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This could happen to your body and health if you take probiotics

Earth.comDecember 3, 2025health

Key Points:

  • Approximately 60 to 70 million Americans live with digestive diseases, fueling growing interest in probiotics and fermented foods for gut health.
  • Probiotic effects are strain and condition specific, with some studies showing modest benefits for short-term digestive issues and limited evidence for chronic conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.
  • Research indicates probiotics may influence the gut-brain axis, potentially improving mental flexibility and reducing stress in healthy older adults, though they are not a replacement for standard mental health treatments.
  • Probiotics have shown mixed results in improving heart health markers and may reduce the incidence and duration of some upper respiratory infections, but they are not substitutes for vaccines or hygiene practices.
  • Experts recommend obtaining probiotics primarily through fermented foods and a varied, fiber