of live organisms in any probiotic.
What does DNA fingerprinting on the label mean?
It means the organisms were identity-tested to confirm that what is in the capsule is what is named on the label. It is a quality control step rather than a benefit, and not every brand takes it.
Will it give me wind at first?
Some people get wind or fullness in the first few days, usually from the fibre rather than the bacteria. It tends to settle within a week, and starting on one capsule a day makes it much less likely.
Who should ask before taking it?
Anyone with a weakened immune system, anyone with a central line or other indwelling catheter, anyone with a bowel that reacts badly to fibre, and anyone pregnant or breastfeeding. Children need a product made for them.
Is it suitable for vegetarians?
It comes in a vegetarian capsule. Bring us the pack or ask before you order if you avoid dairy, because culture media vary between brands and we would rather check than guess.
Where can I buy NOW Gr8-Dophilus 60’s in Kenya, and what does it cost?
From HealthAlone, online for delivery countrywide or over the counter at Kahawa Sukari Shopping Center, Nairobi. The current price is shown above. We deliver across Nairobi — the CBD, Westlands, Parklands, Gigiri, Muthaiga, Runda, Kitisuru, Lavington, Kilimani, Karen, Langata, South B, South C, Eastleigh, Kasarani, Roysambu, Githurai, Ruaka and Banana Hill — and to Kiambu, Thika, Juja, Ruiru, Kikuyu, Limuru, Ngong, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos, Kitengela, Naivasha, Narok, Kericho, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Kitale, Embu, Meru, Nanyuki, Nyahururu, Isiolo, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Lodwar, Kitui, Makueni, Voi, Taveta, Mariakani, Diani, Ukunda, Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi and Lamu. Outside Kenya we have delivered to Uganda, Tanzania, Somaliland and Malawi, and we quote for Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and the rest of Africa on request. Ask us and we will compare it against the higher-count and room-temperature packs on the same shelf before you commit.
