Why the probiotic supplements could be “a waste of money” and could even turn against some

But experts are getting away more and more to recommend supplements – the American Gastroenterological Association does not recommend using probiotics for most digestive conditions, and there has been no sufficient evidence for the Aga to recommend it to the general population.

“I do not plead for the daily use of probiotics if you are in good health and you eat well. I think it’s just a waste of money, “said microbiology teacher at Umass Chan Medical School, Vanni Bucci.

Should you take probiotics?

There are only three situations in which Aga recommends taking probiotics, all under clinical supervision:

• Prevention of bacterial infection in adults and children taking antibiotics.
• Prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis, a potentially fatal disease in premature infants, low -weight infants at
• Management of Pochitis, a complication of the inflammatory intestine disease.

“They are really good to restore and temporarily relieve problems until your good disturbed bacteria can return and restore the healthy ecosystem,” said Bucci Fortune. He advises to use them for temporary relief, but research has shown that taking probiotics after an antibiotic course may not do much and could delay recovery of intestinal health.

Some people may see that probiotics make them feel better, but it is certainly not to transform your intestinal health isolated.

“It will improve a certain distress, but that is not the solution,” he says. What is much more important, explains Bucci is to eat a healthy diet. “It’s much better than any probiotic,” he says.

King’s College London, Tim Spector’s epidemiology teacher, Tim Spector, who has done substantial research on the intestinal microbiome, encourages people to change their diet before thinking of probiotics. He advises to eat at least three portions of fermented foods per day and 30 different plants per week – fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes – which contain essential fibers and prebiotics to feed your intestinal bacteria.

“I think we have underestimated (fermented foods) and overestimated the effect of commercial probiotics,” he said Fortune.

“Your microbiome is a recording of how you live,” says Bucci. If you have poor diet – large red meat and fibers, fruits, whole grains and vegetables – and often take antibiotics, you will probably have poor intestinal health and probiotics cannot solve it completely.

When probiotics aggravate things

Some research indicates that probiotics could disturb the balance of your microbiome – which has its own unique ecosystem – and interfere with your good intestinal bacteria.

And for those who treated – or who had previously – of intestinal bacterial proliferation, also known as SIBO, taking a probiotic supplement can actually worsen their symptoms.

“You hold too many bacteria in your intestine and this leads to inflammation,” explains Bucci. “If you suffer from it and overload with additional bacteria that you ingest, this could lead to inflammatory exacerbation.”

SIBO occurs when there is an abnormal increase in the quantity of bacteria in the overall bacterial population in the small intestine, in particular bacteria which normally do not find it, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can cause diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, malnutrition and involuntary weight loss.

People can develop SIBO from complications after abdominal surgery, structural problems in and around the small intestine and certain medical conditions such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, diabetes or other conditions that slow down the movement of food through the small intestine.

A 2018 study revealed that some probiotics can cause symptoms for SIBO patients, including gas, bloating and brain fog, suggesting that supplements should be used with caution in people with disease.

The type of probiotic you take is important

If you and your doctor accept that probiotics could be useful, here are some tips on how to choose one: Bucci says that all the probiotics on the market are more or less the same, because they contain the same bacterial strains. However, each brand can vary in quality. You should check the label of a probiotic for the following elements:

• CFU Count, or colonial formation units, at the time of expiration to ensure that there are enough living crops thanks to the duration of conservation of the product.
• Storage requirements – Because probiotics are living bacteria, some must be refrigerated, but others are made to be stable.
• Third -party tests for power and purity.
• Delayed liberation capsules, enteric coating or spore -based strains, which will guarantee that bacteria can survive in gastric acid.

To find out more about probiotics: