The Best Probiotic You’ll Never, Ever Eat
When science gets scatological
Many of us have seen commercials for probiotics: pills containing live bacteria that are said to somehow magically improve our digestive system and make us healthier. There’s never any real explanation of why eating live bacteria is good for us — the commercials just assure us that we should go out and buy their product right now, please and thank you.
In fact, there’s a reason why those claims are so vague: The FDA has very strict rules preventing companies from claiming that a product has specific health benefits. If a probiotic company claims that their product “cures IBS,” for example, the FDA will demand that they produce evidence through clinical trials. If a company makes no specific health claims, however, they can include a disclaimer and avoid FDA criticism.
Since my degree in genetics focuses on probiotics and microbiomes, I’m often asked for advice on products currently on the market. Is one company’s probiotic better than another’s? Are generic and name-brand microbiomes the same? What’s the best probiotic to take?
This question always makes me chuckle, because I have an answer to it. This answer is technically correct, but the recipient will never be happy to hear it.
