Is supplementing with probiotics safe?
Because probiotics are a form of bacteria and there are some strains of bacteria that can cause illnesses it is understandable that some might have a concern about ingesting probiotic bacteria. It is very important to understand that probiotic bacteria are health promoting and illness preventing strains of bacteria. In fact, without the probiotic strains of healthy bacteria you are more likely to get ill from the pathogenic or illness causing bacteria. Clinical data also indicates that probiotic lactobacilli and bifidobacteria administered in food and in capsular form are safe for human use.1 Their existence as part of the normal mammalian intestinal microflora and their established safe use in diverse food and supplement products worldwide support this conclusion. 1. Boyle, R.J., Robins-Browne, R.M., and Tang, L.K. 2006. Probiotic use in clinical practice: what are the risks? American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 83(6):1256-1264.
