Q & A

Do probiotics really work?

A: Probiotics are “friendly” bacteria found in the gut that help us digest foods and fight harmful bacteria. They also include live, active cultures used to ferment foods like yogurt and sauerkraut. Reputed to improve digestion and boost immunity, foods that contain probiotics have been appearing more and more on supermarket shelves. First came yogurt enhanced with special probiotic strains. But the trend has spread quickly, and now cottage cheese, energy drinks, snack bars and cereals advertise high levels of beneficial bacteria too.

The good news is that advances in food processing make it likely that probiotics get to the gut where they can tip the balance of bacteria in a healthy direction. “Companies have developed technologies that allow bacteria to resist the temperatures and pressures of manufacturing as well as the heat and acidity in the stomach,” says Ralph Felder, M.D., Ph.D., author of just-out The Bonus Years Diet (Putnam).

The bad news is that there are thousands of probiotic strains; only a handful have been clinically tested. Manufacturers don’t always list the strain, or amount, of bacteria added. Plus, individuals respond differently to various strains, so what works for one person may not work for another, says Jeannie Moloo, Ph.D., R.D., spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

If you’d like to try probiotic products, your best bet is yogurt with a “Live & Active Cultures” seal (regulated by the National Yogurt Association), which marks a product that meets a specified level of “friendly” bacteria. The absence of a seal doesn’t mean a probiotic-enhanced food is ineffective (only yogurts are eligible), and often it pays to test several. “If one isn’t providing benefits after a couple of weeks, try another,” suggests Moloo.

The Promise of Probiotics

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USER COMMENTS — Add Your Comment

I will second the motion that kefir works wonders. I use it instead of milk for my cereal. I buy the plain and flavor it with my own home made jams for sweetness

Judy, San Diego, CA

I have never been regular till I started taking Lactobacillus Sporogenes,not acidofillus. I have turned many friends onto it, it is a capsule easily taken daily. Guaranteed fabulous results.

Carol, Fairfax, VA

Probiotics are wonderful if you have Constipation IBS, they also help dramatically with the abdominal bloat in about three days too with daily use. I do notice some flatulence for the first three days too but well worth I use them often. Once you are regular you feel so-o much better.

Mary, Lawrenceburg, IN

Natren is an excellent brand.

Suz, Ridgewood, NJ

I am a living testimony to the fact that probiotics can help digestion. I am able for the first time in my life have a regular bowel movement each day! I drink Kefir made by Lifeway. It tastes great and has 10 live & active cultures. I highly recommend for any digestion problems.

Luanne, Canton, ME

Non homogenized kefir, is full of bacteria, and is probably the healthiest way of getting probiotics - and I am sure any lacto-fermented food or drink would be much better than the commercially produced yogurts that claim to "add" cultures to them.

Beth, Toronto, ON

Prebiotics are also a new trend in foods. Prebiotics can come from fructooligosaccharides (FOS). Beech-Nut has started adding prebiotics to their new line of baby food products, Good Evening, to help babies create a healthy digestive system.

Eleanor B Pella, Gettysburg, PA

I'm a believer in probiotics as well. I usually have at least a serving of yogurt a day, and now I've gotten into a new product called Verb: GoodBelly. It's a probiotic/multi-vitamin fruit drink. It comes in 4-packs of small 2.7 oz. containers, each with 20 billion active probiotics per serving. You just need to drink one a day and you get all the probiotics you need, as well as 100% of your daily recommended intake for most vitamins and some minerals. I think right now it's only available at Whole Foods Market but should be expanding in the future.

Adam, Cleveland, OH

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