So, What Do Probiotics Do?

This seems like a simple question, but the answer is anything but clearcut. As noted, there are hundreds and hundreds of different bacteria in the colon, so will adding 1, 2, 6 or more make a difference? Additionally, most of these probiotic preparations claim to contain 5-10 billion live bacteria. Every food and pill manufacturer selects their own group of bacteria, so it is impossible to compare one with the other. There are likely 1,000 billion bacteria already in the colon. So, reason would say that adding just a few types of bacteria, and in really small doses to what is already there, might not change things very much.

Also very important… You can ingest as much probiotics as you wish, and if they starve and die out, they won’t benefit you. That is the role of prebiotics – food for probiotics. Prebiotics are special plant-based fibers that nourish these helpful bacteria without feeding any undesirable bugs.

The field of probiotics and prebiotics is very new and we are just beginning to learn what role probiotics play in health and disease. So, while we in medicine are always cautious about excessive claims for any new therapy or dietary change, there are some early favorable results in the medical literature, especially in people with certain disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.