Probiotic Supplements Weight Loss Diet Nutrition Tips Guide

Probiotic Supplements And Knowing The Benefits

By Tracy Kerr-Walshe

"If you're healthy and are not planning to take antibiotics, go into the hospital, or maybe take a trip out of the country, then there is no benefit from taking probiotics," said Lynne McFarland, a microbiologist at the Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care System and coauthor of "The Power of Probiotics."

Probiotic supplements can be found in food, powders and capsules around the world and are believed to contribute to healthy immune and digestive systems. Even so, not all Americans are convinced there are any benefits. Here is some info on the popular probiotic products to help you decide whether or not they're for you.

Bacteria Living Inside Dairy Products

Activa probiotic yogurt is one of the most widely accepted probiotic supplements. The idea of bacteria living inside dairy products has been around for years, so Americans aren't so "creeped out" by it. You can eat one four-ounce yogurt containing bifidobacterium each day for a month for $20.

This product claims to reduce gas and bloating, while restoring digestive regularity again. According to Dannon's own research, food took 10-30 hours less to travel from one end of the GI tract to the other. In sales volume, Dannon's Activa is the best probiotic food in the American market.

Treating Diarrhea With Probiotic Products

Stonyfield Farm Probiotic Yogurt is another one of the popular probiotic supplements. Stonyfield contains the probiotic acidophilus and costs $30/month for a six-ounce container each day. The company claims that this probiotic yogurt "fights viruses and bacteria associated with diarrhea and GI disease." In fact, diarrhea treatment is one of the most highly researched areas for probiotic products.

It is highly substantiated, although scientists aren't exactly sure how it works. Stonyfield itself points to one published study of 128 Swedish workers who took the yogurt as a supplement for 80 days; the day shift workers' immune systems showed no difference from those who took the placebos. However, none of the night workers who ate the yogurt missed work, whereas 9 placebos called in sick.

Promoting Regularity And Reducing Bowel And Stomach Discomfort

Probiotic supplements like Culturelle ($20/month) are said to "help promote regularity" and "help reduce bowel and stomach discomfort." Two studies looked at the lactobacillus gg strain in Finland and Poland. While there was no real evidence that it "promoted regularity," it did prove to help prevent diarrhea in 70% of children taking antibiotics. However, the results weren't as encouraging in adults.

In 2001, the Mayo Clinic reported no difference between Culturelle Probiotic consuming adults and placebo-taking adults on antibiotics. In the end, probiotic supplements may work for you, or they may just be another convenient advertising ploy.

Please Note: All information given on this site is for information purposes and is not to replace any medical opinion or medical diagnosis given by a qualified medical doctor, a dietitian/nutritional expert or any other medical expert, as individual circumstances may vary. Please see your medical doctor, before any action is taken to alleviate symptoms.

This Article was about Probiotic Supplements.

About the Author:
Tracy Kerr-Walshe is an author of dieting articles including Effective Weight Loss, Full Body Detox, Juice Fasting.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles coming soon.

More Facts About Probiotics...

Can you have an adverse reaction to probiotics?
There are certain specific situations where the use of probiotics could be harmful. There was a therapeutic clinical trial performed on patients that had acute pancreatitis. The trial did show an increased death rate.

But the World Health Organization does consider the probiotics useful and does even recommend them to most patients. As with any natural supplement or new diet, you should check with your doctor before beginning. He or she can advise you on whether or not it is safe for you to take.