Pros and Cons of Probiotics

Most of the probiotic manufacturers portray these drinks or pills as something magical that will take care of your health concerns and make your immune system immune from everything! However, that is not the case. Probiotics definitely help your immune system grow more stronger, but they aren't really a cure to your problems. Did you get the difference? What exactly are probiotics? Probiotics are nothing but drinks or pills that contain the 'good bacteria'. Good bacteria? Aren't bacteria supposed to bad? Well, that's what most of us think, but the fact is that there are two kinds of bacteria, the 'good bacteria' and the bad bacteria which causes illness and infections. In fact, our intestine is the home for hundreds of different species of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics contain these good bacteria like lactobacillus and bifidobacteria that actually promote a healthier digestive system and immune system by increasing the amount of good bacteria in the gut. Which is why various renowned health organizations and specialists state that including probiotics in your daily consumption can actually prove to be very beneficial when it comes to promoting a good health. Keep reading to know about the pros and cons of probiotics in detail...

✔ Advantages of Probiotics

The term 'probiotics' is derived from the Greek language meaning "for life"..., and indeed the reason why they are gaining so much of popularity is because of the fact that they are proving to be the answer to people looking for ways to adapt health in their daily living. The World Health Organization defines probiotics as, 'live micro-organisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.' It is not that probiotics are a recent 'invention' or something..., I mean they have always been present in food items like yogurt and sauerkraut. However, with people getting more and more conscious about their health, the demand for probiotic drinks have increased day-by-day. So, what are the benefits of probiotics? Let's have a look at some of them.

☛	The first and foremost advantage of probiotics is that they are safe to consume for anyone, be it adults, or children. They are known to have minimal side effects which will be discussed later in this write-up.
☛	The bacteria present in the probiotic drinks, pills, or food items are the 'good bacteria' which actually help in regulating the immune system and promote a healthy digestive system.
☛	Probiotics are also prescribed by healthcare specialists for treating minor problems in children and infants like acute diarrhea, stomach bugs, and preventing infections.
☛	Studies also reveal that probiotics have also contributed towards minimizing the duration of illness in various patients. For example, an infant not taking probiotics would ideally suffer from diarrhea for about 3-4 days. However, in case of infants who were taking probiotics, the duration of illness was lessened by a day or two!
☛	Probiotics are also helpful in treating minor cases of health conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies, urinary tract infection, inflammatory bowel disease, skin infections like eczema, stress treatment among the many health conditions. However, research and studies are still going on for the same.
☛	Experts at the Baylor College of Medicine and MD Anderson Cancer Center are researching further to see how probiotics can prove to be beneficial in curbing the growth of cancerous tumors as well.
☛	Probiotics have also proved to be helpful in treating digestive problems like bloating, abdominal pain, and certain infections in the intestine. It is also known to reduce the severity of infections such as cold and flu. Isn't that simply great!

✖ Disadvantages of Probiotics

Like each coin has two sides, even probiotics have both pros and cons..., actually more of pros than cons! But because we have discussed the pros, knowing about the minimum cons is also important. These are discussed as follows.

☛	Remember, I stated earlier about the minimal side effects of probiotics! Probiotics are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which becomes a concern when you want to be sure about the effectiveness of something you are consuming.
☛	Another concern is that though the consumption of probiotics have proved to be effective in a lot of health conditions that have been mentioned already, a lot of studies are yet to be done to confirm the same. Therefore, make sure that you always consult a trusted physician before going for probiotics.
☛	Though probiotics have never had a detrimental effect on anyone, some people have experienced certain side effects like bloating and gas. Although, experts advice that you may switch to another brand and check, if it suits your body or not as each and every brand may or may not suit some people.
☛	This one is more of a caution instead of a drawback! Though probiotics are safe to use for people of any age, including babies, some experts suggest not to give probiotics to babies who are too young (less than 1 month old). If you have to, always consult a doctor first!
☛	Some bacterial infections have also been observed in people who had some severe illness, or an impaired immune system and central venous line, and had consumed probiotics.

So, these were some of the identified pros and cons of probiotics till today, as constant studies and research will continue to throw some more light on this topic in the near future. However, if you decide to include probiotics in your daily consumption, and you are suffering from impaired immune system or conditions like HIV/AIDS, then do consult your doctor beforehand. If you are healthy, then going for probiotics should not be a problem for you. Although make sure that you stick to the renowned brands like Danone, Procter & Gamble, Nestle, Kraft, and Yakult. Also, make sure that you do enough research on the ingredients and the consumer review before you go in for a brand. And the most important thing is to always check the expiration date before you purchase these probiotics as the living bacterium may not be as effective as it should be when consumed after expiration. I hope these tips, along with your doctor's advice, will help you reap the health benefits of probiotics in your daily life and make you live a healthy and happy life.