Probiotics

Probiotics are dietary supplements that have potentially beneficial bacteria or yeasts. They are the “good bacteria” that actually help digestive function. These probiotic supplements can benefit as an addition to a healthy diet.

These probiotics contain bacteria from two main groups: Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium. These are naturally found in your intestines, and they give breastfed infants natural protection against many diseases. From these two groups, there are many different subspecies (e.g. Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus). Some probiotics are actually yeast rather than bacteria, such as Saccharomyces boulardii.