Probiotic implant and colonic irrigation

Probiotic Implant and Colonic Irrigation in London

Our probiotic implant and colonic irrigation procedure combines professional colon hydrotherapy with the direct introduction of a high-strength multi-strain probiotic preparation into the lower bowel.

The procedure is available at Parkland Natural Health in Holborn, Central London. Your appointment includes consultation, suitability screening, colon hydrotherapy and the probiotic implant.

If this is your first treatment, you may also find our guide on what to expect from colon hydrotherapy useful before booking.

How Does the Probiotic Implant Work?

The probiotic implant is introduced after the colonic irrigation has finished. During the colonic, filtered water is introduced gently into the large bowel using our closed-system, gravity-fed approach.

At the end of the session, the therapist introduces the probiotic preparation directly into the lower bowel. Unlike an oral probiotic, it does not first need to pass through the stomach and small intestine before reaching the colon.

After Antibiotics: Supporting the Gut Microbiome

Antibiotics are essential medicines. However, they can also alter the intestinal microbiome. Alongside bacteria responsible for an infection, antibiotic treatment may reduce or change populations of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

The extent of this disruption varies between people. Recovery also differs from person to person and can depend on the antibiotic used, the length of treatment and the individual’s existing microbiome.

Published research has examined these changes in detail. A recent systematic review also looked at whether probiotic supplementation can help prevent or reverse antibiotic-related disruption of the gut microbiome.

PubMed: probiotics and antibiotic-related microbiome disruption

What Have Our Clients’ Microbiome Tests Shown?

Our clinical experience at Parkland Natural Health includes clients who had laboratory microbiome testing following antibiotic treatment.

In individual cases we have reviewed, initial tests showed a markedly disrupted bacterial profile. Important beneficial bacterial groups fell outside the laboratory’s stated normal or healthy ranges.

These clients subsequently completed a course of colon hydrotherapy with probiotic implants at Parkland Natural Health and later repeated their microbiome tests.

These findings come from individual Parkland clients rather than a controlled clinical trial. They do not mean that every person will obtain an identical result. Microbiomes differ between individuals, and laboratories may also use different testing methods and reference ranges.

Our experience with medically referred clients is discussed in more detail in A Gastroenterologist Prescribes Colonic Irrigation.

What Is in the Probiotic Implant?

The implant contains a high-strength combination of bacteria normally associated with the human intestinal microbiota. According to the manufacturer’s specification, each preparation contains more than 30 billion bacteria at manufacture.

• Lactobacillus acidophilus – 45%
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus – 25%
• Streptococcus thermophilus – 10%
• Lactobacillus plantarum – 7%
• Bifidobacterium bifidum – 6%
• Bifidobacterium longum – 3%
• Lactobacillus bulgaricus – 3%
• Lactobacillus salivarius – 1%

The bacterial composition and percentages above follow the manufacturer’s specification for the probiotic preparation used by the clinic.

Probiotic Implant vs Oral Probiotics: What About SIBO?

Oral probiotics and probiotic implants take different routes. Oral probiotics pass through the stomach and small intestine before reaching the large bowel. A probiotic implant is introduced directly into the lower bowel after colon hydrotherapy.

This distinction may be particularly relevant to people with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

Can Oral Probiotics Make SIBO Symptoms Worse?

The scientific evidence is mixed. One published clinical study reported an association between probiotic use, SIBO, bloating and brain-fog symptoms in a selected group of patients. However, other studies have examined probiotics as part of SIBO management, and systematic reviews have reported possible benefits in some patients.

For this reason, we do not claim that oral probiotics generally cause SIBO. However, taking increasingly large quantities of oral probiotics may not be appropriate for everyone, particularly if they appear to increase bloating, gas or abdominal discomfort.

At Parkland Natural Health, we are seeing more clients who have already received a medical diagnosis of SIBO. Some tell us that oral probiotic supplements increased their bloating or discomfort.

What Happens After Medical Treatment for SIBO?

Doctors commonly use antibiotics to reduce bacterial overgrowth in confirmed SIBO. British gastroenterology guidance identifies rifaximin as the most extensively studied treatment and reports effectiveness in approximately 60–80% of patients with proven SIBO.

However, antibiotics can also affect the wider intestinal microbiome. This creates a separate question after successful SIBO treatment: how should the bacterial environment of the large bowel be supported afterwards?

Some Parkland clients therefore choose probiotic implant and colonic irrigation after completing their prescribed antibiotic treatment. The probiotic preparation is introduced directly into the lower bowel rather than travelling through the stomach and small intestine first.

This does not replace medical SIBO treatment. It is a separate, complementary approach aimed at supporting the bacterial environment of the large bowel following antibiotic use.

PubMed: probiotics, SIBO, bloating and brain fog
PubMed: systematic review of probiotics and SIBO
British Society of Gastroenterology guidance

Who May Consider a Probiotic Implant?

This procedure may be of interest to clients who:

• have recently completed a course of antibiotics;
• have experienced major dietary changes or travel;
• have microbiome testing showing an unfavourable bacterial profile;
• want to introduce a multi-strain probiotic preparation directly into the lower bowel;
• already use colon hydrotherapy and want to include probiotic implantation in their programme;
• have completed medical treatment for SIBO and wish to discuss post-antibiotic microbiome support;
• have discussed colon hydrotherapy or microbiome support with their GP or gastroenterologist.

For more information about medical referrals and professional opinion, see Do Doctors Recommend Colonic Irrigation?

Professional Screening and Medical Care

Colon hydrotherapy is not suitable for everyone. Every new client therefore receives a consultation and suitability screening before treatment.

Please review our colonic irrigation contraindications and suitability information before booking, particularly if you have an existing medical condition or have recently undergone surgery.

Please tell your therapist about current medicines, recent surgery or hospital treatment, bowel conditions, heart or kidney conditions, pregnancy, rectal bleeding, significant abdominal pain or unexplained changes in bowel habits.

If your medical history suggests that further assessment should come first, we may postpone treatment and ask you to speak to your GP, gastroenterologist or another appropriate healthcare professional.

If you are currently taking prescribed antibiotics, continue to follow the instructions of the healthcare professional who prescribed them. Do not stop or alter prescribed medication in order to have colon hydrotherapy.

Why Choose Parkland Natural Health?

• Central London clinic in Holborn
• Professional colon hydrotherapy since 2005
• Closed-system, gravity-fed approach
• Consultation and suitability screening
• High-strength multi-strain probiotic implant
• Experienced colon hydrotherapists
• Experience with clients referred by GPs and specialist doctors, including gastroenterologists
• Real-world experience with before-and-after client microbiome testing

If you would like to compare this procedure with our other options, view all colonic irrigation treatments in London.

Book Probiotic Implant and Colonic Irrigation in London

Your appointment includes consultation, suitability screening, professional colon hydrotherapy and the high-strength multi-strain probiotic implant.

Medical information: Colon hydrotherapy and probiotic implantation are complementary procedures. They do not replace medical diagnosis, prescribed antibiotics or care from your GP or gastroenterologist. Individual responses vary.