The probiotics are in full fury. He is said to be the next big superstar in the prevention and treatment of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, gestational diabetes, allergies and obesity .
Its proponents claim that these "good" bacteria feed the microbiome of the intestine and expel the "bad" microbes . As a result, they say, one experiences better digestion, a healthier immune system and an improved mood.
However, enthusiasm for probiotics may be premature. Scientists are just beginning to understand the complex function of the microbiome, the way probiotics work and their potential for specific treatments. "The outlook looks like the Old West," says Claire Fraser, director of the Institute of Genome Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Although some results point to beneficial effects, Fraser says more studies are needed to translate the information into medical recommendations .
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In addition, probiotic supplements currently on the market may not be as useful. According to Lee Kaplan, director of the Obesity, Metabolism and Nutrition Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital, it is not yet clear how to recreate a healthy or completely diverse microbiome. "It's unlikely that currently available probiotics will do it, we probably do not have the right ones yet," he said.
Russian scientist Elie Metchnikoff was the first to perceive, more than 100 years ago, that eating fermented foods may be associated with well-being and longevity. Research on the subject has accelerated in the last 10 years, as scientists have developed tools to study the microbiome in depth.
According to Kaplan, today researchers know that the microbiome can affect mood, intestinal function, obesity, diabetes and inflammation. So far, there is evidence that bacterial strains are beneficial as treatment in some specific cases.
For example, probiotics have been found to significantly reduce the incidence of necrotising enterocolitis , a life-threatening gastrointestinal disease in premature babies , and diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile , an infection that can be caused by the use of antibiotics.
There is also encouraging research showing that probiotics can help with other conditions, such as acute diarrhea, diarrhea associated with antibiotics in children, infection with Helicobacter pylori (a bacterial disease related to peptic ulcers) and other gastrointestinal disorders, including the syndrome of the irritable colon.
Other studies indicate that probiotics can help prevent acute infections of the upper respiratory tract and the common cold. Since they are sold as dietary and dietary supplements, in the United States they are not subject to the typical regulations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This means that the products may not contain live bacteria, or even the type and number of bacterial strains indicated on the label. "There is no way to confirm that what is on the list is what is in the box, nor that it is safe and useful, nor that it will help," said Purna Kashyap, a physician and assistant professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic. For example, in 2015 an examination of 16 probiotic products found that only one of them contained the bacterial strain mentioned on the label. "At this time we can not predict who will feel better and who will not ," Kashyap said.
Some people do not feel different when taking the supplement, while others say it has made them healthier. Most probiotics are cheap, do not require a prescription and do not usually generate adverse reactions. But in general, Kashyap believes that it is better to wait for the next generation of probiotics to reach the market, especially if you have an immune deficiency or you are sick. "Even healthy bacteria can be dangerous for these people," he said.
However, the best way to take care of the intestinal tract is through a healthy diet: a variety of vegetables, fruits and fiber. You can also include foods rich in probiotics -yogur, soy- and always keep in mind that antibiotics can eliminate good bacteria, so they should be used only when medically necessary.