Benefits of Probiotics

By: Janelle Lau

Many of us have heard a lot about probiotics, but what exactly are they? Probiotics are live microorganisms that have health benefits when consumed or applied to the body.1 Probiotics are in fermented foods, such as yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, and kimchi. It can also be found in dietary supplements and beauty products. Probiotics have several health benefits on the body:

1. Probiotics may help maintain gut health. Probiotics are considered the “good” bacteria that helps maintain and restore the natural balance in the gut.2 Taking antibiotics or having a poor diet tends to cause an imbalance in the digestive system; in other words, there’s too much “bad” bacteria in the gut. Introducing probiotics into the gut will help restore that balance. Taking antibiotics may cause diarrhea due to the gut microbiome disruption. Research shows that taking probiotics reduces the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.3,4

2. Probiotics may help improve mental health conditions.

Some studies suggest that there is a relationship between gut health and mental health, particularly with depression, anxiety, memory, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and autism. After just several weeks of daily probiotics intake, conditions improved.5,6,7

3. Probiotics may help boost the immune system.

Some studies found that probiotics promote the production of natural antibodies and boost immune cells.­8,9 This may be due to the bacteria in probiotics inhibiting the growth of undesirable gut bacteria. A study also found that probiotics supplementation helps reduce recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) among women.10

4. Probiotics may help with weight loss.

Probiotics prevent the absorption of dietary fat in the intestine and increase satiety.11,12 Some clinical trials that studied the relationship between obesity and probiotics intake concluded that obese men and women who took probiotics experienced a belly fat reduction after a short period of probiotics use.13,14 Some studies, however, did find that certain types of probiotics can lead to weight gain.15 Further studies are needed in this area. It is important to consult with a registered dietitian before taking probiotics for weight management.

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References

1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Probiotics: What you need to know. NCCIH. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics-what-you-need-to-know. Updated August 2019.

2. Brown AC, Valiere A. Probiotics and medical nutrition therapy. Nutr Clin Care. 2004;7(2):56-68.

3. Goldenberg JZ, Lytvyn L, Steurich J, Parkin P, Mahant S, Johnston BC. Probiotics for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(12):CD004827. Published 2015 Dec 22.

4. Hempel S, Newberry SJ, Maher AR, et al. Probiotics for the prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. 2012;307(18):1959-1969.

5. Steenbergen L, Sellaro R, van Hemert S, Bosch JA, Colzato LS. A randomized controlled trial to test the effect of multispecies probiotics on cognitive reactivity to sad mood. Brain Behav Immun. 2015;48:258-264.

6. Wang H, Lee IS, Braun C, Enck P. Effect of Probiotics on Central Nervous System Functions in Animals and Humans: A Systematic Review. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2016;22(4):589-605.

7. Mohammadi AA, Jazayeri S, Khosravi-Darani K, et al. The effects of probiotics on mental health and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in petrochemical workers. Nutr Neurosci. 2016;19(9):387-395.

8. Reid G, Jass J, Sebulsky MT, McCormick JK. Potential uses of probiotics in clinical practice. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2003;16(4):658-672.

9. Ouwehand AC, Salminen S, Isolauri E. Probiotics: an overview of beneficial effects. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 2002;82(1-4):279-289.

10. Stapleton AE, Au-Yeung M, Hooton TM, et al. Randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial of a Lactobacillus crispatus probiotic given intravaginally for prevention of recurrent urinary tract infection. Clin Infect Dis. 2011;52(10):1212-1217.

11. Yadav H, Lee JH, Lloyd J, Walter P, Rane SG. Beneficial metabolic effects of a probiotic via butyrate-induced GLP-1 hormone secretion. J Biol Chem. 2013;288(35):25088-25097.

12. Aronsson L, Huang Y, Parini P, et al. Decreased fat storage by Lactobacillus paracasei is associated with increased levels of angiopoietin-like 4 protein (ANGPTL4). PLoS One. 2010;5(9):e13087.

13. Sanchez M, Darimont C, Drapeau V, et al. Effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CGMCC1.3724 supplementation on weight loss and maintenance in obese men and women. Br J Nutr. 2014;111(8):1507-1519.

14. Kadooka Y, Sato M, Ogawa A, et al. Effect of Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 in fermented milk on abdominal adiposity in adults in a randomised controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2013;110(9):1696-1703.

15. Million M, Angelakis E, Paul M, Armougom F, Leibovici L, Raoult D. Comparative meta-analysis of the effect of Lactobacillus species on weight gain in humans and animals. Microb Pathog. 2012;53(2):100-108.