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The "good bacteria," or probiotics, that fill the pomegranate drink are everywhere these days, in pills and powders marketed as super supplements. Probiotics are said to improve digestive and immune health. They're touted as potential treatments for conditions ranging from inflammatory bowel disease to eczema to tooth decay. Some marketing campaigns even hint that they can prevent the flu.
Scientific evidence, however, does not necessarily support those claims.
Studies in rodents and small groups of humans point to possible health benefits of consuming probiotics. But there have been only a few large human trials — in large part because Food and Drug Administration rules have dissuaded food companies and federally funded researchers from conducting the types of studies that could confirm, or refute, the proposed benefits of consuming "good" microbes.
http://www.statnews.com/2016/01/21/probiotics-shaky-science/
(Score: 2) by gnuman on Wednesday January 27 2016, @08:23PM
Bacteria that you stick in your intestine do not necessarily colonize it, because there tends to be limited room - it's kind of packed with bacteria down there. Having said that, it's not what bacteria you put down there that make you healthy, it's the bacteria that your diet sustains that live there that determine your health.
So if you nuke your bacteria with antibiotics and only the more resistant strains survive, or you literally starve your bacteria by eating low fiber, low variety diet, then you can't just "fix it" by eating some bacteria and keep up with bad lifestyle. You have to feed said bacteria too, which means no antibiotics and daily dose of variety of fiber, not just Metamucil or some what husks.
Probiotics works, but most likely marginally at best. But if you change your lifestyle/diet, you get your probiotics automatically. Apple a day keep the doctor away - probably much more effective at that than some probiotic yogurt.
For car analogy - it's not the engine that powers the car, it's the fuel. Put down unsuitable fuel down the tank and you'll get terrible results no matter what the engine.