Should You Take Probiotics for Gut Health? Here’s What the Science Says

Probiotics are live microorganisms that some believe will improve the well-being of those who consume them. Many people are particularly interested in probiotics for gut health. Does science support their hopes that these supplements could improve their digestive systems?

Diving Into the Culinary Pairing of Yogurt and Honey

Some foods taste so good together that they become popular combinations. Yogurt with honey is a great example, frequently enjoyed as a breakfast treat. Scientists were curious if the consumables have benefits beyond tasting enjoyable together. They conducted two studies to learn if honey had increased the positive effects of probiotics on the gut microbiome. 

The first was a laboratory experiment involving simulated digestion processes and determining whether four different types of honey made a probiotic more viable. This investigation required growing microbes in petri dishes featuring solutions that mimicked saliva, stomach bile and other liquids that the probiotics and honey would encounter during digestion. One finding was that a particular clover variety of honey increased the probiotic’s survival rate during intestinal digestion.

Next, the researchers conducted a clinical study with 66 healthy adults. Participants consumed two yogurt varieties — one with clover honey and one without — for two weeks. They also completed surveys about their mood, cognition and overall well-being while providing stool samples and bowel movement information. 

The results indicated the yogurt-honey combination made the probiotics more likely to survive the human digestive system, backing up the lab findings. However, the scientists found no positive effects on the participants’ mood, cognition, bowel movement frequency or intestinal transit time. They believe that since those taking part were already healthy, there was little room for improvement. 

Additionally, the research team clarified that since honey adds sugar to yogurt, people thinking about eating the two together should be mindful of how the extra calories could impact their weight. Alternatively, the researchers suggested another gut health tip is to increase the fiber-related benefits by adding seeds, nuts or berries and drizzling honey as a topping.

Taking Probiotics for Gut Health When Prescribed Antibiotics

Some people have become more interested in so-called functional foods, which may have additional health benefits or disease-preventing capabilities. However, these products comprise a broad category, and there is no law-defined definition of a functional food. However, there’s a good chance that people interested in probiotics for gut health or any other reason will come across numerous functional foods. For example, a Japanese company sells a probiotic supplement that may improve cognitive function. 

Combatting an Unwanted Effect

Although the above study examining yogurt and honey did not show compelling reasons to consume the foods to boost gut health in people already feeling well, another group of scientists wondered if a probiotics prescription could help those taking antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. Those medications are incredibly effective for that purpose. However, one downside is that they also kill the harmless bacteria residing in people’s guts, and it may take years to restore the balance. 

Researchers investigated whether taking probiotics alongside antibiotics could reduce that unwanted effect. There is still a lot to learn about what constitutes a healthy gut microbiome, and scientists not yet learned enough to agree on the answer. However, what they know so far is that the evidence suggests those with healthier gut microbiomes have a greater diversity and more variety of bacteria. 

A first-of-its-kind systematic review examined 29 studies performed over seven years to learn whether people prescribed probiotics would have fewer gut-related adverse effects from antibiotics. The results indicated that such supplements could preserve existing bacterial species diversity in the gut and encourage population restoration of some healthy bacteria. 

Some doctors had been reluctant to have patients take antibiotics and probiotics together, worrying that the combination could further upset the microbiome. However, these researchers concluded that — based on the human data available on this topic so far — they don’t see a reason to have people stop taking probiotics once they begin courses of antibiotics. 

Assisting Patients With Diagnosed Gut Ailments 

Most people occasionally get upset stomachs, concluding they must have eaten things that didn’t agree with them. However, suppose these occurrences happen more often or come with unusual symptoms. In that case, individuals may seek medical attention and ultimately get diagnoses such as ulcerative colitis or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Could taking probiotics for gut health in these cases bring beneficial results?

A group of researchers expanded on previous work related to developing a technology that encased beneficial bacteria inside a thin, protective shell to increase its survival when encountering harsh stomach acids and other things that could kill the probiotics before they could work. That work indicated keeping the bacteria inside that layer supported the oral administration of the supplements.

For this more recent work, they focused on IBD patients, knowing that this condition is complicated to treat and requires multifaceted treatment methods. The scientists believed they could neutralize the molecules connected to IBD with specially created nanoparticle “backpacks”  attached to the protected probiotics. 

Scientists need to learn more to establish the root causes of inflammatory bowel disease. However, emerging evidence suggests the overproduction of specific molecules could worsen matters by damaging the intestinal lining. However, these backpacks may address that problem, causing positive outcomes for patients prescribed probiotic regimens. 

A rodent study showed mice with IBD experienced weight loss and colon shortening — Two issues often seen in humans with the ailment. However, the animals that received full courses of the molecular-targeting treatment in the probiotic backpacks showed much less colonic shortening and the least weight loss compared to groups that received partial or no treatments. 

Researchers must explore this area more thoroughly, especially in human subjects. However, results such as these highlight the potential promise of probiotics for gut health.

Thinking About Taking Probiotics for Gut Health?

This research sampling shows that taking probiotics for a healthier gut is not the sure bet many supplement manufacturers would like customers to believe. Even if consuming them is not harmful, the probiotics may be a waste of money.

The best approach is to ask your health care provider for their probiotics recommendations, particularly in the context of your specific situation. They may determine that taking a daily probiotic wouldn’t hurt you, but there may not be meaningful benefits.

Additionally, outside of taking a probiotic supplement, you could also evaluate your diet and look for fermented foods that naturally contain probiotics. Pickles, yogurt, miso and cottage cheese are some easily accessible options.