The large intestines need bifidobacteria; the small intestines need acidophilus.[get more info on functions / benefits]

Possible problems

• Herxheimer or "die-off" reaction: "cell walls of the candida binds up the mercury and other toxic metals, providing a measure of relief. If the candida cell walls are destroyed, the cell walls release their toxic metals back into the system, causing symptoms. This release of heavy metals is possibly one explantion of Herxheimer's reaction, in which the patient feels more ill, and even more toxic, after the candida is attacked and killed." From Tuberose.com's Mercury page, which has a lot of information on Mercury toxicity, but no references.
• Methylation - mercury can be methylated not by only yeast and by oral bacteria, but by even the healthy bacteria in probiotics. Methyl mercury damages the CNS and the intestinal immune system. See Probiotics and Heavy Metal Detox, by Timothy Ray OMD LAc, who cites
  • "Transformations of Inorganic Mercury by Candida Albicans and Saccharomyces Cerevisiae," Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Jan 1991; 57:1:245-247; S Yannai; I Berdicevsky, L Duek; Dept. of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, and Unit of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.
  • "The Methylization of Mercuric Chloride by Human Intestinal Bacteria," Experentia, 31:9; 1975; Sept 15, 1064-5; IR Rowland; P Grasso; MJ Davies; British Industrial Biological Research Association, Woodmansterne Road, Cashalton, Surrey, SM5 4DS, England.
  • "Methylation of Mercury from Dental Amalgam and Mercuric Chloride by Oral Streptococci in-vitro". Heintze, U. Edwardsson, S., Derand, T. and Birkhed, D. Scand. J. Dental Research 91(2) 150-152, 1983.

My experience

Currently I'm not taking any, they all gave me bad reactions, last I tried.

For more information

• Leo Galland's summary is detailed.