You have healthy and harmful colonies of yeast and bacteria in your intestines. The healthy microorganisms can help regulate digestive functions if you have enough of them. But if you don't, you may be able to reduce problems such as upset stomachs by including probiotics in your daily diet. Probiotic products are foods and supplements that contain protective bacteria or yeast.
How Probiotics Function
Factors such as stomach illnesses, antibiotics, stress and excessive alcohol use can wipe out large quantities of intestinal microorganisms, whether or not they're healthy. If your "bad" bacteria and yeast begin to outnumber the "good," you may be at greater risk of problems such as acute infectious diarrhea and chronic upset stomach from irritable bowel syndrome. Probiotics in food will form temporary colonies of healthy bacteria or yeast and help protect your intestines until natural healthy varieties can regrow.
Probiotics and Pediatric Infectious Diarrhea
Probiotic therapy has been shown in various trials to help reduce diarrhea. For instance, a 2001 review in the "Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition" covered 13 studies and found that probiotics offer significant benefits in reducing the duration and severity of acute infectious diarrhea in babies and children. According to researchers, taking probiotics may also help prevent babies and children from getting acute infectious diarrhea.
Probiotics and Traveler's Diarrhea
Some research suggests that taking probiotics can help reduce your risk of having traveler's diarrhea, a condition that is usually caused by eating contaminated foods in developing countries. For instance, one trial that observed 3,000 Austrians traveling to various countries found that those who consistently consumed the probiotic S. boulardii were much less likely to develop intestinal infections than those who didn't. Researchers noted that those who took a 1,000 mg dose each day were more likely to reap benefits than those who only took 250 mg each day.
Probiotics and Digestive Conditions
Probiotics may help relieve chronic upset stomachs associated with digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease. For instance, an analysis presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology determined that irritable bowel syndrome patients who took a multi-strain probiotic for 28 days had significantly decreased episodes of daily diarrhea over the span of the study when compared to a placebo group. However, more research is needed to determine which strains work for specific conditions.
Considerations
You will find probiotics in various food products, including yogurt, miso, soy drinks and some juices. If they do contain probiotics, the labels will read: "Contains live and active cultures." The American Dietetic Association urges you to do your homework and look for products that contain the same form, amount and type of probiotics found beneficial in studies on humans. Products that contain probiotic organisms such as Saccharomyces, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are generally considered safe, but you may still experience side effects such as bloating and gas. Ask your doctor for further advice if you're trying to treat a chronic upset stomach.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Probiotics: Important for a Healthy Diet?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
- American Dietetic Association: Probiotics and Digestion
- UAB Medicine; Probiotics; July 10, 2006
- Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide: Health Benefits of Taking Probiotics
- ScienceDaily: How Effective Are Probiotics in Irritable Bowel Syndrome?; October 2008
- Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition: Probiotics and Acute Infectious Diarrhea in Infants and Children; H. Szajewska, et al; 2001
