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".

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are thought to be beneficial in preventing several health conditions. They are usually consumed as supplements or yoghurts and are also referred to as “good bacteria.”

Can Probiotics Ever Be Harmful to Human Health?

Probiotic Strains

Probiotics History

Probiotic Benefits

Kefir Health Benefits

Probiotic Research

Probiotic Side Effects

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

Latest Probiotic News and Research

Researchers discover why smoking tobacco helps people with ulcerative colitis

Researchers led by Hiroshi Ohno at the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) in Japan have discovered why smoking tobacco helps people suffering from ulcerative colitis, a chronic disease typified by inflammation of the large intestine.

25 Aug 2025

Scientists link gut microbes to stronger muscles and healthier aging

Researchers discovered that gut microbes, including Lactobacillus reuteri and L. johnsonii, can enhance muscle strength in aging mice. Co-administration of these strains boosted muscle mass, performance, and reduced inflammation, pointing to a possible microbiome-based strategy for muscle health.

19 Aug 2025

Amino acid metabolism shapes the tumor immune microenvironment and therapy response

The tumor microenvironment is not just a site of cancer growth—it is a high-stakes metabolic contest where tumor and immune cells vie for limited resources.

17 Aug 2025

Study shows probiotics help preterm babies fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Researchers found that probiotics help reduce antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the guts of very-low-birth-weight preterm infants, but cannot fully prevent resistance genes from spreading. Antibiotic use still promotes gene swapping, highlighting the limits of probiotics alone in neonatal care.

17 Aug 2025

Common food bacterium offers blueprint for safer and higher vitamin production

A new study reveals how Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis), a common food bacterium, regulates the production of a key precursor in vitamin K₂ (menaquinone) biosynthesis.

11 Aug 2025

Gut bacteria may connect pregnancy diet to childhood autism

Unhealthy maternal diets may alter gut microbes, impacting brain development and increasing autism risk in offspring. Study the microbiome's influence.

8 Aug 2025

Gut microbiota and short chain fatty acids influence bone health in postmenopausal osteoporosis

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is framed as a systemic bone disease driven by estrogen withdrawal, but emerging evidence positions gut dysbiosis and its fermentation products—short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)—as equally influential regulators of skeletal fate.

6 Aug 2025

Tailored granola transforms gut bacteria and improves mood

A study reveals that custom granola can boost gut health and mood by increasing beneficial bacteria and short-chain fatty acids based on individual microbiota.

4 Aug 2025

Mapping microbiomes across the food system to restore health

Researchers have mapped how microbes underpin healthy food systems—and how we can stop their decline.

1 Aug 2025

Gut bacteria produce hormone-like proteins that regulate weight and blood sugar

Our intestines are home to trillions of microorganisms that produce substances capable of regulating all the body's organs via the bloodstream and the gut's nervous system.

31 Jul 2025

Gut microbial metabolites restore hormone-producing cells in obesity

New research from scientists at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine reveals that certain gut microbial byproducts may hold promise as a novel therapy for obesity-associated metabolic complications by restoring critical hormone-producing cells in the intestine.

29 Jul 2025

Probiotic bacteria found to reshape cell behavior in vitro

This study reveals how probiotic bacteria directly influence brain cell function, highlighting gut-brain communication and potential therapeutic applications.

23 Jul 2025

Can probiotics boost athletic performance? Review reveals what works and what still needs proof

A new review in Frontiers in Nutrition synthesizes recent evidence on how probiotic supplementation may impact gut health, immunity, and performance in athletes across various sports.

22 Jul 2025

Probiotic strains have different effects on gut recovery after antibiotics

All probiotics are not created equal, according to new research from North Carolina State University. In a mouse model, researchers found that different probiotic strains can either accelerate or delay the gut microbiome's recovery after antibiotic treatment.

21 Jul 2025

Creatine tops the list as researchers review new ways to fight osteosarcopenia

This review explores how creatine, HMB, prebiotics, and probiotics may support muscle and bone health in older adults with osteosarcopenia. While creatine shows the strongest evidence, all interventions require further research to determine their optimal use.

21 Jul 2025

Can probiotics help you sleep better?

A new meta-analysis shows that probiotic supplements can modestly improve sleep quality and reduce depressive symptoms in people with insomnia, with no significant safety concerns. However, effects on total sleep time and sleep efficiency remain uncertain, and evidence strength varies across outcomes.

20 Jul 2025

Unlocking bacterial genomes to develop tailored probiotic therapies

Probiotics are emerging tools used by neonatal intensive care units to promote healthy outcomes and prevent intestinal diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis.

16 Jul 2025

Gut-brain axis in eating disorders offers new treatment potential

Understanding the gut-brain axis is key to addressing eating disorders. This study highlights microbiota's influence and emerging therapeutic approaches.

16 Jul 2025

Probiotics improve ovarian damage in premature menopausal mice

Findings suggest probiotics could mitigate ovarian decline and improve microbiota in POI mice, paving the way for new treatments in women's health.

4 Jul 2025

Researchers find gut bacteria rapidly soak up ‘forever chemicals’

Scientists have demonstrated that select human gut bacteria can bioaccumulate and sequester PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, increasing faecal excretion in humanized mice. The findings reveal a potential microbiome-based strategy to reduce PFAS body burden, though clinical benefit in humans remains unproven.

1 Jul 2025