Digestive Disorders Health Center
This article is from the WebMD Feature Archive
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast that are believed to improve health. They are available in supplements and foods. The idea of taking live bacteria or yeast may seem strange at first. After all, we take antibiotics and use antibacterial substances to fight bacteria. But our bodies naturally teem with such organisms.
The digestive system is home to more than 500 different bacterial species. They help keep intestinal linings healthy and assist in breaking down food. Beneficial organisms are also believed to help regulate healthy immune response.
By Janis Graham Stuffing? Check. Stiff drinks? Check. Stress? Check. 'Tis the season -- for stomachaches. "The holidays create a perfect storm for stomach problems because of all the eating, traveling, and partying," says Roger D. Mitty, M.D., chief of gastroenterology at Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston. And women are especially vulnerable, since some gastrointestinal ills occur up to six times more often in women than in men. What's more, a recent survey found that during...
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How Do Probiotics Work?
Researchers believe that some digestive disorders result when the balance of friendly bacteria in the intestines becomes disturbed. This can happen after an infection or after taking antibiotics. Intestinal problems can also arise when the lining of the intestines is damaged. Introducing new beneficial organisms in the form of probiotics may help.
“Probiotics can improve intestinal function and maintain the integrity of the lining of the intestines,” says Stefano Guandalini, MD, professor of pediatrics and gastroenterology at the University of Chicago Medical Center. These friendly bugs may also help fight off diarrhea-causing organisms.
Probiotics and the Immune System
There’s also evidence that probiotics assist in maintaining a strong immune system. “In societies with very good hygiene, we’ve seen a sharp increase in autoimmune and allergic diseases,” Guandalini tells WebMD. “That may be because the immune system isn’t being properly challenged by pathogenic organisms. Introducing friendly bacteria in the form of probiotics is believed to challenge the immune system in healthy ways.”
Probiotics May Benefit an Array of Ailments
Although evidence is still being gathered, researchers say there are enough data to rate the effectiveness of probiotics for several specific illnesses. In 2008, a panel of experts at Yale University reviewed the latest findings. They concluded that probiotics are most effective for:
- Acute childhood diarrhea
- Preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea
- Preventing pouchitis, an intestinal inflammation that can follow serious intestinal surgery
- Regulating immune response
- Treating and preventing eczema associated with cow’s milk allergy
The Yale University panel of experts concluded that probiotics may be helpful in other ways, although the evidence so far is less convincing. These include:
- Easing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
- Preventing childhood diarrhea
- Treating diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficilebacteria, which can infect the colon
Probiotics may also be useful in unexpected ways. A study published in 2010 suggests that probiotics may decrease the risk of common childhood problems such as ear infections, strep throat, colds, and diarrheal illness. The study included 638 children aged 3 to 6 in day care centers/schools. The children who drank a yogurt drink containing a probiotic were 19% less likely to come down with a common infection.
