Probiotic

Probiotics are live microorganisms thought to be healthy for the host organism. According to the currently adopted definition by FAO/WHO, probiotics are: "Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host".

Synbiotic Diets: The Combined Power of Probiotics and Prebiotics for Gut Health

Synbiotics are widely studied for their potential to optimize gut ecology, strengthen immunity, and advance overall well-being.

Can Probiotics Prevent or Treat Acne?

The Rise of Functional Beverages

Probiotic Strains

Fermented Foods and Gut Health

Gut-brain Axis and Psychobiotics

Probiotics and IBS

What Microorganisms Naturally Live in the Mouth?

How Does Coffee Affect the Immune System?

Dairy and Gut Health: The Good, the Bad, and the Controversial

Probiotics History

What is Psychobiotics?

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From Garlic to Genomic Tools: The Future of Neonatal Probiotic Therapies

Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies

Probiotic Research

Topical Probiotics for Atopic Dermatitis and Eczema

Probiotic Side Effects

What are Probiotics?

Kefir Health Benefits

Candida Overgrowth in the Gut

Is There a Link Between Migraine and the Gut Microbiome?

The Rise of Postbiotics for Gut Health

Probiotic Benefits

Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

What are the Health Benefits of Fermented Foods?

What Impact Has COVID-19 Had on Public Awareness of Prebiotics?

Can Probiotics Ever Be Harmful to Human Health?

Supplements During Pregnancy

Friendly bacteria: do we really need to eat probiotic yogurts?

Latest Probiotic News and Research

Fermented dairy was linked to lower mortality, but the pattern shifted at higher intakes

Analysis of 37,366 US adults found that fermented dairy consumption was associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, with consumers showing adjusted hazards 18% and 20% lower, respectively, than non-consumers. Dose-response analyses indicated that the inverse association was concentrated at intakes below about 150 grams per day, while the observational study could not establish causality.

16 Sep 2026

C. diff uses dual-threat sensing system to survive gut stress

The pathogen Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) - a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections - must contend with a variety of threats inside the harsh environment of the gut to survive and grow.

9 Sep 2026

Study shows how the microbiome shapes lung cancer immunotherapy outcomes

Despite the revolutionary impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors on cancer therapy, 60% to 80% of patients with NSCLC still show suboptimal responses.

9 Sep 2026

What your gut microbes may have to do with how your brain ages

This review examines how diet-driven changes in the gut microbiota and microbial metabolites may influence cognitive aging through immune, metabolic, neural, endocrine, and barrier-related pathways. It highlights SCFAs, tryptophan-derived metabolites, and bile acids as key signaling mediators while emphasizing that much of the mechanistic evidence remains preclinical and human evidence is largely associative.

3 Sep 2026

Menopause may start changing the gut years before periods stop

A longitudinal study of 964 women found that blood markers of gut epithelial barrier dysfunction and microbial product translocation began to rise around 2 to 2.5 years before the final menstrual period and remained elevated after menopause. The findings suggest that changes in gut barrier integrity may form part of the biological transition through menopause and could help explain links between menopause, inflammation, and later health outcomes.

2 Sep 2026

Probiotics for mental health? A new review finds promising signals and major gaps

This narrative review examines how psychobiotics may influence anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia through gut-brain pathways involving neurotransmitters, inflammation, immune regulation, gut barrier function, and stress signaling. Specific Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains showed encouraging effects, but wide differences in strains, doses, populations, and study designs currently limit clinical translation.

28 Aug 2026

Sprinters and non-athletes had similar gut diversity, but one key difference emerged

College sprint athletes showed a distinct gut microbial community structure, including higher abundance of Segatella copri and Bifidobacterium adolescentis, compared with non-athletic students. Their microbiomes also showed predicted enrichment of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism pathways, while exploratory analyses linked several dietary factors with the signature bacteria.

20 Aug 2026

Microbiome-based therapy may increase peanut allergy tolerance in adults

Some 33 million Americans have severe food allergies. Now, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital may have found a promising solution.

5 Aug 2026

Jet lag may disrupt athletes' gut microbiome and slow recovery

The interplay between jet lag and gut microbiome affects athlete performance. Strategies to manage these disruptions are crucial but not yet fully established.

30 Jul 2026

Plant-based diets reshape gut microbes to boost healthy metabolites

Plant-based diets are good for you. They promote gut, immune, metabolic and cardiovascular health, in part by cultivating a diverse community of intestinal bacteria.

27 Jul 2026

Duke University engineers use robots and AI to improve gut health

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a method for systematically developing novel, complex combinations of probiotics and prebiotics to more effectively maintain gut health and treat various gastrointestinal diseases.

27 Jul 2026

Engineered probiotic bacteria boost immune attack against pancreatic cancer

Cancer immunotherapies have transformed treatment for many cancers, but pancreatic cancer remains especially difficult to treat. One major reason is that pancreatic tumors often create a "cold" tumor microenvironment, where the tumor prevents immune cells from mounting a strong attack.

24 Jul 2026

Time zone changes disrupt vital gut bacteria during travel

A dream holiday, an exotic destination, a long-haul flight, and finally some well-deserved rest. The problem is that many travelers arrive at their destination only to spend the first days of their vacation struggling with fatigue, sleep disturbances, low energy levels, and digestive issues.

23 Jul 2026

Bifidobacterium-based oral vaccine enhances anti-tumor immunity in clinical study

A novel oral vaccine platform using genetically engineered Bifidobacterium could enhance anti-tumor immunity.

14 Jul 2026

Yogurt, prebiotics, and probiotics link to lower colorectal cancer odds in U.S. adults

A national NHANES analysis of 9,405 U.S. adults aged 50 and older found that any yogurt, prebiotic, or probiotic consumption was associated with about 50% lower odds of self-reported colorectal cancer. Because the study was cross-sectional, it cannot prove causation but supports further research into microbiota-targeted dietary strategies.

8 Jul 2026

Microbiome science merges with oncology for better cancer treatments

Cancer remains notoriously difficult to treat, partly because tumors co‑opt their surrounding environment, including the resident microbiota, to evade immune surveillance and resist conventional therapies.

7 Jul 2026

Probiotic metabolite found to suppress melanoma tumor growth in mice

Immune checkpoint inhibitors like anti-PD-1 have transformed melanoma treatment, yet more than half of patients fail to respond or eventually develop resistance.

30 Jun 2026

Scientists find link between bacterium in the gut ecosystem and lupus

Scientists at UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio, found a link between a bacterium in the gut microbiome, or ecosystem, and lupus, which could lead to more effective treatment of the disease, in a study published in Nature Communications.

25 Jun 2026

Computer models could design more effective probiotic supplements

Probiotic supplements found in drugstores nationwide contain an assortment of microbes sold for specific health purposes despite limited understanding of the microbes' connections to their marketed use, new University of Virginia School of Medicine research reveals.

18 Jun 2026

Probiotics help reduce depressive symptoms in older adults

In a pilot clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that included older adults with depression receiving standard care, adding probiotic therapy produced modest but meaningful reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms compared with adding a placebo.

17 Jun 2026