It Turns Out Probiotics Can Only Treat Certain Conditions
Over the last few years, probiotics have
become immensely popular and are being used by millions of
health-conscious people all over the world. Probiotics are specific live
microorganisms (such as bacteria and yeasts) that are supposed to be
good for our bodies when eaten, especially for our digestive system. The
health benefits of probiotics are presumably many: weight loss,
digestive health, healthier skin, immune function betterment, and even
improvement of some mental health conditions.
As more and more studies have cropped up
about the numerous health benefits of probiotics, people have begun
taking it regularly in pill form, or by eating more fermented foods like
yogurt, and other food products.
However, before being completely smitten
with the idea of the health benefits of probiotics, we should be a
little cautious. According to new guidelines released by the American
Gastroenterological Association (AGA), there isn’t sufficient evidence
to support the recommendation of using probiotics for treating most
digestive diseases.
“While our guideline does highlight a few use cases for probiotics, it,
more importantly, underscores that the public’s assumptions about the
benefits of probiotics are not well-founded, and there is also a major
variation in results based on the formulation of the probiotic product,”
said guideline panel chair Dr. Grace L. Su, a gastroenterologist at the
University of Michigan, in a press release recently.
New guidelines say that probiotics are beneficial for only particular conditions
You might be aware that probiotic pills are
available by prescription in certain places and are also available over
the counter in many countries. As the popularity of probiotics has
surged, many companies are marketing them as dietary supplements. In
countries like the USA, these companies don’t even need preapproval from
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market them. However, they
cannot make any health claims about these products.
It is true that probiotics can indeed be pretty helpful. When we think
of bacteria, we instantly imagine harmful germs. However, the stomach
and intestines are comprised of millions of helpful bacteria and yeasts.
The human gut consists of about 300 to 500 different bacterial species
that engage in intricate ways with the body and with each other.
Now, the latest review by the AGA has
claimed that probiotics may be helpful with some gut-related issues. For
instance, some probiotics may be beneficial for preterm,
low-birthweight infants. The review states that they can help shorten
the number of days infants will have to stay at the hospital.
Furthermore, certain probiotics can lower the risk of Clostridium
difficile (a bacteria that causes inflammation of the colon) infection
in adults and children who take antibiotics. The review further stated
that some probiotics can be useful in helping manage pouchitis – a
swelling of the ileal pouch in patients who have undergone a colectomy
as a result of ulcerative colitis.
Despite these benefits, however, it would be unwise to treat probiotics
as some wonder cure for many of our digestive health issues. The AGA has
observed that there is a clear lack of evidence to support the use of
probiotics for other health conditions.
“Patients taking probiotics for Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis or
[irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)] should consider stopping,” said Su in
the news release. “The supplements can be costly and there isn’t enough
evidence to prove a benefit or confirm lack of harm.” The review also
found that probiotics aren’t useful for children with infectious
diarrhea.
The effectiveness of probiotics may vary from patient to patient
According to a study that was published in
the Journal of Family Practice, the benefits of probiotics depend on the
strain, dosage, and condition being treated. The paper was written by
Dr. Daniel J. Merenstein, a professor of family medicine at Georgetown
University, and his colleagues.
“Just as we know that not all antibiotics are equally effective for all
infections, so, too, effectiveness among probiotics can — and often does
— vary for any given condition,” they wrote. They also state that the
effectiveness of the probiotics may vary from patient to patient.
Merenstein and his colleagues advise that physicians recommending
probiotics for their patients should first look for scientific evidence
for which one to use. According to them, simply advising that patients
take probiotics isn’t really helpful when that person might be looking
for a product that may help them with a specific condition.
Probiotics are mostly safe. However, they
can cause harm to live bacteria in some cases. This can be particularly
true for people with an unsettled immune system. Many people also use
probiotics for improving the health of their gut. However, such a diet
can alter the structure of the gut microbe at times. In fact, anyone
with any health condition should first consult a doctor before blindly
taking probiotics.
Thus, be careful and prudent while taking probiotics. In general, health
experts recommend following a low-fat and high-fiber diet to always
keep your digestive system healthy.