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WASHINGTON (XINHUA) – Researchers studying the human digestive tract have discovered that probiotics have dubious benefits to intestinal health and can even delay the natural ability of the gut to return to a normal state.
Probiotics are bacteria that are found naturally in foods like yogurt and pickles. It is generally believed that they contribute to intestinal health and help protect against certain diseases.
It is common that doctors recommend taking probiotics during antibiotic treatment that eliminates good and bad bacteria in the intestines.
The two studies, published last Thursday (Sept. 6) in the journal Cell, examined how probiotics colonize a healthy gut and how long they help the intestines recover after antibiotic treatment.
Contrary to widespread belief in the universal benefits of probiotics, researchers found in the first study that the probiotic colonization pattern varies from person to person.
"Some people accept probiotics in their gut, while others pass on probiotics to each other," said Dr. Eran Elinav, author of both studies and a professor in the Department of Health. 39 Immunology of the Weizmann Institute of Sciences in Israel.
The difference is determined by the underlying microbial composition of a person and the immune system, according to the study.
He tells us that the concept that everyone can benefit from probiotic supplements purchased in a supermarket is empirically wrong, said Dr. Elinav, quoted by New Scientist magazine.
In addition, researchers found that probiotics delayed the return of a person's normal microbiome after antibiotic treatment rather than facilitating the process.
Participants in the second study were divided into three groups. The first group was reestablished without any intervention, the second group received probiotics and the third received their own intestinal bacteria collected prior to antibiotic treatment.
The researchers found that it took months for the intestinal microbiome to return to normal in the second group while there were only a few days left in the third group.
"Contrary to the current dogma that probiotics are harmless and benefit everyone, these findings reveal a new potential adverse effect of using probiotics with antibiotics that could even have long-term consequences," said Dr. Elinav.
"This tells us that rather than relying on a single approach, we need to move to a new paradigm: a well-adapted personal microbiome or signature combinations tailored to each individual," he added.
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