Probiotics are living microorganisms or chemicals that encourage the growth and activity of beneficial germs in the human body. They can help prevent or treat various health issues, including irritable bowel syndrome, yeast infections, etc. Synbiotics are products that include both probiotic and prebiotic components. Probiotics are often referred to as “friendly microbes.”

Can you take too many probiotics? Is it the same for consumption?

Find out everything you need to know in this article:

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria and yeasts that naturally exist in your body. Bacteria are commonly thought of as something that makes you sick. However, your body is continually infected with two types of bacteria: healthy bacteria and harmful bacteria.

Probiotics are helpful microorganisms that assist keep your body healthy and functioning properly. These beneficial bacteria benefit you in various ways, including fighting off harmful bacteria when you have an abundance of them and making you feel better.

Probiotics are part of a wider picture about bacteria and your body, known as your microbiome, which is made up of billions of organisms that collaborate to keep your body healthy.

What kinds of microorganisms are included in probiotics?

Probiotics can include a wide range of microorganisms. Bacteria from the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium families are the most frequent. Other bacteria, as well as yeasts such as Saccharomyces boulardii, can be utilized as probiotics.

Probiotics of various varieties may have varied effects. For example, just because one kind of Lactobacillus helps prevent an illness doesn’t guarantee that another type of Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium probiotics would do the same.

Can you take too many probiotics?

Taking more probiotics than recommended — 1 to 10 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) — does not always result in improved benefits and may cause some unpleasant side effects.

“According to some studies, adding additional bacteria may contradict [the beneficial benefits of probiotics]. If bacteria get to the meal before we do, they can convert it to gas, “Farhadi states.

In addition to increased gas, you may have to bloat or have an upset stomach. Diarrhea is also possible, although this is about as nasty as it gets.

Side effects, most often flatulence, may occur when someone first begins taking probiotics because their gut bacteria levels may vary. However, if someone takes a typical dose, these adverse effects should fade quickly as the body adjusts.

How safe are probiotics?

Lower intestine microbes aid digestion, kill dangerous bacteria and control the immune system. However, microorganism imbalances might emerge, resulting in diarrhea and other health issues.

Probiotics can help restore equilibrium to the stomach when it falls out of balance due to odd numbers of certain bacteria. They have been proven to release defensive chemicals, which may activate the immune system and prevent infections from taking hold and causing significant illness. However, we are still learning about how probiotics may benefit health.

The scientists came from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, among other places.

The review’s authors examined the results of 384 randomized controlled studies on probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics. “One-third of the studies provided no information on hazards,” stated the authors. “Only 2% accurately recorded important safety components.”

The majority of the papers in the evaluation did not specify how the researchers categorized adverse or significant adverse events. Furthermore, the majority did not disclose the procedures for obtaining data on the injury.

“One common misconception regarding probiotics and prebiotics is that they are unsafe,” write the study’s authors. “However, adverse events (AEs) associated with their usage are poorly understood.”

“We suggest that researchers fully characterize the prevalence and severity of AEs associated with probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics,” they noted, “especially when they are used to treat severe illness or high-risk patients.”

Are there any side effects of probiotics?

“We suggest that researchers fully characterize the prevalence and severity of AEs associated with probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics,” they noted, “especially when they are used to treat severe illness or high-risk patients.”

Some people suffer from gas, bloating, or diarrhea when they first start taking probiotics. These adverse effects normally go away within a few days or weeks of using probiotics. Probiotics can cause skin rashes or itching in rare situations. Stop using the probiotic if you get a rash or severe itching.

SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) is more frequent in IBS patients. SIBO happens when bacteria from the large intestine colonize the small intestine.

It can also induce brain fog and issues with short-term memory. Experts aren’t sure what causes SIBO. However, it might be due to decreased intestinal motility.

Probiotic bacteria may have antibiotic-resistant genes on rare occasions. They can transmit these genes to other bacterium strains, including the pathogenic types that cause illnesses.