live yoghurt and prednisolone

[musicalJ]

I debated whether to add this to the current discussion or start with a fresh question. Lots of you say you take prednisolone with live yoghurt, but when I searched for relevant information a while back it said that you should not take prednisolone with live yoghurt (can't remember why). I eat a lot of yoghurt, but avoid the live if possible just in case. Odd times I have bought live in error and it doesn't seem to have had any adverse effect. Can any one add any information to this?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

There are plenty of related posts now you’ve asked - and some going back a long time… but can’t see where it says don’t eat live yogurt…. in fact most comments promote it.

It’s low fat version that isn’t generally recommended.

[musicalJ in reply to DorsetLady]

It was generally searching on Google that I found it, probably on a 'respectable' website, because I usually look to see what the website is in order to decide whether to consider it or not. I must confess that, because many years ago I was put on a low fat diet for high cholesterol, I tend to go for fat-free options where possible. I hadn't realized that it might now be more important to consume more dairy fat. I've returned to semi-skimmed milk after many years on skimmed, and to eating butter rather than a low-fat spread. I also eat more cheese than I did and lots of seeds and nuts, and use olive oil if I need fat in cooking.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to musicalJ]

Our bodies need different things at different times… and as you get older and may have different health issues you need to adjust mind and diet.

I have a family member who is still feeding herself and hubby as if they were still in their 30s & 40s……. and won’t be told that in the 60s & 70s you need a slightly different diet …. 🤦🏻‍♀️

.

[Janstr in reply to DorsetLady]

Do you know why the low fat one isn’t recommended?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Janstr]

Full -fat yoghurt is higher in protein, calcium and, well, fat, while low-fat yoghurt contains all of those components, but it's less dense and also likely to contain more sugar. So a good quality full fat yogurt [in moderation] is better.

If manufacturers reduce the fat, invariably they add sugar for taste.

[Janstr in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks DL. I use a low fat one that doesn’t have the sugar so should be ok. I was advised to change dairy products to low fat to deal with cholesterol after a TIA. I hated it all at first, but have got used to it.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Janstr]

That’s the problem when you need different food for different illnesses.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

ALL yogurts are live unless they are UHT ones - the ones that don't require refrigeration. If the ones in the fridge aren't live they would be sour and unpleasant to eat.

[Quirkycrafter in reply to PMRpro]

Not all have live bacteria, I have keffir every day.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Quirkycrafter]

Kefir has live cultures in it - it is the live cultures that provide it with its health benefits.

lifewaykefir.com/kefir-vs-y....

[darkred in reply to PMRpro]

I was drinking a lot of kefir when I got diverticulitis with abscesses, so I discontinued it, even though the hospitalist told me I could continue to drink it. I may start drinking kefir again. "Correlation is not causation," i.e., it was probably just a coincidence.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to darkred]

Exactly ...

[proactive]

I read that in rare cases, live yogurt can cause an imbalance of bacteria that starts an infection that immunocompromised patients (those on Prednisone) can't recover from. Of course, now, I can't find that article....

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to proactive]

I think it is unlikely to happen to patients on the sort of doses of pred we are on - the immunocompromsed patients they usually mean are cancer patients or organ transplant patients and such patients are recommended not to eat live yoghurt and dairy products or unpasteurised items for the first 6 months.

ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide/le...

[musicalJ in reply to PMRpro]

That's helpful, I think it must be what I read about that made me think I should avoid kefir and live yoghurt. Before I was on prednisolone I used to take a probiotic yoghurt now and then. Thanks also to Dorset Lady for her explanation about the full fat dairy products.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to musicalJ]

Well - put it this way - I eat an awful lot of live yoghurt etc, Hasn't done me any harm I know of!