Probiotics: A Family Doctor's Insights and Recommendations

Probiotics are living bacteria one can ingest to promote good intestinal health, as well as a host of other possible benefits. Swallowing bacteria in a capsule may sound gross, but it seems to balance intestinal bacteria, replace bad bacteria with good, and promote an improvement in many stomach symptoms. The addition of probiotics to ones regimen aids in digestion of food and is also believed to prevent harmful micro-organisms from flourishing in the intestines. Probiotics have been used for decades to restore bacterial imbalances resulting from antibiotic use, diarrhea, and gastroenteritis, among other causes. Today, ongoing research is bearing out many long-held beliefs about probiotics.

Recent research has focused on probiotic therapy as a means of regulating bacteria levels in the intestine to avoid possible health problems in the future. It has also been suggested that certain probiotics may have cancer-fighting effects, as well as other health benefits. Probiotics can often be found in the form of capsules, and in foods such as yogurt.

I have had hundreds of patients use probiotics to find relief from the bloating, intermittent diarrhea and gas that often comes after a round of antibiotics used to treat some infection. In fact, I think virtually everyone should take probiotics during and for a few weeks after most antibiotic therapy. One of the worst bacterial complications of antibiotic therapy is known as Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea. Adding probiotics to the usual therapy for clostridium difficile seems to decrease the time until healing, and the risk of relapse.

Many of my patients who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have noticed distinct lessening of their symptoms while taking long-term probiotic therapy. Bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation are decreased with long-term probiotic supplementation. Traverler's diarrhea can also be prevented or lessened by taking probiotics before, during and after your trip.

There is some research suggesting treatment with probiotics can soothe colic. Several moms I know have had success using probiotics to relieve their infants colic symptoms. More research is needed and is in the works, to determine the effects of probiotics on colic, and the proper dosage.

Vaginal yeast infections and other causes of vaginitis seem to improve dramatically with daily probiotic therapy. Ongoing research may soon prove that yeast infections and other vaginal infections can in fact prevented by daily probiotic use.

Eczema symptoms might be improved with probiotics in adults. As an auto-immune disease, any treatment that will calm the immune system can be of benefit. It was thought children with eczema might also benefit but research has not borne this out as of yet.

Finally, optimizing the bacterial flora in the gut seems to help prevent upper respiratory infections, as well as gastro-enteritis and colitis. When traveling, probiotics may be a good addition to your travel kit to prevent that trip-ruining diarrhea. Given their safety and reasonable cost, probiotics make a safe and often quite successful treatment for several varied conditions and symptoms.