The idea of eating bacteria or other microorganisms to get healthier may seem a little odd, but it could be sound medicine. Probiotics are helpful live microorganisms, the kind that keep the bad microorganisms in your gut under control so they can't make you sick. Microorganisms include bacteria, viruses and yeast. While you can take probiotics in pill form, eating foods high in probiotics is the most beneficial way to get your daily dose of good bacteria, says Robert Roberts, Ph.D., of Penn State University.
Sources
Fermented foods such as miso, tempeh and sauerkraut and cultured milk products such as yogurt and kefir have been popular in some cultures for centuries but have only become popular in the United States in the last few decades. American spending for probiotics tripled between 1994 and 2003, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports. But not all foods associated with probiotics actually contain live cultures. Many yogurts do not contain any Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidobacterium bifidus, the common bacteria found in active yogurt cultures. Read labels carefully to see if the foods you eat for their probiotic effects actually contain live cultures. The National Yogurt Association allows companies whose yogurt contains active cultures to label yogurts with the Live and Active Cultures seal.
Benefits
Every person develops a different set of around 100 trillion intestinal microorganisms representing 500 different species types by around age 2, the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide reports. Normally, the "good" bacteria keep the "bad" bacteria under control. But various factors can upset the balance, including gastrointestinal illnesses; use of antibiotics, which indiscriminately destroy both good and bad bacteria; and problems with the immune system. When things get out of balance, adding probiotics to the mix helps restore the normal amount of healthy microorganisms to the intestinal flora.
Results
Probiotics can help reduce diarrhea in viral illnesses such as rotaviruses. A review of the Cochrane Database conducted by researchers from the University of Wales Swansea in the United Kingdom found that probiotics were helpful in treating infectious diarrhea. A review of 23 studies showed that probiotics reduced the duration of diarrhea by a mean of 30 hours. People with irritable bowel syndrome may benefit from use of probiotics, but they should discuss their use with medical personnel before taking them, Harvard Family Health Guide suggests.
Considerations
The potentially harmful effects of taking probiotic supplements has not undergone rigorous scientific testing, NCCAM warns. Although side effects such as gas or abdominal bloating are generally mild, more serious side effects related to the immune system or metabolic activity could occur. Supplements do not undergo the same testing process as drugs in the United States, and the amount and type of probiotics that supplements contain may vary. Do not take probiotic supplements without your doctor's approval.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; An Introduction to Probiotics; August 2008
- Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide; Health Benefits of Taking Probiotics; September 2005
- ResearchPennState; What Are Probiotics?; Robert Roberts, Ph.D; April 2007
- National Yogurt Association: Live and Active Culture Yogurt ; September 2006
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