Diarrhea? How Is the Microbiome?
When your car doesn’t start, you don’t immediately replace the engine. You check the simple things first. Is it in Park? Is there gas in the tank? Does the battery have a charge?
The same common-sense approach applies to digestive problems. Chronic diarrhea has many possible causes, but one of the first things worth considering is whether the microbiome has been disrupted. Addressing the microbiome isn’t a substitute for finding the underlying cause—it is simply another “straw” worth removing.
Saccharomyces boulardii and Diarrhea
Saccharomyces boulardii is a beneficial yeast that helps suppress certain harmful organisms, including Clostridioides difficile, reduces the effects of bacterial toxins, strengthens the intestinal barrier, and supports the immune system. The strongest evidence is for preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea, where multiple clinical trials have shown a benefit. Because it helps create an environment where beneficial bacteria can recover, many practitioners also use it when diarrhea appears to be related to an unhealthy microbiome [1,2].
Bottom Line:
Because disruption of the microbiome can contribute to diarrhea, supporting a healthier microbiome may help some people. It isn’t a substitute for identifying the underlying cause, but it is another “straw” worth removing.
Related Articles:
Saccharomyces boulardii Sets the Stage for a Healthy Microbiome
Selected References:
- Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2015 Oct;42(7):793-801 Systematic review with meta-analysis: Saccharomyces boulardii in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea
- Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Apr;101(4):812-22. Meta-analysis of probiotics for the prevention of antibiotic associated diarrhea and the treatment of Clostridium difficile disease
