Study finds probiotics have little or no effect inside the body
- 6 years ago
ISRAEL — According to a study published in the journal Cell, probiotics were found to have "little or no effect inside the body."
The researchers created their own "probiotic cocktail" by using 11 bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria to test how well probiotics would colonize a healthy intestine.
Half of the participants were given the 'probiotic cocktail while the other half were given a placebo.
In about half the cases, the probiotic went in and came out the other end, without doing anything for the body.
In the other half, the probiotic stayed for a while before being eventually crowded out by the microbes already in the body.
Dr. Eran Elinav, a researcher involved with the study, told the BBC, in the future probiotics would "need to be tailored to the needs of individual patients."
The study was conducted with a small group of participants, and needs further studies to confirm the results.
The researchers created their own "probiotic cocktail" by using 11 bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria to test how well probiotics would colonize a healthy intestine.
Half of the participants were given the 'probiotic cocktail while the other half were given a placebo.
In about half the cases, the probiotic went in and came out the other end, without doing anything for the body.
In the other half, the probiotic stayed for a while before being eventually crowded out by the microbes already in the body.
Dr. Eran Elinav, a researcher involved with the study, told the BBC, in the future probiotics would "need to be tailored to the needs of individual patients."
The study was conducted with a small group of participants, and needs further studies to confirm the results.