Should You Be Taking Probiotics? Here’s What Research Says
- The Bioregulatory Medicine Institute
- Mar 10
- 10 min read
Join Dr. James Odell for Season 2 of the Science of Self-Healing Podcast! He's the medical and executive director for BRMI, as well as a practicing naturopathic doctor for over 35 years, and he's here to share with you his extensive knowledge of medicine from a different perspective.
One in three Americans take probiotics, but are they getting the benefits they expect? In this interesting episode, Dr. Odell digs into the science of these beneficial microorganisms and separates fact from fiction. Discover why strain specificity matters, what may be a better choice for some people, and how the latest breakthroughs in probiotic technology could transform your health outcomes.
From boosting immunity to improving mental health, he’ll explore the wide-ranging benefits backed by scientific evidence. Learn about postbiotics, spore technology, and personalized approaches that are revolutionizing how we think about gut health. Whether you're a probiotic veteran or considering them for the first time, this comprehensive guide provides actionable advice for making informed decisions about your microbiome.
Get practical tips on choosing the right strains, proper timing, and who should (or shouldn't) be taking these supplements. Beyond the marketing hype, this episode equips you with everything you need to know about the power of probiotics for optimal health.
Transcript for: Should You Be Taking Probiotics? Here’s What Research Says
Did you know nearly one in three Americans take probiotics regularly? While primarily used for gut health, many people are also taking them for improved immune function, mental health, and a variety of other health conditions. But, should you be taking them too?
So, whether you currently take probiotics, or are curious about taking them, this episode will break down everything you need to know in simple, straightforward terms to answer that question. We'll go over the latest scientific info regarding probiotics, including groundbreaking research, practical tips for effective use, and surprising insights that might help you decide whether or not to add them to your daily regime.
So What Exactly Are Probiotics?
Simply put, they're beneficial live microorganisms - mostly bacteria, but sometimes yeasts too - that can improve your health when you consume enough of them. Think of them as the "good guys" in the microbial world. The most common ones you'll hear about belong to groups called Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces.
These helpful microbes work with your body's existing microbiome - that's the collection of trillions of bacteria living in and on your body right now. The gut microbiome alone has about 38 trillion bacteria. That's more than the number of cells in your entire body.
Studies show that these trillions of bacteria are composed of somewhere between 300 and 1,000 types of bacteria in the human gut, with around 500 typically. Some bacteria, like Bacteroides and Prevotella, are very common and make up most of the gut’s microbial activity. However, only about 12 types of bacteria are found consistently in more than half of people worldwide.These core bacteria play essential roles in digestion, immune function, and overall health, and their widespread presence suggests they are crucial for maintaining a balanced gut environment. However, keep in mind that each person’s gut bacteria mix is unique and varies widely between people due to factors like diet, genetics, environment, and antibiotic use. For example, someone who eats a lot of fiber will have more bacteria that digest plant-based foods, while someone who eats more meat may have a different bacterial balance. Even identical twins can have distinct gut bacteria based on their lifestyle and food choices. However, different microbial compositions can still result in similar functional outcomes.
Recent science has shown that this microbiome affects way more than just digestion. It's connected to your immune system, mental health, metabolism, and even how much inflammation you have in your body.
The Role of Probiotics
Probiotics—the beneficial microbes you consume through food or supplements—perform several key roles in your body when taken regularly. They help digest food by breaking down complex nutrients and improving how well your body absorbs vitamins and minerals. These microbes also create helpful compounds like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which support gut health, and vitamins such as B vitamins and vitamin K. Additionally, they block harmful bacteria from sticking to the gut lining, increase gut acidity to create a less welcoming environment for pathogens, and reduce inflammation. Probiotics even support brain health by communicating with the brain through the gut-brain axis, influencing mood and mental clarity. Beyond these roles, they strengthen the gut barrier to prevent leaks, boost immune function by activating protective cells, and produce antimicrobial substances to fight off infections.
So, let's talk about the specific health benefits probiotics can actually do for you, based on scientific evidence.
Digestive Benefits
For digestive health, certain probiotics can prevent diarrhea caused by antibiotics, reducing your chances by about 30-40%. That's significant. They can also help with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) like bloating and stomach pain. And for people with inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis, some probiotics might help keep the condition under control, though they don't replace medical treatment.
Immune System Benefits
Beyond digestion, probiotics can boost your immune system. Studies show they can slightly reduce how long you're sick with a cold or respiratory infection. For babies and young children, certain probiotics given early in life might help prevent eczema, especially if mom takes them during pregnancy too.
Mood and Anxiety Benefits
Scientists are also exploring connections between gut bacteria and mental health through what they call the "gut-brain axis." Early research suggests some probiotic strains might improve mood and anxiety. There's also some evidence they could help with aspects of metabolic health, like blood sugar and cholesterol levels, though the effects are usually small.
Other Benefits
Scientists are discovering even more benefits. These include preventing kidney stones, supporting children with autism spectrum disorder, helping with osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis, reducing allergies, healing wounds, and even fighting H. pylori infections.
Linked to Other Health Conditions
Even more importantly, scientists are now linking specific bacteria to specific health conditions. For example, people with type 2 diabetes typically have different gut bacteria than healthy people, with noticeably different amounts of Lactobacillus species. Other conditions showing distinct bacterial patterns include obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, and even some mental health disorders. This growing understanding is opening doors to new treatments that target the microbiome to improve health. Probiotics may help by influencing this complex ecosystem in various ways.
The Importance of Strain Specificity
So, let’s just dig a little deeper into some ground breaking research... Let’s begin by talking about the importance of strain specificity.
Here's something many people miss: not all probiotics do the same thing. The benefits are specific to each strain, not just the general type. For example, a specific strain called Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is great for preventing antibiotic-related diarrhea, but other Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains might not help with that at all. So if you're taking probiotics for a specific issue, make sure you're taking the right strain! We’ve attached a button guide you through selecting the appropriate probiotic, so be sure to visit our website, and the transcript for this episode, to learn more.
Spore Technology
Another recent breakthrough is in probiotic spore technology. Unlike traditional probiotics, spore-based probiotics have a protective outer shell that helps them survive stomach acid and reach the intestines intact. This makes them more effective than many conventional probiotics. Scientists have discovered that these spore-forming bacteria, particularly from the Bacillus family, can remain dormant until they reach the ideal environment in your gut, where they "wake up" and multiply. New studies show they may be especially helpful for reducing inflammation, strengthening the gut barrier, and supporting immune function. One particularly promising benefit is their ability to crowd out harmful bacteria while encouraging beneficial bacterial growth. This improved survivability and targeted action means spore-based probiotics could offer more consistent and powerful health benefits for conditions ranging from digestive disorders to immune system support, making them an important advancement in the field of gut health.
Postbiotics and Parabiotics
Scientists are now studying parts from beneficial bacteria that don't need to be alive to help your health. These are called postbiotics. Think of them as the helpful substances that good bacteria make or leave behind. For example, when probiotics digest fiber in your gut, they produce short-chain fatty acids that feed your gut cells and reduce inflammation. Other postbiotics include pieces of bacterial cell walls that can train your immune system to work better, and special proteins and enzymes that perform specific healthy functions in your body. The advantage is that these substances don't need refrigeration, can't die off, and might work more reliably than live bacteria. This research could lead to new supplements that are more stable and precisely targeted to specific health needs.
More Innovations
There's also cool innovation happening with how probiotics are delivered to your gut. Special delayed-release capsules can protect bacteria from stomach acid, microencapsulation technology helps more of them survive the journey, and synbiotic formulations combine specific probiotics with the exact prebiotics (their preferred food) that help them thrive.
Another exciting area is personalized probiotics. Studies from the last couple of years show that how probiotics colonize and affect your gut varies a lot from person to person. Your existing gut bacteria, genetics, diet, medications, and overall health all play a role. This means that in the future, we might get probiotic recommendations tailored specifically to our individual needs, rather than one-size-fits-all suggestions.
Practical Tips for Probiotic Use…
Food Sources Often Outperform Supplements
Here’s something else that might surprise you: foods with probiotics often outperform supplements! A Stanford study from 2023 found that eating lots of fermented foods created more diverse changes in the microbiome than taking probiotic supplements. Fermented foods provide beneficial compounds that support probiotic activity, and traditional fermentation methods often produce multiple complementary strains of bacteria. So try kimchi, yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut first!
Support Your Existing Good Bacteria
Listen to our podcast on fiber for information on how to support your good bacteria – and eat well – skipping the processed foods. And consider taking fulvic and or humic acid to enhance the growth of beneficial bacteria by providing energy sources and improving nutrient absorption. Human studies show a 20–30% increase in colonic microbiota density without altering diversity when you take either fulvic or humic acid.
Choose Your Probiotic Wisely
When choosing a product, look for ones that list specific strain designations - not just "Lactobacillus" but the full name like "Lactobacillus plantarum 299v." Check for CFU (colony-forming unit) counts between 1-50 billion, depending on what you're treating. Choose brands guaranteeing live cultures (CFUs) through expiration dates and use third-party testing, such as Consumer Lab. Also, look for brands that do stability testing or use special technology to keep their products shelf-stable since temperature fluctuations during shipping can seriously damage probiotics. And most importantly, match the specific strain to your specific health concern.
Take Them Correctly
To get the most benefit, start with lower doses and gradually increase to minimize those adjustment reactions we talked about. Take them consistently every day – with water, since probiotics typically require regular use to maintain their effects – and don’t take them with hot or acidic food. Consider switching up different probiotic strains every 1-3 months to promote diversity in your gut. And pair your probiotics with the right prebiotics - the specific fibers that feed those beneficial bacteria. Also, allow 4+ weeks for changes to happen, as gut microbiota changes gradually.
Be Patient
Your body may need to adapt to the change. Have you ever started taking probiotics and felt worse for a week or two? You're not alone! About 15-20% of people experience increased gas and bloating, mild stomach discomfort, headaches, or fatigue. It usually goes away within 1-2 weeks and might actually be a sign that the probiotics are effectively competing with less beneficial bacteria in your gut.
Timing Matters!
Recent research suggests when you take your probiotics relative to meals can make a big difference. Some strains survive better if you take them with a fatty meal that helps protect them from stomach acid. Others work better if you take them about 30 minutes before eating. And some strains seem to colonize better if you take them in the evening. The instructions might not mention this, but it could make your probiotics work better.
Surviving the Trip
However, keep in mind that a major challenge with probiotics is surviving the harsh stomach acid before reaching the gut. Many bacteria die along the way, reducing their effectiveness. Some strains are more resistant, but taking probiotics with food or using protective coatings can help. Even if they reach the intestines, they may not stay long unless the gut environment is healthy. Prebiotics—fibers that feed good bacteria—can improve their survival. Choosing acid-resistant strains, timing doses correctly, and maintaining a balanced diet can boost probiotic effectiveness.
Some People Need to Avoid Them
While probiotics are generally safe, some people should be cautious. If you have a severely compromised immune system, a central venous catheter, short bowel syndrome, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), or acute pancreatitis, due to the risk of sepsis. Caution also needs to be taken with infants, elderly patients with comorbidities, and critically ill-patients. So be sure to talk to your doctor before starting probiotics.
So, now that you’ve learned about the benefits and the current research regarding probiotics, should you be taking them?
The answer to this question is that supplements might not be necessary for healthy individuals, although consuming probiotics naturally found in fermented foods is always a good idea. However, if you have any of the conditions I mentioned earlier, probiotic usage is most likely a good option for you - with guidance from your doctor.
The bottom line is that probiotics offer real health benefits when used correctly. The key is selecting the right strains for your specific needs, understanding the individual factors that influence how you'll respond, and having realistic expectations. As research advances, we'll get better and better at using these beneficial microorganisms for targeted health improvements.
That's all for today's episode. If you found this information helpful, please don't forget to subscribe and share this episode with friends who might benefit.
Thank you for your time today, and remember that this podcast is made possible by the Bioregulatory Medicine Institute, also known as BRMI, a nonprofit, global, non political, non commercial institute to promote the science and art of bioregulatory medicine. We extend our gratitude to each and every one of you for listening today, and if you haven't already, make sure to visit us at brmi.online. A treasure trove of invaluable information awaits you there. Connect with us across various social media platforms as well. Come and become a member of our thriving tribe. If you've enjoyed today's episode, we invite you to show your support by rating us, leaving us a review, or sharing the podcast within your circle. Our podcast and mission flourish through sharing, and your participation means the world to us. Our organization is sustained by donations, each of which is tax deductible and fuels projects like this. Visit our website, brmi.online, to contribute or simply to explore the wealth of uncensored and impartial information we offer. No contribution is too small. In just two weeks, we'll be back delving into another captivating topic. Until then, we thank you once again for listening. May wellness and wisdom be your path. Be well.
Bioregulatory medicine is a total body (and mind) approach to health and healing that aims to help facilitate and restore natural human biological processes. It is a proven, safe, gentle, highly effective, drugless, and side-effect-free medical model designed to naturally support the body to regulate, adapt, regenerate, and self-heal. BRMI is a non-commercial 501(c)(3) foundation and will expand and flourish with your support. Our goal is to make bioregulatory medicine a household term.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for the direct care of a qualified health practitioner who oversees and provides unique and individualized care. The information provided here is to broaden our different perspectives and should not be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.