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Probiotics can keep your gut healthy and help your digestion. <\/p>\n
They work by replacing the bad bacteria - such as Bifidobacteria - with good bacteria, like Lactobacillus acidophilus. <\/p>\n
The idea is that if they nurture beneficial bacteria in the gut, they can stall the growth of unwanted bacteria. <\/p>\n
This could improve digestion, boost the immune system, and even lower rates of certain diseases. <\/p>\n
You can get the benefits by eating foods such as live-cultured yoghurt, sauerkraut and kefir. <\/p>\n
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Research has found probiotics can be useful for treating symptoms of IBS. But other studies have found they make little difference to gut health. <\/p>\n
Taking probiotic supplements has also become popular in recent years. <\/p>\n
Research by the University of Chicago has found probiotics can be useful for treating symptoms of IBS, such as bloating and abdominal pain. <\/p>\n
However, scientists are now questioning whether probiotics are as effective as previously thought. <\/p>\n
\"Thirty billion Lactobacillus sounds good, but after going through the stomach acid, only about 43 of them survive,\" said Ian Orme, a professor of microbiology and pathology at Colorado State University, to Business Insider. <\/p>\n
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Indeed, a study published last year by the University of Copenhagen found no difference in the gut bacteria between participants who were taking probiotic supplements and others who werent. <\/p>\n
This is the same for probiotic yoghurt which a study published in April by the University of Toronto found didnt contain enough beneficial bacteria to make a difference. <\/p>\n
Scientists have now been looking at ways to create a more effective option for gut health. <\/p>\n
They are working on a new type of supplement - synbiotics - which combine a probiotic bacterial strain with a prebiotic. <\/p>\n
Prebiotics feed beneficial bacteria and help it to thrive in the gut. <\/p>\n
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With synbiotics, it is thought that the probiotic pushes out the bad bacteria and the probiotics simultaneously acts as the food supply. <\/p>\n
A study published this month showed that newborns who were given a synbiotic were at a substantially lower risk of developing sepsis. <\/p>\n
Additionally, it is thought the new type of supplement could also help with obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. <\/p>\n
However, further research is required to confirm the findings. <\/p>\n
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Food supplement: Probiotics may not boost gut bacteria for good ... - Express.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" GETTY Probiotics can keep your gut healthy and help your digestion. They work by replacing the bad bacteria - such as Bifidobacteria - with good bacteria, like Lactobacillus acidophilus. The idea is that if they nurture beneficial bacteria in the gut, they can stall the growth of unwanted bacteria Continue reading