In brief
Live microorganisms intended to have health benefits when eaten or applied to the body. Different types can have different effects.
- A result for one type of probiotic does not mean another type will do the same.
- It is still not clear whether probiotics survive the acidic environment of the stomach, according to the Australian Academy of Science.
- healthdirect lists supplements such as fibre and probiotics among the things that may help some people with IBS.
How it works
Probiotics are sold as supplements and found in some foods. They have shown promise for preventing diarrhoea linked to antibiotics, and they may help with overall IBS symptoms and abdominal pain, but in most cases it is still not known which probiotics help and which do not.
Probiotics have a long history of apparently safe use, particularly in healthy people. The risk of harmful effects is greater in people with severe illnesses or weakened immune systems, and severe infections have been reported in premature babies given probiotics.
Connections
2 connections on the map. Select a topic to read its page.
Probiotics has been studied for
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Emerging
Probiotics might help manage IBS symptoms, but the effects vary with the strain used.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Probiotics fact sheet for consumers; NIH NCCIH, Probiotics: what you need to know
Probiotics is linked with
- Gut microbiome Emerging
Probiotics are live microorganisms intended to have health benefits, and different types can have different effects.
Sources: NIH NCCIH, Probiotics: what you need to know; NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Probiotics fact sheet for consumers
Medicines and supplements
General education only. Never start, stop or change a medicine without your prescriber.
Sources
- Probiotics: what you need to know
- Probiotics fact sheet for consumers
- Gut bacteria: the inside story
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Each connection above names its own source. See every source AskBioMap uses.
Summarised from the NIH, the Australian Academy of Science and healthdirect. Sources read on 13 and 16 October 2026. General education only, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the HuBu-Intel contact page.