Probiotics seem to be everywhere — from foods to supplements to skin care and seltzer water. Thinking of getting on the bad wagon? Then you may be wondering the best time to take probiotics.
The health-boosting microorganisms are marketed for everything from promoting gut health to balancing pH and helping with a number of other conditions. The most common ways to take probiotics are via supplements or by eating fermented foods.
What are the benefits of probiotics, and should you be taking a supplement? Experts discuss what we know about probiotics, how they work in the body, and what to consider before trying them out.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast that are beneficial for the body. They supplement the microbiome, or create more diversity and improve the health of the bugs that live in the gut, Dr. Rabia De Latour, gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health, tells TODAY.com.
Probiotics are involved in immune health, digestion and other bodily functions. Along with many other species of bacteria and germs, they live in the digestive tract, mouth, nose, lungs, urinary tract, genitals and on the skin, per the Cleveland Clinic.
Some microorganisms in the body can cause disease, but others can help fight or control the bad ones, Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic Digestive Disease Institute, tells TODAY.com.
“You need a proper balance of good versus bad bacteria to promote health,” Zumpano explains. Probiotics help maintain this balance by increasing the good bacteria in the gut.
Not all probiotics are equal — there are different strains which function differently in the body, says Zumpano. The most commonly recommended and well-studied species of probiotics, per the Cleveland Clinic, include:
- Lactobacillus (L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, L. casei and L. plantarum), which live in the gut and female genital system
- Bifidobacterium (B. longum and B. breve), which live in the gastrointestinal tract
What about…
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