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Probiotics - Do They Actually Do Anything?Probiotic benefits -
Foods containing high amounts of prebiotics include many fruits and vegetables such as onions, garlic, artichokes, avocado, eggplant, legumes, asparagus and bananas, as well as whole-grain foods including oats and barley. Additional sources include resistance starch, yogurt and kefir.
A microbiome is a collection of bacteria and microorganisms that live together in a particular environment within our bodies. The community of microorganisms that live in our gut is considered our gut microbiome. Probiotics can modify gut bacteria by introducing known beneficial organisms, which may enhance the protective factors of the microbiome.
The benefits of probiotics originally were touted in the early s by Russian scientist Elie Metchnikoff, who studied microbes in yogurt and sour milk. While numerous studies have attested to the benefits of probiotics, larger, better-designed clinical trials and research are needed to clarify the role of specific probiotics in different patient populations.
But the still-limited research has shown that a rich, diverse internal microbiome in your body — one that includes a variety of microorganisms — can support a healthy digestive system and a well-functioning immune system.
It is recommended that adults and children on antibiotic treatment for the prevention of C. diff infection take a probiotic supplement.
Adults and children with inflammatory bowel disease who develop pouchitis inflammation or infection of the ileal pouch could also benefit from taking probiotics.
If you have mild recurrent ulcerative colitis, constipation, or allergies like atopic dermatitis, you might also benefit from taking probiotics, according to the latest data. Eating two to three daily servings of probiotic-rich foods, along with prebiotic food sources, is currently the best way to maintain diverse, friendly bacteria and the optimal balance of good versus bad microorganisms in your gut.
However, various environmental factors including stress , smoking and alcohol use can also alter the gut microorganisms and influence gut health. Sick infants or children with acute infectious diarrhea, anyone with a compromised immune system — either from illness or medication — and people whose health is weakened from a recent surgery should avoid probiotic supplements.
Signs that a particular probiotic may not be right for you include symptoms of gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and irritability. While probiotics have a history of being generally safe, especially in healthy people, the evidence on safety is still lacking. Always talk to your health care providers before taking a probiotic or giving one to your child, especially since some may interfere with medications.
Food and Drug Administration FDA might regulate it as a food ingredient, drug or — most commonly — a dietary supplement. Some independent companies function as third-party supplement testers.
Supplements with a seal of approval from the United States Pharmacopeial Convention or NSF, for example, are more likely to live up to claims of purity and potency. Certified supplements are recommended. Some uncertified probiotic products have been reported to contain other microorganisms not listed on the label, which could present a health risk.
Probiotics come in many forms — food, drinks or liquids, capsules or pills, and powders. Commercially available probiotics are measured in colony forming units CFU , indicating the number of viable cells they contain.
Probiotics typically contain billion CFU per dose. Some strains of probiotics need to be refrigerated. When purchasing these types of probiotics from the internet, make sure the delivery method keeps them refrigerated and ensures that they stay cold following delivery.
Researchers continue to work on finding answers. Although probiotics are low-risk and likely beneficial, you should still talk with your health care provider before taking them.
An Ohio State expert offers six tips on recovering from a food binge. Should your blood type determine the foods you eat and the ones you avoid? However, a recent study says that the ratio is closer to 1-to-1 1 , 2.
According to these estimates, you have 39— trillion bacteria living inside you. Much of these bacteria reside in your gut, and the majority are quite harmless.
Some are helpful, and a small number can cause disease 3. Having the right gut bacteria has been linked to numerous health benefits, including the following 4 , 5 :.
Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when ingested, provide a health benefit 6. However, the scientific community often disagrees on what the benefits are, as well as which strains of bacteria are responsible 7.
Probiotics are usually bacteria, but certain types of yeasts can also function as probiotics. There are also other microorganisms in the gut that are being studied, including viruses, fungi, archaea, and helminths 8.
You can get probiotics from supplements, as well as from foods prepared by bacterial fermentation. Probiotic foods include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, and kimchi.
Probiotics should not be confused with prebiotics, which are carbs — often dietary fibers — that help feed the friendly bacteria already in your gut 9.
Products that contain both prebiotics and probiotics are referred to as synbiotics. Synbiotic products usually combine friendly bacteria along with some food for the bacteria to eat the prebiotics , all in one supplement The most common probiotic bacteria are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria.
Other common kinds are Saccharomyces, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Escherichia, and Bacillus. Each genus comprises different species, and each species has many strains. Different probiotics have been found to address different health conditions.
Therefore, choosing the right type — or types — of probiotics is essential. Some supplements, known as broad-spectrum probiotics or multi-probiotics, combine different species in the same product.
Although the evidence is promising, more research is needed on the health benefits of probiotics. Probiotics are living microorganisms that boost health when consumed in adequate amounts. There are many different types, and you can obtain them from foods or supplements. The complex community of microorganisms in your gut is called the gut flora, gut microbiota, or gut microbiome 14 , The gut microbiota includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea, and helminths — with bacteria comprising the vast majority.
Your gut is home to a complex eco-system of — bacterial species Most of the gut flora is found in your colon, or large intestine, which is the last part of your digestive tract. Surprisingly, the metabolic activities of your gut flora resemble those of an organ. Your gut flora performs many important health functions.
It manufactures vitamins, including vitamin K and some of the B vitamins It also turns fibers into short-chain fats like butyrate, propionate, and acetate, which feed your gut wall and perform many metabolic functions 19 , These fats also stimulate your immune system and strengthen your gut wall.
This can help prevent unwanted substances from entering your body and provoking an immune response 21 , Your gut flora is highly sensitive to your diet, and studies show that an unbalanced gut flora is linked to numerous diseases 23 , Your gut flora consists of hundreds of types of microorganisms.
These microorganisms perform numerous important bodily functions. Probiotics are widely researched for their effects on digestive health Evidence suggests that probiotic supplements can help cure antibiotic-associated diarrhea When people take antibiotics , especially for long periods of time, they often experience diarrhea — even long after the infection has been eradicated.
This is because the antibiotics kill many of the natural bacteria in your gut, which shifts the gut balance and allows harmful bacteria to thrive. Probiotics may also help combat irritable bowel syndrome IBS , a common digestive disorder, reducing gas, bloating , constipation, diarrhea, and other symptoms.
Research regarding the effectiveness of probiotics supplementation for the treatment of IBS is mixed. A recent review reported that seven of the studies indicated IBS improvement with probiotic supplementation, but four did not Research indicates that multi-strain probiotic supplements seem to bring most IBS improvement, especially when taken for longer than 8 weeks.
However, much remains unknown about probiotic treatment for IBS. Questions like the following have yet to be answered 33 :. Researchers find early results of IBS probiotic treatment promising but say additional large trials are necessary before healthcare providers can confidently prescribe probiotic treatments consistently for IBS Again, researchers say further research is needed before the treatment is confirmed to be effective Probiotics may also help fight Helicobacter pylori infections, which are one of the main drivers of ulcers and stomach cancer 36 , 37 , However, be sure to consult your healthcare provider first.
Probiotics may be effective against various digestive problems, including antibiotic-associated diarrhea and IBS. Some research indicates that people with obesity have different gut bacteria than those who are lean Research shows a connection between gut microbes and obesity in both infants and adults.
It also shows that microbial changes in the gut are a factor in developing obesity as an adult Therefore, many scientists believe that your gut bacteria are important in determining body weight 41 , While more research is needed, some probiotic strains appear to aid weight loss Nevertheless, researchers advise caution in rushing to this conclusion, noting that there are still many unknowns.
These unknowns include 44 :. In one study, people with central obesity, which is characterized by excess belly fat , took the probiotic Lactobacillus gasseri daily. Participants lost an average of approximately 8. Evidence also suggests that Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium lactis can aid weight loss and help prevent obesity — though more research is needed Though more research is necessary, some evidence suggests that certain probiotic strains can aid weight loss.
In the past decade, research has shown that the gut and brain are connected in a system called the gut-brain axis. Some research shows that certain microbes in the gut can affect your brain via this axis in both health and disease.
Which microbes these are and how they interact with the brain is the subject of much current research Some researchers suggest that, for some people, supplementing with certain strains of probiotics may be preferable to taking psychotropic drugs to cope with the mental stress, loneliness, and grief accompanying the current COVID pandemic In addition to their potential effects on weight loss, digestion, and neurological disorders, probiotics may improve heart health, immune function, and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Some researchers propose that improving the gut microbiome via probiotic supplementation and diet may be a strategy to fight and treat an infection with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV This infection can cause COVID, which stands for coronavirus disease This is believed to be the main cause of deteriorating health and even death Also, people with COVID have reported gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite Some researchers theorize that probiotics could help prevent the coronavirus by blocking the angiotensin-converting enzyme ACE receptor where the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen enters the body to invade gastrointestinal cells Imbalances of the intestinal flora are known to be related to lung diseases and respiratory tract infections.
Researchers suggest that correcting those imbalances may promote optimum lung health, which might help guard against pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 68 , Other research suggests that probiotic supplementation may promote antiviral activity in general to improve immune, pulmonary, and anti-inflammatory response that might help clear the SARS-CoV-2 infection 70 , All these hypotheses are at the theoretical stage.
Researchers say further studies are needed to confirm them. One study advises caution, suggesting that not all probiotic strains will exert the same effects. It questions whether probiotic supplementation can alter the content of the gut microbiome enough to combat COVID Some current research proposes that improving the gut microbiome through probiotic supplementation and diet may help treat the SARS-CoV-2 infection that causes COVID Research is preliminary, and much more data and clinical trials are needed.
Probiotics are generally well tolerated and considered safe for most people.
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The probiotic and antibiotic connection The relationship between antibiotics and gut microbiota is complex. Antibiotics help fight infections and can control bacteria in your gut—both good and bad.
But taking high amounts of antibiotics over a Probotic extended period could disrupt the gastrointestinal system and deplete good as well as harmful bacteria. Depletion of good bacteria from the use of antibiotics bdnefits a growing problem among older people, who are more susceptible to infections and may use antibiotics frequently.
In fact, a poll of 2, adults aged 50 to 80 found that half had used antibiotics within the previous two years. Some doctors try to compensate for this possible bacteria depletion by recommending Probiottic patients increase their intake of probiotic foods like yogurt or kefir see page 9 when using certain types of antibiotics.
Another upside to taking probiotics while on antibiotics is that they can reduce diarrhea, a common side effect of some antibiotics. Depending on the type of antibiotic, it may be best to take probiotics after the antibiotic treatment has benrfits rather than while you are taking it.
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: Probiotic benefits| The Numbers Game | taking probiotics or their cousins, prebiotics typically nondigestible fibers that favor the development of gut bacteria , more than quadrupled between and , from , people to nearly four million. The popular frenzy surrounding probiotics is fueled in large part by surging scientific and public interest in the human microbiome: the overlapping ecosystems of bacteria and other microorganisms found throughout the body. The human gastrointestinal system contains about 39 trillion bacteria, according to the latest estimate, most of which reside in the large intestine. In the past 15 years researchers have established that many of these commensal microbes are essential for health. Collectively, they crowd out harmful microbial invaders, break down fibrous foods into more digestible components and produce vitamins such as K and B The idea that consuming probiotics can boost the ability of already well-functioning native bacteria to promote general health is dubious for a couple of reasons. Manufacturers of probiotics often select specific bacterial strains for their products because they know how to grow them in large numbers, not because they are adapted to the human gut or known to improve health. The particular strains of Bifidobacterium or Lactobacillus that are typically found in many yogurts and pills may not be the same kind that can survive the highly acidic environment of the human stomach and from there colonize the gut. Even if some of the bacteria in a probiotic managed to survive and propagate in the intestine, there would likely be far too few of them to dramatically alter the overall composition of one's internal ecosystem. Whereas the human gut contains tens of trillions of bacteria, there are only between million and a few hundred billion bacteria in a typical serving of yogurt or a microbe-filled pill. Last year a team of scientists at the University of Copenhagen published a review of seven randomized, placebo-controlled trials the most scientifically rigorous types of studies researchers know how to conduct investigating whether probiotic supplements—including biscuits, milk-based drinks and capsules—change the diversity of bacteria in fecal samples. Only one study—of 34 healthy volunteers—found a statistically significant change, and there was no indication that it provided a clinical benefit. Despite a growing sense that probiotics do not offer anything of substance to individuals who are already healthy, researchers have documented some benefits for people with certain conditions. In the past five years, for example, several combined analyses of dozens of studies have concluded that probiotics may help prevent some common side effects of treatment with antibiotics. Whenever physicians prescribe these medications, they know they stand a good chance of annihilating entire communities of beneficial bacteria in the intestine, along with whatever problem-causing microbes they are trying to dispel. Normally the body just needs to grab a few bacteria from the environment to reestablish a healthy microbiome. But sometimes the emptied niches get filled up with harmful bacteria that secrete toxins, causing inflammation in the intestine and triggering diarrhea. Adding yogurt or other probiotics—especially the kinds that contain Lactobacillus —during and after a course of antibiotics seems to decrease the chances of subsequently developing these opportunistic infections. A review by Cochrane—an independent network of experts who serve as rigorous arbiters of medical research—found that probiotics may be particularly useful in a hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. The addition of beneficial bacteria to a nutritional regimen seems to significantly reduce the likelihood of developing necrotizing enterocolitis, which is a devastating, poorly understood and often fatal gut disease that primarily afflicts preterm infants—especially the smallest and most premature among them. Regularly taking probiotics has generally been shown to be safe, according to the NIH, especially Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. The most common side effect is gas. Some cases of infections have resulted in severe illness in immunocompromised or severely ill patients after taking probiotics. Regardless, speak with a trusted health care provider before taking a new supplement. Those who are immunocompromised or have a severe underlying illness should avoid taking a probiotic supplement. If you are curious whether a probiotic supplement may be helpful for you, speak with a trusted health care provider. Probiotics can play a role in promoting a diverse microbiome. While probiotic supplements show a lot of promise for gut, immune, mental and cardiovascular health, more research is necessary to confirm their benefits, along with the ideal strains and dosages for various health concerns. They are generally shown to be safe but speak with your health care provider before adding a new supplement to your routine. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. Measure advertising performance. Measure content performance. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. Healthy Lifestyle. By Isabel Vasquez is a bilingual registered dietitian practicing from an intuitive eating, culturally sensitive framework. Isabel Vasquez, RD, LDN. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines. Reviewed by Dietitian Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia. As part of the nutrition team, she edits and assigns nutrition-related content and provides nutrition reviews for articles. Maria Laura is a trained dietitian, almond butter lover and food enthusiast with over seven years of experience in nutrition counseling. In This Article View All. In This Article. What Are Probiotics? What Happens When You Take Probiotics Every Day. Food Sources of Probiotics. What to Look For in a Probiotic Supplement. Frequently Asked Questions. The Bottom Line. Can Probiotics Help You Lose Weight? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Log in and leave a review of your own. About half of all Americans routinely take dietary supplements. The most common ones are multivitamin and multimineral supplements. Making Sense of Vitamins and Minerals: Choosing the foods and nutrients you need to stay healthy explains the evidence behind the benefits and safety profiles of various vitamins and minerals. It also includes the recommended minimum and maximum amounts you should consume, as well as good food sources of each. Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts. Sign up now and get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness. Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. Recent Blog Articles. Flowers, chocolates, organ donation — are you in? What is a tongue-tie? What parents need to know. Which migraine medications are most helpful? How well do you score on brain health? |
| 8 Health Benefits of Probiotics | Probiotic benefits testing of probiotic preparations. Be sure to benedits your Probiotic benefits for advice. When shopping for a probiotic, there are several things to keep in mind. Media Requests. Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices? |
| What is the difference between prebiotics and probiotics? | NCCIH sponsors a variety Proniotic research projects related Probiotic benefits probiotics or the microbiome. In benefkts study, researchers found that taking probiotics reduced C. Food Probiotic benefits Drug Administration Probiotic benefits Website performance optimization tips regulate it as a food Probiotic benefits, benevits or — most commonly — a dietary supplement. Prebiotics serve as food for probiotics. In particular, some strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium may help improve the absorption of iron, an important micronutrient for blood production and transporting oxygen throughout the body. Eating two to three daily servings of probiotic-rich foods, along with prebiotic food sources, is currently the best way to maintain diverse, friendly bacteria and the optimal balance of good versus bad microorganisms in your gut. |
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