{"id":4921,"date":"2018-04-10T20:15:55","date_gmt":"2018-04-11T03:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/?p=4921"},"modified":"2021-01-21T12:16:41","modified_gmt":"2021-01-21T19:16:41","slug":"do-i-need-probiotics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/do-i-need-probiotics\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Take Probiotics? Science Says it Might Be a Waste"},"content":{"rendered":"

The probiotic industry has a dirty secret: <\/span>It\u2019s creating a billion-dollar business based on twisted science.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are wondering, “do I need probiotics?” Consider this: Probiotics — the healthy bacteria highlighted on most yogurt products — are being added to everything from popcorn to muffin mixes. <\/span><\/p>\n

According to a <\/span>report by Grand View Research<\/span><\/a>, the market for probiotics supplements is expected to reach $7 billion in the next 7 years. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing: That business is built on a little bit of science…and a lot of <\/span>fiction<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are many products labeled with the word \u2018probiotic\u2019 in the U.S., but not all are responsibly formatted or studied for health benefits,\u201d says Mary Ellen Sanders, Ph.D., executive science officer of the <\/span>International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

The science is that probiotics are good for you \u00a0— <\/span>but only if you have a condition that requires their use.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

That\u2019s not something you\u2019ll want to hear if your pantry and fridge are filled with probiotic-infused foods. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe benefits of probiotics in foods — especially foods that <\/span>aren\u2019t<\/span><\/i> fermented dairy products — is questionable, at best,\u201d says <\/span>Shira Doron<\/span><\/a>, M.D., professor of medicine and attending physician in infectious diseases at Tufts University School of Medicine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, that\u2019s just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to food, many probiotic supplements fail to live up to the promise on their label. <\/span><\/p>\n

Unless you have a specific condition that\u2019s been shown to benefit from probiotics, you likely don\u2019t need them. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no evidence that it is essential to take probiotics to be healthy,\u201d Sanders adds. <\/span><\/p>\n

Her next point may be even more important: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t <\/span>need<\/span><\/i> probiotics if you are healthy,\u201d Sanders says.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Hype (and Mythology) of Probiotics<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Probiotics are live microorganisms that feed the healthy bacteria in your gut. Most people treat probiotics the same way they would a multivitamin. <\/span><\/p>\n

In theory, the benefit of a multivitamin is that it helps make up for deficiencies from your diet. So, if you have a good multivitamin (that\u2019s <\/span>an entirely different story<\/span><\/a>), and if you don\u2019t have a great diet, then it might offer you some benefits. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing: <\/span><\/p>\n

Probiotics <\/span>do not<\/span><\/span> function like multivitamins. <\/span><\/p>\n

Whereas multivitamins can have a benefit for anyone because it helps support <\/span>deficiencies<\/span><\/i>, probiotics are really designed to help treat, improve, or solve <\/span>dysfunction<\/span><\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

You need probiotics if your microbiome (i.e. your gut health) is messed up. This means that taking probiotics can be very helpful if you suffer from a condition such as irritable bowel disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

But if not, then your use of probiotics might not be doing as much good as you hoped.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Probiotic-Gut Relationship: It\u2019s Complicated<\/b><\/h2>\n

You might be wondering:<\/span><\/p>\n

How does a billion dollar business get built on something as shaky as \u201cmaybe this will be good for you?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

It all starts with the extremely complex nature of your gut. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s so complicated that science needs much more time to figure it out. \u201cThe human microbiome may have as many as 200 trillion microorganisms and up to a thousand species,\u201d Doron says. <\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s a lot of biological ground to cover, which is why probiotics are still a field that scientists are trying to understand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a\u00a0variety of things we think happen, but we don’t know how that all works,\u201d Doron says. <\/span><\/p>\n

Three reasons why what you see on probiotic labels isn\u2019t necessarily reflective of what it will do for your body:<\/span><\/p>\n