Are probiotics really good for everyone?

Many people think that simply taking a few probiotics will keep their gut healthy. But the truth is much more complicated.

Foods like yogurt, kombucha... also contain beneficial bacteria, but the effects only last as long as you use them - Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK

Probiotics are used by many people as a solution for a healthy gut, and are even said to improve mood, balance hormones, and prevent chronic diseases.

Recent studies suggest that not everyone should take probiotics. In fact, for some groups of people, supplements may do more harm than good.

Why may probiotics not be suitable for some people?

Dr. Suzanne Devkota - Director of the Cedars-Sinai Human Microbiome Research Institute (USA) - once thought that the worst thing about probiotics was that they were just a waste.

However, two studies have produced interesting results. The first examined a situation where probiotics are traditionally believed to be beneficial—after antibiotics—and found the opposite.

Not long after, scientists continued to discover many other cases, such as in people with immune deficiencies or patients undergoing cancer treatment with immunotherapy, where probiotic supplementation can cause problems.

The problem, health experts say, is that probiotics aren't always bad, but trouble arises when people apply a "prepackaged" solution to situations that require fine-tuning.

The ideal microbiome for a young, healthy person will be very different from that of a middle-aged person with a chronic illness.

Taking probiotics after taking antibiotics may not help.

Antibiotics kill not only disease-causing bacteria but also beneficial bacteria, disrupting the microbiome. The health consequences can be serious and long-lasting, leading to problems such as obesity, diabetes, asthma and many autoimmune diseases.

For many people, turning to probiotics after a course of antibiotics may seem logical, but science suggests otherwise.

To test how quickly the microbiome recovers after taking antibiotics, scientists conducted a study on 21 volunteers, each of whom took antibiotics for seven days.

The results surprised the researchers: the group taking probiotics had the slowest recovery rate. Even after five months, their gut microbiota had not returned to its original state.

Meanwhile, the "natural" group recovered after about 21 days, while the group that received bacteria from their own feces recovered after just one day. This result was also confirmed in tests on mice and in the lab: bacteria from probiotics inhibited the growth of bacteria in human fecal samples.

From the results obtained, Professor Eran Elinav - an immunologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel), who led the study - concluded that in the post-antibiotic context, probiotics could be counterproductive.

Who should be cautious when taking probiotics?

Cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy: Some studies suggest that probiotics may reduce the effectiveness of immunotherapy, which relies on the immune system to kill cancer cells.

Immunocompromised people: For this group, probiotic supplementation can reduce bacterial diversity in the gut - which is an important factor in protecting the body.

Instead of using commercial probiotics, experts recommend focusing on a varied, fiber-rich diet – lots of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. This is the most natural way to foster a healthy and sustainable gut microbiome.

The best way to maintain a healthy gut is still to eat a healthy and balanced diet.

MSc. Dr. Ngo Le Bao Ngoc

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/men-vi-sinh-co-thuc-su-tot-cho-tat-ca-moi-nguoi-20250909224244966.htm