Probiotics: Harmful or Helpful?

Health conscious endeavors are ubiquitous throughout American culture, with individuals attempting to gain an edge in favor of optimal health, and often times to a detriment. As is the case with most neoteric positions, there is a notable dissonance between research and practice. The matter of probiotics and the effect on the human gut microbiota is no different. Recently, there has been a noticeable increase in the emphasis placed surrounding gut health and the implications it has on the human body. This escalation can be seen through the attention given to a variety of products such as fermented foods (kimchi, tempeh and kombucha), probiotics and prebiotics, with the idea that these live cultures, containing microorganisms beneficially effect gut health. 

As awareness grows about the need to support gut health, so does consumer demand for products such as probiotics. New products continue to emerge in order to fill this demand. But the question remains, how effective are probiotics in improving our gut health? Research has shown that probiotics have an excellent safety profile, however, the risk of adverse effects is not quite zero. According to Marteau et al. (2001), four classes of possible side effects from probiotic use have been outlined: 

1.    Systemic Infections

2.    Detrimental Metabolic Effects 

3.    Cytokine-mediated Immunologic Adverse events in Susceptible Individuals

4.    Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes 

It is important to note that these are considered relatively “rare” occurrences in normal human beings, particular caution should be paid attention to those with compromised immunological functions. Researchers are beginning to understand that the benefits of probiotics become clearer in regard to diseases such as irritable bowel disease, type 2 diabetes and hypercholesterolemia, rather than traditionally healthy individuals. Yet, several issues arise when it comes to the efficacy of studies being conducted. For instance, the majority of clinical studies have track probiotic “inputs” (whether a single strain or multiple strains) and health “outputs”, often without knowing what occurs in between. Throughout the research one conclusion continues to be drawn, very little is known about the mechanisms by which probiotics produce their health effects. To provide some clarity, through scientific inquiry we know more about space than we do our own gut microbiota!

 So, what can we take away from this information? Probiotics show great potential in providing beneficial effects on the human gut microbiota, however, more research is needed in order to validate this. With recent advancements in technology these feats can be achieved.

MC

Marteau, P. R., Vrese, M. D., Cellier, C. J., & Schrezenmeir, J. (2001). Protection from gastrointestinal diseases with the use of probiotics–. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 73(2), 430s-436s.

Ishiguro, E., Haskey, N., & Campbell, K. (2018). Gut Microbiota: Interactive Effects on Nutrition and Health. Academic Press.