Your colon is a complex ecosystem containing several pounds of beneficial bacteria. These microbes help neutralize toxins, limit pathogen overgrowth, support the intestinal lining, and produce compounds that influence immune and metabolic health throughout the body. A growing body of research supports the role of probiotic supplementation in a variety of clinical situations.
A meta-analysis published in Epidemiology (2012;23(3):402–414) reviewed 14 randomized, controlled trials examining probiotic use during pregnancy or early infancy. Overall, probiotic supplementation was associated with a reduced incidence of atopic dermatitis in infants.
Research in the Journal of Perinatology (2013;33:40–44) evaluated low–birth-weight infants in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Infants receiving probiotics showed improved postprandial intestinal blood flow, suggesting enhanced gut function.
Probiotics may also influence bacterial infections. A study published in Inflammation & Allergy – Drug Targets (2012;11(3):244–249) examined 80 patients with Helicobacter pylori. After 10 days of supplementation with a multi-strain probiotic, 13 of 40 subjects were free of detectable H. pylori one month later.
Digestive symptoms may improve as well. A randomized trial published in Nutritional Research (2008;28(1):1–5) found that adults taking a probiotic blend for three weeks reported less abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting compared with placebo.
One of the best-supported uses of probiotics is in antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD). Antibiotics can disrupt normal gut flora, impair short-chain fatty acid metabolism, and promote diarrhea, including cases related to Clostridioides difficile. A large meta-analysis published in Journal of the American Medical Association (2012;307(18):1959–1969), reviewing 82 randomized trials involving over 11,000 participants, found that probiotic supplementation significantly reduced the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The use of probiotics demonstrates the importance of gut health. Click to read more.
