Probiotics -- dietary supplements or foods that contain live, non-disease-causing bacteria normally found in the body -- can provide health benefits, but some claims for these products aren’t yet supported by research.

The March issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource covers what’s known about probiotics such as yogurt, miso and some juices, and what remains uncertain.

“Probiotics seem to change how your immune system reacts to an invading microorganism and whether your digestive tract becomes inflamed as a result,” says John DiBaise, M.D., a specialist in gastroenterology and hepatology at Mayo Clinic.

Studies suggest that probiotics are effective in treating diarrhea, preventing relapse in diarrhea associated with antibiotic use and preventing pouchitis, a complication that may occur in people who’ve had surgery to create a rectal pouch.

Claims that probiotics may help with preventing or treating other conditions or benefit overall health haven’t been subjected to enough scientific scrutiny, says Dr. DiBaise.

Before using probiotics, it’s wise to get a doctor’s recommendation on products or suppliers. Probiotics products can be expensive, and quality can vary widely.

And not all probiotics products are the same. Each contains a specific dose and strain of bacteria. Products most commonly include members of the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium groups of bacteria. 

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