Eric, why do assert that I am challenging you? I assure you, I'm not. No condescending tone was intended in my comment...just a mild curiosity at your humerous (to me) query.

Perhaps it might help if you think of my voice, when you read my posts, as being deep, quiet, almost hyponotic. Absolutely no attempt at domination, one-upsmanship, or aggression. That's not my style at all. I'm very mellow and easy going in person. I can be intense in conversation (verbal and written), but thats an aspect of my enthusiasm for sharing information, by training as an educator and technical specialist.

On the question of microbial (probiotic) supplements:

First, let me preface this discussion with the observation that much of this knowledge is rapidly evolving in the biomedical/nutritional sciences literature.

Second, we need to look at the most overt evidence for our diet type: yes, we have dentation that support both carnivore and vegetarian nutrient sources. However, until recently, it was more energy intensive (and more difficult to store) protein sources than to harvest or collect vegetables, legumes, roots, nuts and seeds as base calorie sources in our diet.

As to the use of microbial supplements -you can try them, but the added microbes won't stick around and multiply if their nutrient needs aren't met and you internal morphology (surface area and membrane morphology) can't support them. We appear to produce docking proteins (this is very new area of nutritional research), under certain signaling conditions, that promote colonization and adherence of these microbes to gut membrane surfaces. We also produce secretions that these microbes require for their function - hence, the commensalistic (when two organisms share an ecological niche and mutually supply necessary nutrients) aspect of our cozy relationship with intestinal flora.

Many of us have gut surfaces that look like tighly woven (low vertical aspect) berber carpets, when they should look like 60s-era shag carpets.

It's a egg and chicken situation. You need both the food type and microbes to signal changes to the gut ...which takes time, gut cell turnover is on the order of weeks to months, and you have to build up substantial mass of villi growth (elongation and radial thickness alterations, along with changes in membrane physiology).

I'm post a couple of web links that describe dietary composition effect on gut absorption capacity and efficiency..and when we can discuss diet modulation to promote positive changes in gut internal structure.

Again, I assure you that I'm not here to show off, impress, or challenge anyone here. I'm here simply to share what I've information I've come accross that I feel is beneficial to the bodybuilding game. In return, I've come here to learn more of the mechanics - the art and science - behind various training techniques.