Probiotic Dairy Drinks

Although you don't necessarily require probiotics for healthy living, you may benefit from consuming good bacteria, MayoClinic.com says. These microorganisms are usually naturally occurring in the digestive tract and drinking a probiotic beverage can help replenish lost amounts after an illness or course of antibiotics -- it may even help to regulate your digestive tract. There are several probiotic dairy drinks available in your local supermarket.

Kefir

Kefir is a fermented milk drink that contains several beneficial bacterial strains, including Streptococcus lactis, Lactobacilli and Saccharomyces kefir, according to Glenn Gibson in the book "Food Science and Technology Bulletin." Kefir has a long-standing use in several cultures, including Middle Eastern and Meditteranean to treat upset stomach, constipation, diarrhea and yeast infections, Gibson says. Unlike yogurt, kefir has a yeast-bacteria content that makes it effective in treating several conditions.

DanActive

DanActive is a dairy-based probiotic drink that contains Bifidus regularis, which helps to promote digestive regularity in those who persistently consume the beverage. According to Gary Huffnagle and Sarah Wernick in their book "The Probiotics Revolution," DanActive yogurt drinks contain 10 billion bacteria per 3.3-oz. bottle. This includes L. casei, L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus, which are bacterial strains that help digestion.

Yakult

Yakult is a yogurt probiotic drink introduced in Japan in 1935, according to Huffnagle and Wernick. ScienceDaily reports that Yakult helped improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome by countering small intestinal bacterial overgrowth that aggravated symptoms. Yakult contains Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium. There are approximately 6.5 billion bacteria per 2.2-oz. bottle, Huffnagle and Wernick say.