Probiotic health supplements provide cultures of live bacteria or other microorganisms. Many health conditions have been reported to benefit from treatment with probiotics, including poorly understood diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and chronic fatigue syndrome. While probiotics may cause mild gastrointestinal side effects, fatigue is not generally considered one of the possible side effects. As with any health supplement, consult your doctor before taking probiotic supplements.
Fatigue
Probiotics have been in use as an alternative medicine for many years and are not associated with any major side effects, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Although mild gastrointestinal symptoms are common after ingesting probiotics, fatigue is not widely reported as a side effect, reports health authorities such as the MayoClinic.com.
Gastrointestinal Side Effects
Mild gastrointestinal side effects are common when first starting a course of probiotic supplements. Commonly reported side effects include excess gas, bloating and abdominal pain. In certain individuals, more severe side effects, such as diarrhea and abdominal cramps may occur. These side effects often disappear after time, as the body adjusts to the new bacteria living in the intestines, explains Probiotic.org.
Infection
Because probiotics contain live bacteria, there is a risk the bacteria could invade the blood or other tissues and result in severe infection. However, this risk is minimal among people with a healthy immune system. People with a compromised immune system, such as HIV patients, the elderly, or people taking immunosuppressive drugs, should use caution with probiotic supplements.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Rather than cause fatigue, probiotic treatments may actually help improve symptoms resulting from conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS. Changes in the ecosystem of bacteria living in the intestines have been linked to several chronic conditions such as CFS. Treatment with probiotic bacteria appears to restore the balance of bacteria living in the intestines and may improve symptoms associated with CFS, reports a study published in the March 2009 issue of the medical journal "Gut Pathology."
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: An Introduction to Probiotics; August 2008
- New York University Langone Medical Center; Acidophilus and Other Probiotics; May 2011
- MayoClinic.com: Lactobacillus Acidophilus; July 2011
- Probiotic.org: Probiotics Side Effects
- "Gut Pathology"; A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study of a Probiotic in Emotional Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; A Venket Rao et al.; March 2009
