Probiotics are ‘friendly' live bacteria and yeasts of the same kinds that naturally live in your gut, as well as your mouth, skin, lungs, vagina (if you have one) and urinary tract. They’re sold in supplement form or added to certain foods, like kombucha, tempeh and kefir. But they’re also naturally present in some foods, like miso, cottage cheese and buttermilk.
There’s already some evidence in this exciting area of gut health, to show that probiotics can help your body maintain a healthy balance of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria in your digestive system to keep your gut healthy. There’s also some evidence that probiotics can help symptoms in certain conditions, but more research is needed in this area. This is partly due to the many different types of bacteria that exist and their various strains.
So could they help you? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about probiotics, including what they are, whether they can help you and your condition, and how to use them in the right way.
Your gut has trillions of bacteria, fungi and other microbes living in it – some are good while others are bad for your health. Having a healthy gut means you have an even balance of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria, which allows your body to fight off illness, infection and inflammation.
Your body usually makes its own ‘good’ bacteria or uses the foods you eat to grow more to keep this colony of bacteria and yeasts in balance – you might hear it described as your gut microbiome.
When it comes to the specific kind of probiotics that may help keep this healthy balance, these 2 are the most common:
Other probiotic species include Saccharomyces, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Escherichia and Bacillus.
Within these species of probiotics are a number of strains, and each can have a different effect on the body. On probiotic product labels, you’ll often see species names listed alongside the strain name, such as L. acidophilus or B. animalis.
At the moment, scientists think probiotics in foods and supplements may work by helping balance out your ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria, restoring your body’s natural balance when it’s been knocked out of kilter. This could be after an illness. It could also be after taking
, which wipe out the ‘good’ as well as the ‘bad’ bacteria while treating an infection.It’s thought you may be able to improve or maintain the levels of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria in your gut by eating probiotic-rich foods every day. More research is needed to help us understand how much you need to eat to see results.
The most effective probiotic foods are thought to be:
Read more about
.Find useful information on other areas of gut health with our
If you’ve got a specific gut problem, from
to , taking a probiotic supplement may be an option for you to try.In the UK, supplements are normally available from pharmacies, health shops and online, but sometimes, they’re prescribed in specific circumstances by specialists like gastroenterologists. Before you start using these supplements, it’s best to get advice from a doctor.
Some conditions that science tells us may be improved with probiotics include:
Probiotics in supplement form can be taken as capsules, powders or liquids, and each often contains a mixture of different probiotic strains in differing doses.
Probiotic supplements sold in shops and online don’t need to follow strict approval processes because they aren't considered to be medicines.
We’d always recommend speaking to a pharmacist or a doctor before taking a probiotic supplement, but the following steps may help you select the best-quality product and potentially get the most from it.
Most healthy people can take probiotics in both food and supplement form safely, without noticing any side effects. You should always check the label and talk to a pharmacist or doctor before taking supplements if you’re
or breastfeeding.In rare cases, you might notice a reaction in the first few days, but this will usually go away on its own. Symptoms may include:
In certain people, taking probiotic supplements might cause infection. This could be the case if you have:
You should speak to a doctor before considering probiotics if this is the case. Read more about
.You should see a doctor if you’ve been taking probiotics which are making your symptoms worse or giving you worrying symptoms.
You should also see a doctor if you:
These could be signs of an underlying health condition, so book an appointment with a doctor if you have any of them.
Try our
to get more information about your health.Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.