If you're looking for relief from tummy trouble, you may want to consider trying helpful bacteria and yeast called probiotics.
Millions of friendly bacteria live in your intestines, and they're important for your digestion. But diarrhea can throw the microbes in your gut off balance. Probiotics may help get things back on track.
You can find probiotics in certain foods, like yogurt, and they also come in the form of supplements. Not all probiotics can ease diarrhea, though, and some help only certain types of diarrhea. So which ones can help, and when?
Kids and Diarrhea
Evidence for using probiotics to treat rotavirus in children is conflicting. There are differences based on geographic location, probiotic strain, and study design.
The American Gastroenterological Association notes that most studies conducted in North America do not support the benefit of probiotics in children
Diarrhea From Antibiotics
Antibiotics kill the germs in your body that make you sick, but they also kill some of the good bacteria. This can upset the normal balance in your intestines, leading to diarrhea.
Studies of children and adults show that you may cut your chances of having diarrhea if you take probiotics before and during treatment and several days after stopping your antibiotics. Saccharomyces boulardii and some strains of lactobacillus can work.
Travelers’ Diarrhea
When you're away from home, you may get diarrhea when you eat or drink contaminated food or water.
There's no hard proof that probiotics work for this problem. Some research shows they help travelers avoid this kind of diarrhea, but other studies show there isn't any benefit. The strongest evidence points to help from Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Saccharomyces boulardii.
Diarrhea Caused By C. difficile
An infection with C. difficile bacteria causes severe and sometimes life-threatening diarrhea and inflammation in the colon, called colitis. Probiotics may keep you from getting this germ. And there's some evidence of potential benefit, particularly with saccharomyeces boulardii strain, although the overall evidence is inconsistent. That's important, since repeat infections become hard to control.
Scientists have done many studies of Saccharomyces boulardii against this type of bacteria. It appears to help, especially when combined with lactobacillus strains.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Probiotics may help treat ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Based on current evidence, use of probiotics is not recommended in treating Crohn's disease, the other form of IBD.
Where to Find Probiotics
Most health food stores stock dozens of brands of probiotic foods and supplements, like yogurts or dairy drinks, capsules, powders, and liquids.
Look for probiotics with a specific type of bacteria that's been tested and found to work. Make sure the product has a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) seal. Choose products that say that they still work "through end of shelf life" rather than "at time of manufacture."
