Zark,
Thank you very much for this post. I have visited the 3 URLs you cited, and printed them. The second URL reference was expecially helpful (the inulin_prebiotic_probiotic URL). I have approached my Pm overgrowth from the viewpoint of Pm's food sources. The table in the second reference that shows utilization of complex carbohydrates by intestinal bacteria, clearly shows that Pm can not use branched starches (amylopectin). I have suspected as much, when I found literature showing that Pm is barely able to use disaccharides, and prefers to use organic acids as a carbon source (via the Kreb's Cycle).
I noticed that these references indicate, very clearly, that Bifidobacterium bifidum does not increase its growth with inulin. I take B. bifidum, at 20-40 billion CFU per day (Natren's Healthy Trinity). I have noticed that the beneficial effects of taking bifidum do not last more than a few days after stopping the probiotic supplement. I think this indicates that bifidum does not establish colonies in my gut, but just moves through with food / feces. I am on a diet, the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), which is less strict than the NSD about starches, but more strict about lactose and sucrose (disaccharides). I think the SCD prevents the bifidum from establishing permanent gut colonies. And it appears that inulin supplementation will not help with this situation.
Yes, I have been on the wrong diet for 3 years, and only just (in the last year), figured that out. So, I am trying to gradually transition to a gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian diet.
I am currently testing the idea of taking a starchy bean, garbanzo beans, as hummus, with my evening bifidum supplement. Beans contain a non-digestible oligosaccharide (NDO), called galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS), in addition to starch. The results have, so far, been good. (I do not have the genetics for AS or, very fortunately for me, RA.) I have tried less starchy beans, including navy, kidney, and black beans, and not gotten this effect. These beans probably also contain GOS. So, I am somewhat confused by what is going on with bifidum and the hummus. It may be that the garbanzos must have more GOS in them, than the other beans. I should add that Natren's Healthy Trinity is cultured on garbanzo beans, meaning that the 3 bacteria in the supplement, L. acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, and B. bifidum, grow well on this. So it was a good bet for me to try this.
I realize that most beans are definitely off the NSD allowable food list, because of their starch content. So, can people on the NSD use bifidum, if inulin is not effective? I suppose you guys could take GOS supplements with bifidum, but maybe some of the other Bifidobacterium (breve and infantis) would be a better idea.
Pardon my rambling--I am still in the process of thinking through this whole prebiotic/probiotic situation.
I do think that it would be a good idea for me to post my opinion, that Pm overgrowth and RA should be treated with a gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian diet, not the LSD/NSD. I came to this conclusion by observing my own personal experience with Pm overgrowth, and reading papers on treatment of RA with diet. Especially this paper: "Rheumatoid arthritis: proposal for the use of anti-microbial therapy in early cases", A. Ebringer, T. Rashid, and C. Wilson, Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology, 2003, 32:2-11. This paper summarizes previous research on RA and diets, and recommends a vegetarian or vegan diet, among other treatments. I know some of the people posting on this site, have suggested that RA and PM be treated with the LSD/NSD. I am pretty sure that this is wrong. Pardon my bluntness.
Jan