The question we’re all wondering as we pop our daily probiotic – is probiotic supplementation in healthy adults helpful, or is it all hype? A 2018 review of probiotic supplementation in healthy adult populations analyzed the literature published between 1990 and August 2017. The review included 45 studies. Results showed that probiotic supplementation can lead to improvements in microbial concentration of bacteria specific to the supplement taken. Although, these improvements are transient and do not result in long-term changes in the gut microbiome. Evidence supports the use of probiotics for improving immune response, stool consistency, bowel movements, and lactobacilli concentration in the vaginal microbiome. However, there is lacking evidence to support the use of probiotics to improve blood lipid profile. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

→Takeaway: While there appears to be some benefit to taking a probiotic supplement in healthy adults, what probiotic you choose is important. Be sure your probiotic is at least 50 billion colony-forming units (or CFUs) and multi-strain. For more information on how to choose a probiotic, check out The Microbiome Solution. Lastly, consider getting your probiotic bacteria from a more lively and effective source – fermented foods!