Do You Really Need To Take A Probiotic Daily?

Many probiotics are safe and effective in supporting a healthy digestive system, improving immunity and protecting against harmful bacteria. With these health benefits, it's no surprise that probiotic use is a growing trend among consumers . Still, many people wonder if probiotics should be taken daily and in what amount.

Definitions

The National Institutes of Health defines probiotics as "live microorganisms that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut." Probiotics help balance bacteria found in the gut that can be adversely affected by factors such as poor nutrition, stress, antibiotic use and fatigue. Balancing the bacteria in the gut may help in the development of immune cells and therefore improve immune function, according to the website Today's Dietitian.

Potential Health Benefits

Current research on the effects of probiotics is ongoing, but promising. A March 2007 study from the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that critically ill patients who received a daily probiotic experienced an increase in immune response compared with patients who received a placebo. Similarly, a July 2009 study in "Pediatrics" found that healthy children who received a probiotic twice daily had less incidence of fever, coughing, runny nose, antibiotic prescriptions and fewer missed school days.

Recommendations

Probiotics are available as a dietary supplement or in food. The effect of a probiotic depends on its genus, species and strain. Probiotics within the same genus and species but a different strain may not have the same health benefits. Products containing Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Saccharomyces genera are generally considered safe. The American Dietetic Association recommends people consume "the same type (genus, species and strain), amount and form (yogurt, other dairy products, pills, dry foods) of probiotics found to be beneficial in human studies."

Products

Finding a probiotic that meets the recommended criteria may be challenging. According to Linda C. Douglas and Mary E. Sanders, in research that was supported by the National Dairy Council and published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association in October 2006, the L casei DN114001 found in Dan Active has been shown to improve immunity and keep healthy. In addition, Bifidus animalis DN173 010 (Bifidus regularis) found in Activia has been shown to improve digestive health. Finally, products such as Culturelle and Danimals that contain probiotics such as L rhamnosus GG have been shown to help reduce diarrhea associated with antibiotic use.

Considerations

Although not all probiotics are clinically validated, current research is ongoing and encouraging. More study in probiotics is needed to determine safety, especially for children, older adults and those with decreased immune function. For healthy adults, using a probiotic that has strong scientific support may have positive health benefits.