Unfortunately, the probiotics found in most dairy products aren’t all the media cracks them up to be. Although, some particular microbes might. A team of people is focusing on a specific strain of Bifidobacterium longum, the common, steady part of the stomach. They found the way to administer probiotics is to take a peek at a person’s current microbial ecosystem, first.
Key Takeaways:
- yogurts, drinks, capsules, and more—contain bacteria that supposedly confer all kinds of health benefits
- most of the bacterial strains in probiotics were chosen for historical reasons
- studies have repeatedly shown that the bacteria in probiotics are more like tourists than tenants
“That’s why studies have repeatedly shown that the bacteria in probiotics are more like tourists than tenants—they pass through without settling down. “You’re trying to establish organisms in an ecosystem to which they haven’t evolved,” says Jens Walter, from the University of Alberta. “They don’t possess the adaptations to be successful.””