What Are Probiotics?

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Not all the bacteria and micro-organisms in your digestive tract are harmful. In fact, many are helpful and even necessary to good health.

"Probiotics" is a term that generally refers to dietary supplements or foods that are believed to be similar to normally beneficial bacteria and organisms found in your body.

Medical experts agree that probiotic supplements are not a necessary part of a healthy diet, but they may be helpful in some cases.

Probiotics can be found naturally in such foods as yogurt, fermented and unfermented milk, miso, some juices and soy drinks.

There’s been a growing public and scientific interest in probiotics in recent years, and researchers are investigating them for a number of possible uses. There is encouraging evidence that they may:

Help treat diarrhea, especially following use of certain antibiotics

Prevent and treat inflammation following colon surgery

Prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections

Reduce bladder cancer recurrence

Shorten the duration of intestinal infections

Treat IBS or irritable bowel syndrome

There's even some evidence probiotics may help reduce the occurrence of childhood eczema.

Research done in 2005 in Sweden found that a group of employees who were given certain probiotics missed less work due to respiratory or gastrointestinal illness than other employees.

While ongoing research on probiotics continues to be positive, it's still a good idea to consult your doctor before taking any dietary or herbal supplement.

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