Skip to main content
Mayo Clinic Health System
  • Patient Online Services
  • Pay Bill Online
  • Request an Appointment
    • Services
    • Providers
    • Locations

      Minnesota

      • Adams
      • Albert Lea
      • Austin
      • Belle Plaine
      • Blooming Prairie
      • Butterfield
      • Caledonia
      • Cannon Falls
      • Fairmont
      • Faribault
      • Janesville
      • Kenyon
      • Lake City
      • Le Sueur
      • Mankato
      • Montgomery
      • New Prague
      • New Richland
      • Northfield
      • Owatonna
      • Plainview
      • Red Wing
      • Sherburn
      • St. James
      • St. Peter
      • Waseca
      • Waterville
      • Wells
      • Zumbrota

      Wisconsin

      • Arcadia
      • Barron
      • Bloomer
      • Chetek
      • Chippewa Falls
      • Eau Claire
      • Ellsworth
      • Glenwood City
      • Holmen
      • La Crosse
      • Menomonie
      • Mondovi
      • Onalaska
      • Osseo
      • Prairie du Chien
      • Rice Lake
      • Sparta
      • Tomah

      Iowa

      • Decorah
      • Lake Mills

      View map
    • Classes/Events
    • Blog
    • Wellness
    • Referrals
    • COVID-19
    • Influenza
    Posted By
    Lisa Hayes MD

    Lisa Hayes, M.D.

    Family Medicine, Prenatal Care

    Recent Posts

    • How vaccines work illustration
      Speaking of Health
      Vaccine safety: 6 common questions answered
      December 04, 2020
    Featured Topics
    • Behavioral Health
    • Cancer
    • Children's Health (Pediatrics)
    • COVID-19
    • COVID-19 Vaccine
    • Exercise and Fitness
    • Heart Health
    • Men's Health
    • Neurosurgery
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology
    • Orthopedic Health
    • Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery
    • Women's Health
    Join our email newsletter
    Speaking of Health
    Wednesday, September 15, 2021

    What’s the deal with probiotics?

    Topics in this Post
    • Gastrointestinal Health
    Eating probiotic yogurt

    You may be hearing more and more about probiotics — supplements that contain "healthy" bacteria that claim to have multiple benefits, including helping with gut health and digestive issues. Probiotics are being marketed for specific conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or to demographic audiences, such as women or children. But do they really help?

    What are probiotics?

    Often referred to as "friendly" or "good" bacteria, probiotics help keep the normal healthy balance of bacteria in your gut — specifically the lining of the gut which includes the microbiome. We are learning more and more about the body's microbiome and how to maintain the balance of bacteria already growing there in addition to adding living bacteria into your system through probiotics. A healthy gut microbiome helps with digestion, boosts the immune system, contributes to blood sugar levels, and may even influence mood and mental health.

    Where are probiotics found?

    Probiotics can be found in multiple forms.

    Bacteria-fermented foods are good sources of probiotics, including:
    • Active-culture yogurts
    • Cheese
    • Kefir
    • Kimchi
    • Kombucha
    • Sauerkraut

    Probiotics also come in pill form with a variety of different strains or types, including acidophilus, lactobacillus or formulations targeted for different health benefits, such as gastrointestinal health or women's health.

    Research on probiotics

    Probiotics are under active research for a variety of different conditions. Right here at Mayo Clinic, the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine is researching how our individual microbiomes may benefit from personalized probiotics.

    Generally, there are a variety of areas of research for probiotics:
    • Gastrointestinal health — especially for people with certain infections or chronic conditions, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and IBS, or for a serious infection called Clostridioides difficile (C. diff)
    • Vaginal health
    • Allergies — including skin conditions like eczema

    What's the consensus? Are they beneficial?

    There is no clear evidence that probiotics are beneficial. While many small studies have been conducted, there has been no standardized way to study probiotics and their effects, making it difficult to compare the results of different studies.

    Probiotics are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which means the companies that make probiotics do not need to prove the product contains the ingredients listed on the bottle.

    What should you do before taking probiotics?

    Talk to your health care provider before starting a probiotic. People with very weak immune systems, such as those undergoing chemotherapy, should not take probiotics due to risk of infection. Your provider or a nutritionist can help identify a probiotic containing the bacteria strain based on the condition you wish to address.

    Besides probiotics, what can I do to benefit my digestive and overall health?

    Eat a varied diet of protein, grains, fruits and vegetables. Research has shown that a diet containing a variety of different foods is beneficial to our gut microbiome. Engage in regular physical activity. Studies have shown that a healthy diet and physical activity have separate, positive benefits on our overall wellness.

    Lisa Hayes, M.D., provides family medicine and prenatal care in Waseca, Minnesota.


    For the safety of our patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a non-patient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.
    Topics in this Post
    • Gastrointestinal Health

    Related Posts

    Person with Airpod in ear Breaking down acute and chronic pancreatitis
    Nathan Emmons Not just a hernia: Symptoms disguise life-threatening condition
    Sitting and writing in notebook Living with Crohn's disease or colitis

    Stay Connected

    • Contact Us
    • Notice of Nondiscrimination
    • Notice of Privacy Practices
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
    • Careers
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • For Patients & Visitors
    • Financial Assistance
    • Community Resources
    • Mayo Clinic Connect
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Press Room
    • Mayo Clinic
    • Home
    © 2018 - 2023 Mayo Clinic Health System