But the system can be thrown out of balance by a number of factors, including antibiotics, spermicides, and birth control pills. Probiotic treatment that restores the balance of microflora may be helpful for such common female urogenital problems as bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection, and urinary tract infection.
Many women eat yogurt or insert it into the vagina to treat recurring yeast infections, a "folk" remedy for which medical science offers limited support. Oral and vaginal administration of Lactobacilli may help in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, although there isn't enough evidence yet to recommend it over conventional approaches.
Vaginosis must be treated because it creates a risk for pregnancy-related complications and pelvic inflammatory disease. Probiotic treatment of urinary tract infections is under study. Probiotics are generally considered safe — they're already present in a normal digestive system — although there's a theoretical risk for people with impaired immune function.
Be sure the ingredients are clearly marked on the label and familiar to you or your health provider. There's no way to judge the safety of unidentified mixtures. In the United States, most probiotics are sold as dietary supplements, which do not undergo the testing and approval process that drugs do. Manufacturers are responsible for making sure they're safe before they're marketed and that any claims made on the label are true.
But there's no guarantee that the types of bacteria listed on a label are effective for the condition you're taking them for. Health benefits are strain-specific, and not all strains are necessarily useful, so you may want to consult a practitioner familiar with probiotics to discuss your options.
As always, let your primary care provider know what you're doing. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.
Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.
Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. Recent Blog Articles. Why is topical vitamin C important for skin health? If further research confirms that probiotics can help manage blood pressure, these bacteria could one day play a role in treating and preventing heart disease.
There is evidence that probiotics may help treat irritable bowel syndrome IBS. A review concluded that a multi-strain probiotic might improve IBS symptoms. The researchers called for further investigations into whether strains of Akkermansia , Bacteroides, and Faecalibacterium bacteria could play a role in future therapies. A different review found that probiotics did not consistently support the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease , or IBD, except possibly for one type of the disease: ulcerative colitis.
In laboratory tests, scientists have found that a specific form of the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus paracasei may protect the gut from infection by Listeria , a more harmful type of bacteria. A review found further evidence that probiotics could help treat and prevent Listeria infection. Probiotics, if proven useful, would be less likely to disturb the balance of the microbiome than the standard antibiotic treatment for this infection.
In , researchers found evidence that Bifidobacterium infantis could benefit people with conditions such as psoriasis and chronic fatigue syndrome. Foods that contain natural probiotics include some types of:. Many products are marketed as containing probiotics, but the body is more likely to benefit from certain items. Eating soft cheese , for example, may be a good way of making sure that probiotic bacteria reach the gut in a beneficial form. Learn more about foods that contain probiotics.
Probiotics are available as supplements, though there is not yet enough evidence to prove that a specific brand or type will help with a particular condition. However, they do not consider probiotic supplements to be medication and so do not monitor claims about probiotic contents. A person cannot be sure exactly what a product contains. Also, it is not always clear how long a probiotic stays active in the body. As a result, a person cannot be sure how effective any product is likely to be or which condition it may help with.
Probiotics are likely to be safe for most people, but there are some points to consider before using them or increasing the intake. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health note that while probiotics are likely safe for those in good health, these bacteria may pose a risk to people with weakened immune systems or other health issues.
It is always best to check with a doctor before taking supplements or making significant dietary changes, especially for people with existing health issues. They are available in some foods and as supplements. Check with a doctor before taking supplements or increasing the consumption of probiotics, to ensure that doing so is safe. Probiotic supplements are available for purchase online. Certain probiotics may help you lose weight and belly fat. However, other strains have been linked to weight gain.
You can get probiotics from a variety of foods or supplements. If you want to buy a probiotic supplement, then there is an excellent selection on Amazon with thousands of customer reviews. Live probiotic cultures are often found in fermented dairy products such as yogurts and milk drinks. Fermented foods like pickled vegetables, tempeh, miso, kefir , kimchi, sauerkraut and soy products may also contain some lactic acid bacteria.
You can also take probiotics as tablets, capsules and powders that contain the bacteria in dried form. However, be aware that some probiotics can be destroyed by stomach acid before they even reach the gut — meaning that you get none of the intended benefits.
Most of the studies showing benefits used dosages of 1 billion to billion live organisms or colony-forming units CFU per day. Probiotics are live microbes with many health benefits to offer, potentially even for your heart. This article discusses how probiotics may benefit…. Bifidus is a strain of probiotic that can help boost your gut health. Learn what this helpful bacterium does, how it can help you lose weight, and…. Probiotics contain live microorganisms that can support and enhance your healthy gut bacteria.
This article reviews whether timing matters when it…. Probiotics come in both refrigerated and shelf-stable varieties. This article explains whether you should keep probiotics in the fridge or leave them….
Probiotics are living organisms that may offer health benefits. This article explores if you should take probiotics during pregnancy and if it's safe…. Prebiotics are types of fiber that feed your friendly gut bacteria, leading to all sorts of benefits. Here are 19 healthy foods rich in prebiotics. It's a rich source of chromium and a source of B vitamins. Bio-Kult is a multispecies, multistrain probiotic that may support overall gut health. This article reviews Bio-Kult probiotic supplements, including….
This article examines probiotics' effects on weight loss. Several studies suggest that they can help you lose weight and belly fat. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.
This is an overview of the key health benefits linked to probiotics. Bottom Line: Probiotics are live microorganisms. Probiotics are widely known for their ability to prevent diarrhea or reduce its severity. Probiotics can also help with other forms of diarrhea not associated with antibiotics. Bottom Line: Probiotics can reduce the risk and severity of diarrhea from a number of different causes.
Benefits were also seen in a study of 40 patients with depression. Bottom Line: Research shows taking probiotics may help improve symptoms of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, stress and memory, among others. Bile, a naturally occurring fluid mostly made of cholesterol, helps digestion.
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