Don’t take probiotics long-term if you have no gut problems
Grade BSmall benefitMoneyFreeLittle timeNo willpower
Pooling 45 trials in healthy adults, taking probiotics does not lastingly change the gut bacteria; stop and they go back. Blood lipids also do not improve. Antibiotic-related diarrhea and similar specific cases have other evidence; they are not in this item.
- Cost
- Approximately 2–5 RMB per day, or 700–1800 RMB per year.
- Benefit
- The same review concluded that there is no reliable evidence that probiotics can produce lasting alterations in gut flora or improve blood lipid profiles in healthy adults. While gut bacteria do shift temporarily while taking probiotics, these changes reverse once use stops. The practice may seem cost-effective simply because “gut health” is a broad concept that can be loosely applied, and the daily cost of a single probiotic dose is quite low.
- Notes
- The review also notes a few minor benefits in healthy individuals, such as firmer, better-textured stools and increased Lactobacillus levels in women’s vaginas. Separate evidence exists for probiotics used to treat antibiotic-induced diarrhea or for specific strains targeting particular medical conditions; those cases are not covered here. This review pertains solely to healthy adults using probiotics as a daily supplement.
Sources · 1
- Khalesi S et al. (2019). A review of probiotic supplementation in healthy adults: helpful or hype? Eur J Clin Nutr. doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0135-9