Probiotics are live microorganisms that could be beneficial for the host – they are often added to beverages, food, and supplements and marketed to the consumer as “good bacteria.” The term is relatively accurate, if we leave aside the fact that they might not be only bacteria, but also yeast and other tiny living organisms. At any given moment, the number of bacteria in our bodies is greater than the number of people that have ever lived on our Planet, and even though this could sound scary or strange, the fact is that the majority of these bacteria are either “neutral” or beneficial.
The latter could improve or help various processes or even serve as prevention against certain diseases. However, the current state of the medical science does not allow us to fully understand or use these tiny living organisms in the best possible way, even though some evidence suggests that they could be effective against many health hazards.
If you are looking at the possibility of using probiotics as a replacement of a medical treatment, then you should always talk to your healthcare provider first. At the time of writing, the various studies have come with indications of benefits, but their mechanism of action is not fully understood, and today the probiotics are typically found in alternative and complementary medicine only.
The main challenge comes from the fact that even though some beneficial strains have been identified, their actual use also depends on the concentrations and proportions that they are used in. In addition, different strains from the same type could have no effect at all, and many of the trials have only looked into the effect that the bacteria have when used on test animals.
Almost all medical organizations share the opinion that the science of probiotics has a promising future, but more in-depth research and many more trials will have to be conducted until we find better and more practical way to use the “good microorganisms” better.
Another common confusion comes from the terms probiotics and prebiotics – the latter are also small living organisms, but they are the ones that stimulate the spread and the growth of other beneficial organisms in our bodies, and more specifically in our colons.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has issued a report in its conference in 2005, which indicates that beneficial microorganisms could be used in treatments and prevention of irritable bowel syndrome, bladder cancer, female tract and urinary tract infections, and diarrhea from rotavirus.