Probiotics Benefits
There are generally two periods of time in which you may benefit from taking probiotics: when you’re taking a course of antibiotics, and when you’re not.
Antibiotics kill bacteria in your intestines and don’t discriminate between harmful bacteria and the benevolent bacteria that help your body digest food and contribute to overall health.
Therefore, taking probiotics along with antibiotics will replenish any of the benevolent bacteria killed off during treatment.
In particular, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), taking probiotics during antibiotic treatment may prevent diarrhea that’s typically caused by the antibiotics or the infections themselves.
Even when you’re not battling an infection with antibiotics, you may still benefit from incorporating probiotics into your diet — whether by means of eating foods in which probiotics naturally occur, such as yogurt, kefir, and kimchi, or by means of taking a probiotic supplement.
Your potential benefit depends, in part, on the current state of microorganisms in your intestinal environment, also known as your intestinal “flora.”
Probiotics can improve this environment. The Mayo Clinic notes positive evidence suggesting that probiotics may prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections or urinary tract infections; help with irritable bowel syndrome; and even prevent or mitigate the symptoms of colds and the flu.
Moreover, the NCCIH reports that there has been or continues to be research into whether probiotics can prevent or treat additional health problems, including allergy disorders, oral conditions such as tooth decay, colic in infants, and liver disease.
Regarding any potential dangerous side effects, these appear to be rare, especially for adults who generally are in good health. Therefore, there’s little chance — unless you’re facing a serious illness, in which case you should speak with your doctor — that incorporating probiotic-rich foods or supplements into your diet will do anything but nourish your body and your overall wellbeing.
Sources:
Mayo Clinic, http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/probiotics/faq-20058065
NCCIH: https://nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics/introduction.htm#hed1
