Should You Be Taking Them?
Probiotics have become increasingly popular, lining the shelves of stores and promising a boost to gut health. But should you be taking them?
The answer, according to experts, is not as straightforward as it once seemed. While probiotics were initially viewed as a beneficial way to replenish the healthy bacteria in our bodies, recent research suggests they may not be as universally helpful as previously thought.
Dr. Aditya Sreenivasan, a gastroenterologist at Lenox Hill Hospital, explains that each individual and each probiotic strain is unique. This makes it difficult to determine which specific probiotic will be beneficial for a particular person, especially if they are experiencing gut issues caused by an imbalance in their microbiome.
Currently, there is no definitive test to identify what your gut may be lacking and which probiotic can address it. This makes choosing a probiotic a "trial and error situation," according to Dr. Sreenivasan.
Therefore, he generally advises against stopping probiotics if someone is experiencing benefits from them. However, he also rarely recommends starting them unless there is a specific reason.
"If they're already taking something, and it has made some symptom get better, then great ... especially if you have like significant IBS that's not responding to (other options like) change in diet, trying probiotics is reasonable," he says. "My caution about that is they're really expensive, and I feel like the majority of people end up just wasting their money."
Dr. Shilpa Ravella, a transplant gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University, echoes this sentiment. While she has patients who swear by probiotics, she believes they are best used for specific issues under a doctor's guidance.
"There are specific clinical scenarios in which probiotics are prescribed," she says, including conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
However, both experts emphasize the importance of caution when using probiotics. While generally safe for most individuals, those with certain health conditions, such as being immunocompromised, having Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis, should use them with caution.
It's important to note that the Food and Drug Administration does not classify probiotic capsules as drugs. This means they are not required to be proven "safe and effective." Instead, they only need to meet the lower standard of being "generally recognized as safe."
Therefore, before reaching for a probiotic supplement, Dr. Ravella recommends consulting your gastroenterologist to discuss whether it could be beneficial for your specific condition or symptoms.
If you are not experiencing any specific gut issues, focusing on a diet rich in whole, plant foods is the best way to support your gut health, according to Dr. Ravella.