Buzz
Drugstores are filled with items that don’t necessarily cure us—like vitamin C, homeopathic remedies, and probiotics—but we tend to purchase them regardless, thinking they can’t possibly harm us. However, recent findings show that probiotics may cause harm if they aren’t the right type for the specific health issue you're aiming to treat.
The latest research, though conducted on mice, offers a cautionary tale for humans. Scientists were investigating treatments for Cryptosporidium, a parasite responsible for causing diarrheal illnesses in young children. With no current drugs or vaccines available, the team tested whether probiotics could help. They infected the mice with Crypto and administered a commercially available probiotic to some of them (the probiotic was not specified). Unfortunately, the mice who received the probiotic experienced more severe infections than those that did not.
Probiotics, often referred to as 'good bacteria,' aren’t miraculous infection-fighters; they are simply microbes that typically live in our bodies without causing harm. Scientists are still trying to understand the precise workings of our gut and the roles of individual microbes. While probiotics can be beneficial in certain cases, their effectiveness depends on the specific strain, the health issue you're addressing, and possibly the existing bacteria in your gut. Therefore, we shouldn’t assume that probiotics are always the heroes combating harmful bacteria.
Probiotics have shown some positive results in specific cases. Certain brands have proven effective for treating particular symptoms or conditions (you can find a list of these here, for instance). However, research on probiotics is still in its early stages. I’ve been emphasizing this for years, and it’s true: we don’t fully understand what probiotics will do in every situation. Trying a probiotic often feels like an experiment—you might improve, see no changes, or even feel worse.
Probiotics, like any other supplement or dubious medication, can have their risks. Take homeopathic remedies, for instance, which are meant to be essentially water, but sometimes have been found to contain poison or, more recently, contaminated water. Cold medications are legitimate drugs, yet they often fail to provide any real benefit. Vitamins are essential for health, but taking excessive amounts can lead to illness. Now, we can add probiotics to this list of things that may have health benefits but can also end up causing harm.
