Seirogan (正露丸) - Japanese antidiarrhoeal and digestive treatment

[Anianna]

TLDR: Shelf-stable treatment effective against diarrhea, typhoid, cramping, upset stomach, nematodes, etc.


Seirogan is a traditional medicine used much the same way western cultures use Bismuth (Pepto Bismol, Kaopectate) to treat ailments of the digestive tract, especially diarrhea.  It was developed around the time of the first Japanese-Sino War in which Japanese soldiers suffered badly from unclean water sources.  It's first documented effect was suppressing the typhoid fever pathogen. 

Seirogan was used in following wars to treat soldiers in the field to great effect and is a popular medication to this day.  The primary active ingredient is a pharmaceutical birch wood creosote.  It usually comes as shelf-stable dried little black balls you can swallow, but can also come in a thick tarry liquid and a more palatable sugar-coated pill because it smells and tastes horrendous.  However, it is believed that the smell may help induce its positive effects, so the uncoated option remains popular.

Soldiers returning home from numerous wars found it so effective that the medication became a staple in most households in Japan.  It was once believed to cure tuberculosis (it can help with some symptoms, but is not a cure) and has often been used as a cure-all for whatever ails ya'.  Some small studies find it comparable to other antidiarrheals and that it may be superior in treating cramping.  One study found that it also acts as an effective anti-parasitic (PDF).


Seirogan can be found online and in most Asian market stores.  There are many generic copycats of the original Seirogan, but the original and most trusted brand features a little red trumpet logo. 




Seirogan is classified as a supplement in the USA.
https://seiroganusa.com/index.html

[Moab]

Do you of the best natural remedies to effect the opposite? Lol!

[Anianna]

Do you of the best natural remedies to effect the opposite? Lol!

Constipation?  Eating whole kiwis, skin and all, is great dietary fiber for that.  Also, chill your dietary starches after cooking (like rice and potatoes) as heating and then cooling them changes their structure to better aid in digestion and colon regulation.  

This explains retrogradation in dietary starches: https://biologyinsights.com/why-is-cold-rice-better-for-you/

[Moab]

Do you of the best natural remedies to effect the opposite? Lol!

Constipation?  Eating whole kiwis, skin and all, is great dietary fiber for that.  Also, chill your dietary starches after cooking (like rice and potatoes) as heating and then cooling them changes their structure to better aid in digestion and colon regulation. 

This explains retrogradation in dietary starches: https://biologyinsights.com/why-is-cold-rice-better-for-you/

I have that part down. A lifetime of dealing with this. I have plenty of fiber. And eat very little carbs. But on a medication that makes it worse. And I'm ashamed to admit how long I've been on bisocodyl stool softener (actually it's a laxative). Which can cause serious problems with digestion long term. I need a natural laxative. I used a tea once. But would like to find an active natural ingredient. I need something that motivates movement. Not a stool softener or fiber. 

I guess we're really getting to know one another! Lmao!😂 You, me and the entire internet! Jeez. 

[Anianna]

Do you of the best natural remedies to effect the opposite? Lol!

Constipation?  Eating whole kiwis, skin and all, is great dietary fiber for that.  Also, chill your dietary starches after cooking (like rice and potatoes) as heating and then cooling them changes their structure to better aid in digestion and colon regulation. 

This explains retrogradation in dietary starches: https://biologyinsights.com/why-is-cold-rice-better-for-you/

I have that part down. A lifetime of dealing with this. I have plenty of fiber. And eat very little carbs. But on a medication that makes it worse. And I'm ashamed to admit how long I've been on bisocodyl stool softener (actually it's a laxative). Which can cause serious problems with digestion long term. I need a natural laxative. I used a tea once. But would like to find an active natural ingredient. I need something that motivates movement. Not a stool softener or fiber.

I guess we're really getting to know one another! Lmao!😂 You, me and the entire internet! Jeez.

😂

I learned about  Seirogan in my desperate search to get my reflux under control.  It's so bad that even with lifestyle changes, including sleeping with my bed elevated so much I feel like a corpse on display in the old west, I get sores in my nose from it.  I've tried various diets, various combinations of supplements, changing when I eat - just whatever I could find to try, but nothing has worked (this is all after seeing various doctors for it for many years).  So I ordered this stuff to try next.

Anyway, the Taiko company that makes Seirogan claims that Seirogan doesn't fix diarrhea, but establishes normal bowel function. I don't see anything about whether it does or doesn't help with constipation, but may be worth a try for that.  

[Anianna]

It seems that there is a popular herbal laxative in Japan called COLAC Herb which contains sennoside and licorice extract powder.  Sennoside is also a secondary active ingredient in the western laxative Colace 2-in-1 and the primary active ingredient in Senokot.  I don't know if there are any western medications that contain both sennoside and licorice.  

Seirogan from Taiko (the brand with the red trumpet) contains licorice extract.  

[Moab]

Do you of the best natural remedies to effect the opposite? Lol!

Constipation?  Eating whole kiwis, skin and all, is great dietary fiber for that.  Also, chill your dietary starches after cooking (like rice and potatoes) as heating and then cooling them changes their structure to better aid in digestion and colon regulation. 

This explains retrogradation in dietary starches: https://biologyinsights.com/why-is-cold-rice-better-for-you/

I have that part down. A lifetime of dealing with this. I have plenty of fiber. And eat very little carbs. But on a medication that makes it worse. And I'm ashamed to admit how long I've been on bisocodyl stool softener (actually it's a laxative). Which can cause serious problems with digestion long term. I need a natural laxative. I used a tea once. But would like to find an active natural ingredient. I need something that motivates movement. Not a stool softener or fiber.

I guess we're really getting to know one another! Lmao!😂 You, me and the entire internet! Jeez.

😂

I learned about  Seirogan in my desperate search to get my reflux under control.  It's so bad that even with lifestyle changes, including sleeping with my bed elevated so much I feel like a corpse on display in the old west, I get sores in my nose from it.  I've tried various diets, various combinations of supplements, changing when I eat - just whatever I could find to try, but nothing has worked (this is all after seeing various doctors for it for many years).  So I ordered this stuff to try next.

Anyway, the Taiko company that makes Seirogan claims that Seirogan doesn't fix diarrhea, but establishes normal bowel function. I don't see anything about whether it does or doesn't help with constipation, but may be worth a try for that. 

I had reflux so bad in my 20s. That during my first endoscopy they had to stretch the scar tissue out in my esophagus to reestablish a clear opening. I've been on Omeprazole since. And it changed my life. It's the one med I can not go without. By early afternoon my stomach swells with excess acid and I get terrible heart burn. Prior I carried Rolaids constantly. And routinely had a milkshake in the afternoon just to cool off my throat. I know your pain. My reflux is literally brutal. 

I had surgery for hemmoroids in my 30s. And have been on Metamucil religiously since. It works great. And I use the sugar free variety. 

But I'm on another med that drastically slows your digestion. It's not so much constipation as just a lack of getting things to move thru your entire digestive system. I've used every stool softener and laxative. Bisocodyl is my preferred OTC for it. But prolonged use can cause your system damage and to shut down. I've been on it for far to long. And need to switch to something natural. I'm going to consult Dr. AI. But I will check out those two Japanese meds you mention. I may be able to find them here in the Phillipines. Alot of Japanese products get imported to here. 

[Anianna]

Do you of the best natural remedies to effect the opposite? Lol!

Constipation?  Eating whole kiwis, skin and all, is great dietary fiber for that.  Also, chill your dietary starches after cooking (like rice and potatoes) as heating and then cooling them changes their structure to better aid in digestion and colon regulation. 

This explains retrogradation in dietary starches: https://biologyinsights.com/why-is-cold-rice-better-for-you/

I have that part down. A lifetime of dealing with this. I have plenty of fiber. And eat very little carbs. But on a medication that makes it worse. And I'm ashamed to admit how long I've been on bisocodyl stool softener (actually it's a laxative). Which can cause serious problems with digestion long term. I need a natural laxative. I used a tea once. But would like to find an active natural ingredient. I need something that motivates movement. Not a stool softener or fiber.

I guess we're really getting to know one another! Lmao!😂 You, me and the entire internet! Jeez.

😂

I learned about  Seirogan in my desperate search to get my reflux under control.  It's so bad that even with lifestyle changes, including sleeping with my bed elevated so much I feel like a corpse on display in the old west, I get sores in my nose from it.  I've tried various diets, various combinations of supplements, changing when I eat - just whatever I could find to try, but nothing has worked (this is all after seeing various doctors for it for many years).  So I ordered this stuff to try next.

Anyway, the Taiko company that makes Seirogan claims that Seirogan doesn't fix diarrhea, but establishes normal bowel function. I don't see anything about whether it does or doesn't help with constipation, but may be worth a try for that. 

I had reflux so bad in my 20s. That during my first endoscopy they had to stretch the scar tissue out in my esophagus to reestablish a clear opening. I've been on Omeprazole since. And it changed my life. It's the one med I can not go without. By early afternoon my stomach swells with excess acid and I get terrible heart burn. Prior I carried Rolaids constantly. And routinely had a milkshake in the afternoon just to cool off my throat. I know your pain. My reflux is literally brutal.

I had surgery for hemmoroids in my 30s. And have been on Metamucil religiously since. It works great. And I use the sugar free variety.

But I'm on another med that drastically slows your digestion. It's not so much constipation as just a lack of getting things to move thru your entire digestive system. I've used every stool softener and laxative. Bisocodyl is my preferred OTC for it. But prolonged use can cause your system damage and to shut down. I've been on it for far to long. And need to switch to something natural. I'm going to consult Dr. AI. But I will check out those two Japanese meds you mention. I may be able to find them here in the Phillipines. Alot of Japanese products get imported to here.

Unfortunately, Omeprazole didn't do a thing for me.  I also had LINX surgery, meaning I essentially have a wire and magnet bracelet on my esophagus to help it close properly, but that didn't help me, either.  

Be careful with Dr. AI.  There was a documented case in Annals of Internal Medicine of a man nearly dying from bromism after he asked AI what he could replace table salt with in his diet to lower his blood pressure and ChatGPT recommended sodium bromide.  It's a good idea to double check anything anyone recommends, but definitely double check anything AI recommends.  

I hope you find something that works for you.

[Moab]

Do you of the best natural remedies to effect the opposite? Lol!

Constipation?  Eating whole kiwis, skin and all, is great dietary fiber for that.  Also, chill your dietary starches after cooking (like rice and potatoes) as heating and then cooling them changes their structure to better aid in digestion and colon regulation. 

This explains retrogradation in dietary starches: https://biologyinsights.com/why-is-cold-rice-better-for-you/

I have that part down. A lifetime of dealing with this. I have plenty of fiber. And eat very little carbs. But on a medication that makes it worse. And I'm ashamed to admit how long I've been on bisocodyl stool softener (actually it's a laxative). Which can cause serious problems with digestion long term. I need a natural laxative. I used a tea once. But would like to find an active natural ingredient. I need something that motivates movement. Not a stool softener or fiber.

I guess we're really getting to know one another! Lmao!😂 You, me and the entire internet! Jeez.

😂

I learned about  Seirogan in my desperate search to get my reflux under control.  It's so bad that even with lifestyle changes, including sleeping with my bed elevated so much I feel like a corpse on display in the old west, I get sores in my nose from it.  I've tried various diets, various combinations of supplements, changing when I eat - just whatever I could find to try, but nothing has worked (this is all after seeing various doctors for it for many years).  So I ordered this stuff to try next.

Anyway, the Taiko company that makes Seirogan claims that Seirogan doesn't fix diarrhea, but establishes normal bowel function. I don't see anything about whether it does or doesn't help with constipation, but may be worth a try for that. 

I had reflux so bad in my 20s. That during my first endoscopy they had to stretch the scar tissue out in my esophagus to reestablish a clear opening. I've been on Omeprazole since. And it changed my life. It's the one med I can not go without. By early afternoon my stomach swells with excess acid and I get terrible heart burn. Prior I carried Rolaids constantly. And routinely had a milkshake in the afternoon just to cool off my throat. I know your pain. My reflux is literally brutal.

I had surgery for hemmoroids in my 30s. And have been on Metamucil religiously since. It works great. And I use the sugar free variety.

But I'm on another med that drastically slows your digestion. It's not so much constipation as just a lack of getting things to move thru your entire digestive system. I've used every stool softener and laxative. Bisocodyl is my preferred OTC for it. But prolonged use can cause your system damage and to shut down. I've been on it for far to long. And need to switch to something natural. I'm going to consult Dr. AI. But I will check out those two Japanese meds you mention. I may be able to find them here in the Phillipines. Alot of Japanese products get imported to here.

Unfortunately, Omeprazole didn't do a thing for me.  I also had LINX surgery, meaning I essentially have a wire and magnet bracelet on my esophagus to help it close properly, but that didn't help me, either. 

Be careful with Dr. AI.  There was a documented case in Annals of Internal Medicine of a man nearly dying from bromism after he asked AI what he could replace table salt with in his diet to lower his blood pressure and ChatGPT recommended sodium bromide.  It's a good idea to double check anything anyone recommends, but definitely double check anything AI recommends. 

I hope you find something that works for you.

I don't take advice from AI without reviewing the sites in its citations. It's very thorough. And can do more research in 15 seconds than I can in 15 days. But if you don't direct it where to do research, and you don't read it's cited sources - you're not using it correctly. 

[Anianna]

Do you of the best natural remedies to effect the opposite? Lol!

Constipation?  Eating whole kiwis, skin and all, is great dietary fiber for that.  Also, chill your dietary starches after cooking (like rice and potatoes) as heating and then cooling them changes their structure to better aid in digestion and colon regulation. 

This explains retrogradation in dietary starches: https://biologyinsights.com/why-is-cold-rice-better-for-you/

I have that part down. A lifetime of dealing with this. I have plenty of fiber. And eat very little carbs. But on a medication that makes it worse. And I'm ashamed to admit how long I've been on bisocodyl stool softener (actually it's a laxative). Which can cause serious problems with digestion long term. I need a natural laxative. I used a tea once. But would like to find an active natural ingredient. I need something that motivates movement. Not a stool softener or fiber.

I guess we're really getting to know one another! Lmao!😂 You, me and the entire internet! Jeez.

😂

I learned about  Seirogan in my desperate search to get my reflux under control.  It's so bad that even with lifestyle changes, including sleeping with my bed elevated so much I feel like a corpse on display in the old west, I get sores in my nose from it.  I've tried various diets, various combinations of supplements, changing when I eat - just whatever I could find to try, but nothing has worked (this is all after seeing various doctors for it for many years).  So I ordered this stuff to try next.

Anyway, the Taiko company that makes Seirogan claims that Seirogan doesn't fix diarrhea, but establishes normal bowel function. I don't see anything about whether it does or doesn't help with constipation, but may be worth a try for that. 

I had reflux so bad in my 20s. That during my first endoscopy they had to stretch the scar tissue out in my esophagus to reestablish a clear opening. I've been on Omeprazole since. And it changed my life. It's the one med I can not go without. By early afternoon my stomach swells with excess acid and I get terrible heart burn. Prior I carried Rolaids constantly. And routinely had a milkshake in the afternoon just to cool off my throat. I know your pain. My reflux is literally brutal.

I had surgery for hemmoroids in my 30s. And have been on Metamucil religiously since. It works great. And I use the sugar free variety.

But I'm on another med that drastically slows your digestion. It's not so much constipation as just a lack of getting things to move thru your entire digestive system. I've used every stool softener and laxative. Bisocodyl is my preferred OTC for it. But prolonged use can cause your system damage and to shut down. I've been on it for far to long. And need to switch to something natural. I'm going to consult Dr. AI. But I will check out those two Japanese meds you mention. I may be able to find them here in the Phillipines. Alot of Japanese products get imported to here.

Unfortunately, Omeprazole didn't do a thing for me.  I also had LINX surgery, meaning I essentially have a wire and magnet bracelet on my esophagus to help it close properly, but that didn't help me, either. 

Be careful with Dr. AI.  There was a documented case in Annals of Internal Medicine of a man nearly dying from bromism after he asked AI what he could replace table salt with in his diet to lower his blood pressure and ChatGPT recommended sodium bromide.  It's a good idea to double check anything anyone recommends, but definitely double check anything AI recommends. 

I hope you find something that works for you.

I don't take advice from AI without reviewing the sites in its citations. It's very thorough. And can do more research in 15 seconds than I can in 15 days. But if you don't direct it where to do research, and you don't read it's cited sources - you're not using it correctly.

Totally agree.  I get concerned because I've seen so many people just citing AI without vetting its answers.  I figured you probably vet the answers, so it was more a general statement for anybody who reads this thread, but also just because I care enough to be sure.

[Moab]

Do you of the best natural remedies to effect the opposite? Lol!

Constipation?  Eating whole kiwis, skin and all, is great dietary fiber for that.  Also, chill your dietary starches after cooking (like rice and potatoes) as heating and then cooling them changes their structure to better aid in digestion and colon regulation. 

This explains retrogradation in dietary starches: https://biologyinsights.com/why-is-cold-rice-better-for-you/

I have that part down. A lifetime of dealing with this. I have plenty of fiber. And eat very little carbs. But on a medication that makes it worse. And I'm ashamed to admit how long I've been on bisocodyl stool softener (actually it's a laxative). Which can cause serious problems with digestion long term. I need a natural laxative. I used a tea once. But would like to find an active natural ingredient. I need something that motivates movement. Not a stool softener or fiber.

I guess we're really getting to know one another! Lmao!😂 You, me and the entire internet! Jeez.

😂

I learned about  Seirogan in my desperate search to get my reflux under control.  It's so bad that even with lifestyle changes, including sleeping with my bed elevated so much I feel like a corpse on display in the old west, I get sores in my nose from it.  I've tried various diets, various combinations of supplements, changing when I eat - just whatever I could find to try, but nothing has worked (this is all after seeing various doctors for it for many years).  So I ordered this stuff to try next.

Anyway, the Taiko company that makes Seirogan claims that Seirogan doesn't fix diarrhea, but establishes normal bowel function. I don't see anything about whether it does or doesn't help with constipation, but may be worth a try for that. 

I had reflux so bad in my 20s. That during my first endoscopy they had to stretch the scar tissue out in my esophagus to reestablish a clear opening. I've been on Omeprazole since. And it changed my life. It's the one med I can not go without. By early afternoon my stomach swells with excess acid and I get terrible heart burn. Prior I carried Rolaids constantly. And routinely had a milkshake in the afternoon just to cool off my throat. I know your pain. My reflux is literally brutal.

I had surgery for hemmoroids in my 30s. And have been on Metamucil religiously since. It works great. And I use the sugar free variety.

But I'm on another med that drastically slows your digestion. It's not so much constipation as just a lack of getting things to move thru your entire digestive system. I've used every stool softener and laxative. Bisocodyl is my preferred OTC for it. But prolonged use can cause your system damage and to shut down. I've been on it for far to long. And need to switch to something natural. I'm going to consult Dr. AI. But I will check out those two Japanese meds you mention. I may be able to find them here in the Phillipines. Alot of Japanese products get imported to here.

Unfortunately, Omeprazole didn't do a thing for me.  I also had LINX surgery, meaning I essentially have a wire and magnet bracelet on my esophagus to help it close properly, but that didn't help me, either. 

Be careful with Dr. AI.  There was a documented case in Annals of Internal Medicine of a man nearly dying from bromism after he asked AI what he could replace table salt with in his diet to lower his blood pressure and ChatGPT recommended sodium bromide.  It's a good idea to double check anything anyone recommends, but definitely double check anything AI recommends. 

I hope you find something that works for you.

I don't take advice from AI without reviewing the sites in its citations. It's very thorough. And can do more research in 15 seconds than I can in 15 days. But if you don't direct it where to do research, and you don't read it's cited sources - you're not using it correctly.

Totally agree.  I get concerned because I've seen so many people just citing AI without vetting its answers.  I figured you probably vet the answers, so it was more a general statement for anybody who reads this thread, but also just because I care enough to be sure.

Thank you. And I hear you. And agree. Some users arent discerning enough about information sources. And many have simply never used it. And form opinions based on second hand things they're read or heard. 

Is it going to change some things not for the better? Very likely. But so did the internet. 

There is a ton of misinformation online about what AI is. I've even seen pastor's railing about its evils in sunday sermons. And most comments against it are easily seen as people that have never used it, have no idea what they are talking about, and honestly its like denying the internet when that started. Except AI is about a million times more powerful.

AI has the same limitations for error as internet search. You still have to edit your search terms, and consider the sources (websites) your research uncovers. The difference beyond that though - is light-years. 

To deny its value, impact it will have, and the massive amount of help it can provide anyone - is ignorant. Its literally like saying "the internet is bullshit". 

Yes. If you sit around all day watching monkey videos on TikTok. Its going to have a negative effect on your life. Or you can imagine the massive positive effects its had on the world. Its changed everything. 

AI is the same thing. Except times a million. People have a hard time wrapping their heads around that. The internet had that same effect on many. But it didn't stop it or make it any less real. 

I embrace it. Embrace change. And its revolutionized my life. No amount of my own denial is going to stop it. Lol. 

[Anianna]

My bottle of this stuff arrived today.  Upon opening the parcel, there was a distinct but mild odor.  At this point, I was thinking all the fuss about how "foul" it smells were a little overdramatic.  

The pills look like rabbit poops.  They have a little squish to them, too.  I'm not entirely convinced they aren't rabbit poops.  They don't smell like rabbit poops, though, or at least not like anything any of my rabbits ever pooped.  

Anyway, I closed the bottle and put it on the table next to my bed.  The smell became more and more intense throughout my room as it sat there and somehow became more foul as time went on.  There has been nothing in my life I can relate the smell to.  It doesn't smell like sewage or decomp or anything like that, but it is unpleasant in its own way.  It did not trigger my gag reflex, but it did annoy me.  For everything these are claimed to be effective for, the smell is a pretty easy trade off.  

Anyway, that bottle now lives inside a mason jar to control the smell. I hope they're worth it!   

As for shelf-life, the expiration date on the bottle I received is in 2030.  

[Moab]

My bottle of this stuff arrived today.  Upon opening the parcel, there was a distinct but mild odor.  At this point, I was thinking all the fuss about how "foul" it smells were a little overdramatic. 

The pills look like rabbit poops.  They have a little squish to them, too.  I'm not entirely convinced they aren't rabbit poops.  They don't smell like rabbit poops, though, or at least not like anything any of my rabbits ever pooped. 

Anyway, I closed the bottle and put it on the table next to my bed.  The smell became more and more intense throughout my room as it sat there and somehow became more foul as time went on.  There has been nothing in my life I can relate the smell to.  It doesn't smell like sewage or decomp or anything like that, but it is unpleasant in its own way.  It did not trigger my gag reflex, but it did annoy me.  For everything these are claimed to be effective for, the smell is a pretty easy trade off. 

Anyway, that bottle now lives inside a mason jar to control the smell. I hope they're worth it! 

As for shelf-life, the expiration date on the bottle I received is in 2030. 

What do they call that? A "fecal transplant"? I saw it on Grey's Anatomy once. 🤣 Maybe "interspecies fecal transplant"? It actually sounds plausible for what it claims to help with. 🥴

[Anianna]

My bottle of this stuff arrived today.  Upon opening the parcel, there was a distinct but mild odor.  At this point, I was thinking all the fuss about how "foul" it smells were a little overdramatic. 

The pills look like rabbit poops.  They have a little squish to them, too.  I'm not entirely convinced they aren't rabbit poops.  They don't smell like rabbit poops, though, or at least not like anything any of my rabbits ever pooped. 

Anyway, I closed the bottle and put it on the table next to my bed.  The smell became more and more intense throughout my room as it sat there and somehow became more foul as time went on.  There has been nothing in my life I can relate the smell to.  It doesn't smell like sewage or decomp or anything like that, but it is unpleasant in its own way.  It did not trigger my gag reflex, but it did annoy me.  For everything these are claimed to be effective for, the smell is a pretty easy trade off. 

Anyway, that bottle now lives inside a mason jar to control the smell. I hope they're worth it! 

As for shelf-life, the expiration date on the bottle I received is in 2030. 

What do they call that? A "fecal transplant"? I saw it on Grey's Anatomy once. 🤣 Maybe "interspecies fecal transplant"? It actually sounds plausible for what it claims to help with. 🥴

Yep.  Essentially swallowing the capsulized bowel movement of a healthy individual to recolonize an unhealthy gut.  It's wild that anybody thought that that would be a good idea in the first place and wild again that it actually has clinical backing with very promising results.

I keep wondering if I'm the butt of the "those kids would be very upset if they could read [Japanese]" meme.  People pay extra to get coffee first eaten and shat out by a wild feline, sooo, whatever works, I guess?  And even rabbits eat their own poop to get the nutrients missed the first go round. I'm not saying it is rabbit poop, I'm just saying that it's not necessarily a deal breaker if it is.

[Moab]

My bottle of this stuff arrived today.  Upon opening the parcel, there was a distinct but mild odor.  At this point, I was thinking all the fuss about how "foul" it smells were a little overdramatic. 

The pills look like rabbit poops.  They have a little squish to them, too.  I'm not entirely convinced they aren't rabbit poops.  They don't smell like rabbit poops, though, or at least not like anything any of my rabbits ever pooped. 

Anyway, I closed the bottle and put it on the table next to my bed.  The smell became more and more intense throughout my room as it sat there and somehow became more foul as time went on.  There has been nothing in my life I can relate the smell to.  It doesn't smell like sewage or decomp or anything like that, but it is unpleasant in its own way.  It did not trigger my gag reflex, but it did annoy me.  For everything these are claimed to be effective for, the smell is a pretty easy trade off. 

Anyway, that bottle now lives inside a mason jar to control the smell. I hope they're worth it! 

As for shelf-life, the expiration date on the bottle I received is in 2030. 

What do they call that? A "fecal transplant"? I saw it on Grey's Anatomy once. 🤣 Maybe "interspecies fecal transplant"? It actually sounds plausible for what it claims to help with. 🥴

Yep.  Essentially swallowing the capsulized bowel movement of a healthy individual to recolonize an unhealthy gut.  It's wild that anybody thought that that would be a good idea in the first place and wild again that it actually has clinical backing with very promising results.

I keep wondering if I'm the butt of the "those kids would be very upset if they could read [Japanese]" meme.  People pay extra to get coffee first eaten and shat out by a wild feline, sooo, whatever works, I guess?  And even rabbits eat their own poop to get the nutrients missed the first go round. I'm not saying it is rabbit poop, I'm just saying that it's not necessarily a deal breaker if it is.