The series of January holidays has ended, and with it the rich meals that lasted for 10 days this year. This could not but affect the general well-being of the gastrointestinal tract. Which only takes a couple of days to “go astray” due to gluttony. All this requires restoration, because microflora and the digestive process play an extremely important role in our body. Starting from the formation of immunity, ending with the complete absorption of nutrients.
Today we suggest you consider the drug Linex. We'll tell you when and how to take it correctly.
Characteristics of the medicine
Linex is an antidiarrheal microbial drug. Available in capsules of 32 pcs. in a bottle or 8 pieces per blister. They are white in color, contain white powder, the shell is soluble and consists of gelatin. The medicine can be purchased at a pharmacy without a prescription. One tablet of the product contains antibiotic-resistant lactic acid bacteria, lacto and bifidobacteria, and enterococci.
In addition, it includes auxiliary components in the form of:
- potato starch;
- lactose;
- dextrin;
- magnesium stearate.
This drug is classified as a combination of probiotics and prebiotics, that is, drugs containing live microorganisms and components necessary to maintain their vital functions. Their use is controversial, since the bacteria contained in the drug are not always needed in such quantities by a particular person and it is impossible to control their intake.
The second nuance is that certain types of bacteria cannot be introduced alive into the digestive tract; they die on the way to it. Not all probiotics have been laboratory tested and their positive effects have been confirmed by clinical cases. But Linex underwent the necessary research and proved a positive effect in restoring intestinal microflora during dysbiosis.
Linex capsules contain three types of bacteria from different parts of the intestine. These organisms maintain the balance of intestinal microflora.
Their action is ensured by different mechanisms:
- bacteria provide an acidic environment in the digestive organs. This inhibits the growth of pathogenic microorganisms;
- lactobacilli participate in the formation of B vitamins;
- take part in metabolic processes occurring in the liver;
- prevent the adhesion of pathogenic microorganisms to the inner lining of the intestine;
- activate the formation of substances with antimicrobial effects;
- stimulate the body's protective functions.
Why take Linex? The drug is prescribed to children and adults during or after treatment with anibiotics, since such therapy causes dysbiosis, manifested by symptoms of digestive disorders:
- flatulence;
- bowel dysfunction;
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- poor appetite due to stagnation of food;
- belching;
- heartburn.
All these appearances signal the death of beneficial microorganisms and the inability of the intestines to digest incoming food. Dysbacteriosis develops not only after taking antimicrobial agents; it can be caused by viruses and pathogenic microorganisms, chemotherapeutic agents, and radiation therapy of internal organs. In infants, such disorders occur due to an unformed digestive system and the absence of normal microflora. Linex can help restore balance in the intestines and improve the digestion process.
After administration, lactobacilli immediately begin their action, normalizing the functions of the gastrointestinal tract. Since the drug is not absorbed into the intestine, there is no data on its pharmacokinetics. The drug does not affect the functions of the body, therefore it is considered safe for use during pregnancy, as well as for women breastfeeding, since it contains microorganisms that cannot cause harm or cause disruption to the development of the child.
Release form
According to the instructions for use, Linex for children is available in the following forms:
- white gelatin capsules, with powder inside;
- odorless white powder, packaged in special bags (sachets);
- transparent oily drops.
In addition, this probiotic is available in two types:
- Linux . This is a probiotic that contains three types of bacteria.
- Linux Forte . It contains only two types of beneficial bacteria, but their quantity in one dose is 100 times greater compared to a conventional drug, and they populate the intestines much faster. According to the instructions for use, Linex Forte can be used for children.
Indications for use
According to the instructions, the main indication for the use of the drug was the prevention of dysbiosis due to the use of antibiotics, as well as the elimination of diarrhea of various etiologies. Linex tablets help cope with this task because they populate the intestines with the necessary microflora.
Linex is also prescribed for vitamin deficiency and anemia caused by chronic pathologies of the gastric tract. With chronic digestive dysfunction, the patient has a malabsorption of nutrients supplied with food, since there are no bacteria capable of digesting food.
Such patients develop symptoms of vitamin deficiency, they lose weight, are pale, their hair and nails are brittle, and a rash appears on the skin. Such patients are prescribed Linex to restore the balance of intestinal microflora, improve the digestion process, and restore its ability to absorb microelements and nutrients from food.
How to take the drug
Linex is a safe drug, so even children can take it. Linex capsules are taken to eliminate the symptoms of dysbiosis, taken orally after meals with a small amount of water. The medicine must be swallowed without chewing. If the child cannot swallow the product, then the capsule is opened, and the contents are poured into a spoon, mixed with juice, tea or sweet soda and given to drink. The prepared mixture is used immediately as it cannot be stored.
As prescribed by a doctor, children over 12 years of age and adults drink Linex for diarrhea, 2 capsules three times a day . Infants and children under two years of age should be treated with Linex, 1 tablet three times a day. For older children, the drug helps in a dose of 1-2 capsules three times a day. It should be remembered that young children should be treated under the supervision of a doctor.
To ensure that the medicine does not lose its effectiveness, you need to drink Linex with meals, and also do not drink it with hot drinks or mix it with alcohol. This will limit the negative impact of temperatures or the acidic environment of gastric juice on the bacteria contained in the capsule and prevent their death.
The duration of treatment depends on the nature of the disease and the patient’s condition. It is established by a doctor and continues until the symptoms of the disease disappear. The patient should monitor his condition. If the symptoms do not go away within 2 days, and are accompanied by bloody discharge in the stool, despite taking the medicine, then you should urgently consult a doctor. When treating with Linex, it is important to maintain a drinking regime in order to replenish the body’s water balance.
Features of the use of the medicine
Linex is not prescribed to patients with individual intolerance to the components of the drug, as well as an allergy to milk. The annotation has no other contraindications to the use of the product. Linex is well tolerated by patients and quickly helps get rid of the symptoms of dysbiosis.
It is prescribed even to pregnant women, since it does not harm the expectant mother and her child. But such therapy should be carried out under the supervision of a gynecologist, since severe diarrhea leads to a state of dehydration, which has an extremely negative effect on the body of the mother and fetus. You should take Linex only in doses and courses prescribed by your doctor.
Adverse reactions of the body to taking Linex include hyperemia and a rash such as urticaria . But such manifestations are observed in patients prone to allergies or with individual intolerance to the drug. Linex does not affect attention and does not slow down reaction speed, so it is not prohibited for patients who drive vehicles or other automatic units to take it.
There are conditions in which taking Linex is limited. This:
- heat;
- blood or mucus in stool;
- prolonged diarrhea;
- symptoms of dehydration;
- sudden weight loss;
- diarrhea with severe abdominal pain;
- diabetes;
- heart failure;
- HIV infection.
Linex can be used with antimicrobial drugs and chemotherapeutic agents. To ensure that the therapeutic effect of taking it does not decrease, doctors recommend drinking Linex 3 hours after taking the antibiotic.
Helpful information
Today there are a huge variety of different medications for children, and all normal parents first try to figure out what kind of medications they are, and only then give them to their kids. We bring to your attention introductory instructions for using the most frequently recommended products. Quite often, newborns can have an allergic reaction to some external or internal irritants, so quite often experts recommend Fenistil drops or another fairly well-known remedy - Zyrtec.
But for throat diseases, Tantum Verde is considered an effective drug. In case of intestinal disorders, Enterol can come to the baby’s aid. So don’t rush to go to other sites, and check out our other articles.
Have you given your child this probiotic? What release form was it in, and why did you choose this particular option? What was the effect after the treatment? We will be glad if you share your stories and leave a couple of practical tips for those who are yet to use such products.
Benefits of Linux
Linex belongs to the combined probiotics. They are the ones that are preferred in medicine when using monotherapy. It contains a balanced composition of microorganisms that successfully replenish the deficiency of bacteria in the damaged intestine along its entire length.
The Linex capsule contains bacteria grown in a medium containing antibiotics or chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, microbes are resistant to these drugs and have the ability to further reproduce. This probiotic not only helps cure gastrointestinal pathologies, but also prevents their occurrence.
Contraindications
Regardless of the form of release, Linex is contraindicated for children if its composition is intolerant.
In addition, Linex Forte capsules should not be given to a child if he has the following disorders:
- genetic intolerance to fruit sugar;
- sucrase-isomaltase deficiency;
- impaired adsorption of galactose and glucose.
They should be given with caution to children with diabetes mellitus and various immunodeficiencies, for example, HIV infection.
Application in gastroenterology
Linex helps to get rid of the symptoms of digestive disorders due to gastrointestinal diseases of various etiologies.
Clinical studies have proven its effectiveness in:
- rotavirus infection;
- gastroenteritis;
- colitis;
- traveler's diarrhea;
- infectious lesion caused by X. bacterium pylori;
- chronic intestinal inflammation;
- irritable bowel syndrome;
- intestinal neoplasms;
- constipation
Taking Linex for irritable bowel syndrome reduces symptoms by improving intestinal motility and increasing its digestive ability, reduces gas formation, and has an analgesic effect for stomach pain. Linex helps in the treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. In patients with ulcerative colitis, taking high doses of the drug for 6 weeks resulted in remission in 80% of patients.
Studies have shown the effectiveness of Linex not only as a therapeutic agent, but also as a prophylactic substance that prevents the development of inflammation even in the distal parts of the small intestine in patients who have undergone surgery to remove the rectum or colon.
The role of Linex in preventing the inflammatory process is:
- reduction in the activity of virulent microbes;
- increasing the barrier ability of epithelial cells of the intestinal lining;
- stimulation of the body's protective properties.
The use of a probiotic inhibits the vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms that can mutate, participate in carcinogenesis, and cause the formation of gastrointestinal tumors. Linex has been successfully used for Helicobacter intestinal lesions. The probiotic is prescribed as part of a regimen for eradication of microorganisms. Linex enhances the effect of antibiotics included in the systemic treatment of gastroenterological pathologies of bacterial origin.
Linex, due to the secreted acids, reduces the accumulation and adhesion of H. bacterium pylori to the walls of the stomach and intestines, inhibits their growth and ability to reproduce. In addition, probitik stimulates the patient’s immunity and increases his resistance to the disease.
The use of Linex in combination with antibiotics reduces the risk of developing side effects from taking antimicrobial agents. Taking probiotics for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections involves reducing microbial colonies, reducing their activity, enhancing the eradication process, and reducing side effects from taking antibiotics.
For ulcers
Numerous studies and experiments have proven the benefits of probiotics for the prevention of peptic ulcers, as well as for the successful treatment of an already manifested serious disease. Most often, the cause of gastric or duodenal ulcers is an irregular and unbalanced diet, stress, inflammatory processes or excessive medication, and the presence of Helicobacter pylori.
For each of these reasons, probiotic preparations, especially with bifidobacteria, can have counteraction. The positive effect of the introduction of probiotics in the complex treatment of ulcers has been proven. Linex with lacto- and bifidobacteria is used as part of therapy recommended by a gastroenterologist.
Analogs
Linex is a combination drug related to pre- and probiotics. There is no exact copy in composition, but there are products that are similar in action. They are prescribed if it is impossible to carry out Linex therapy or if low-priced analogues are being sought. If you choose between regular Linex and Forte, then Linex Forte will help restore the microflora in the same way as a regular drug. The difference lies in the excipients. Therefore, when using, pay attention to the composition of the medicine.
Instead of Linex, you can use substitutes, but when choosing analogues you need to pay attention to the characteristics of the effect.
The drugs of choice were:
Acipol is a drug active against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Helps with chronic forms of colitis or enterocolitis, dysbacteriosis.
Normobact - helps with stool disorders caused by taking antibiotics. Be part of the complex treatment of dysbiosis.
Hilak Forte - drops containing waste products of microorganisms. It is not used as a single drug; it is used in combination with other medications.
Lactobacterin - contains microorganisms that can normalize the microflow in case of mild digestive disorders.
Bifidum - helps to quickly populate the intestines with beneficial microflora, normalizes the digestion process.
Bififrom is a dietary supplement (biological supplement) used in the prevention of dysbacteriosis.
Baktisubtil - contains dry lactobacilli. The price is significantly lower than Linux. Helps reduce symptoms of indigestion and dysbacteriosis.
Compound
The composition of the medicine depends on its release form and, based on the instructions for use, we will talk about the composition of each of them.
Drops
- The active and main components are bifidobacteria.
- The following excipients are used: maltodextrin, sunflower oil, sodium ascorbate, sucrose, DL-alpha tocopherol, citric acid.
Powder
- Main component: bifidobacteria.
- additional components are used. Therefore, in this form, the drug is considered most suitable for children, since it contains no substances that could cause any side effects.
Capsules
- The active substances are: bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, enterococci.
- They also contain the following additional components: potato starch, dextrin, magnesium stearate, lactose.
Linex Forte in capsules
The composition of the drug in this form includes such active microorganisms as: bifidobacteria, lactobacilli.
Auxiliary components are:
- microcrystalline cellulose;
- potato starch;
- anhydrous glucose;
- magnesium stearate;
- inulin;
- oligofructose.
Consumer Reviews
According to doctors, Linex is a fairly effective1 drug that helps normalize the intestinal microflora in a short time and relieve the patient from discomfort caused by taking antibiotics. It is worth noting that Linex Forte will help restore the balance of intestinal microorganisms at a dose half that of Linex. This is undoubtedly a plus, since Linex is not cheap.
Patients' opinions were divided. Linex helps many patients in recommended doses, as well as when taken separately from antibiotics. There are no undesirable reactions.
Oleg, 28 years old. His grandmother has a heart condition and after taking IV drips she develops stomach pain and upset bowel movements. The doctor recommended Linex. After taking it, my stomach problems went away within 2-3 days.
Artem. In my opinion, the best drug, Linek, should be in every first aid kit. His whole family takes this medicine if they have digestive problems.
But there are reviews from dissatisfied patients. They complain that, at a fairly high price, the product is not effective at all for adults.
Vladimir complains that the medicine was prescribed to his child for constipation. After taking Linex, not only did it not help, but it led to even greater retention of feces. The child stopped going to the toilet on his own. It was possible to induce defecation only with the help of an enema.
