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Are Probiotics Safe?

Probiotics have become a hot topic over the last decade or so. Doctors started suggesting eating yogurt or other probiotics when prescribing antibiotics. Friends and family may have suggested them to you for different reasons. TikTok jumped on the trend with influencers suggesting specific brands of probiotics that supposedly reduce bloat and brain fog. But are probiotics safe?Are Probiotics safe?

Some of these highly pushed products aren’t all that good for your health even if they’re promoted that way. We’ve written articles on how certain sports supplements can be bad for your health, even though the healthiest-looking people suggest them. 

The same goes for probiotics. While there have been studies backing them up, there are also studies coming out on how they might not actually be healthy for everyone to take. 

Here we will discuss the potential side effects of probiotics, who is at risk for complications of taking probiotics, and what alternatives are there for probiotics.

What Are Probiotics and Why Do People Take Them?

Probiotics are live strains of bacteria that we ingest. They are used to add extra bacteria to our gut microbiomes. 

Our microbiomes naturally have trillions of bacteria to help break down our food so our bodies can use it. Probiotics are helpful bacteria strains that are added to diversify the healthy bacteria in our guts.

Probiotics naturally occur in some foods that are fermented like:

  • Kimchi
  • Yogurt
  • Kombucha
  • Kefir
  • Sauerkraut

Western diets typically don’t include any of these naturally fermented foods so we look to supplementation. Pills and drinkable yogurts make it easier to get your probiotics than fermenting and culturing your own. 

The many bacterial families offer different kinds of help to your body. This is why it’s so important to have a wide range of bacteria types in your gut and usually why doctors suggest taking probiotics. 

Some of the main reasons people are told to take probiotics include:

  • Increasing bacterial diversity after/while taking antibiotics
  • Promoting regular bowel movements
  • Reducing diarrhea from Clostridium difficile

These reasons have substantial evidence proving efficiency through medical studies. Other claims have not been fully backed by medical testing. 

Potential Side Effects of Probiotics

Just like with medications or anything else you put into your body, probiotics can have side effects on your body. 

There are more commonly known issues like potential allergies or unfavorable effects on your digestive tract.

However, some dangerous issues can be linked to the use of probiotics. 

Studies Done on Probiotics Don’t Test for Safety

When looking through research on probiotics they don’t report about the safety or any concerns regarding potential side effects. If a study does offer any information about an adverse effect, they don’t describe it in full detail which leaves out a large amount of important information. 

Without tests regarding safety, there are potential risks that have not been documented. They are regarded as generally safe for the healthy public, but with rises in different health conditions, we cannot be sure that the claims made are safe for everyone. 

In 2023, researchers came together to suggest that probiotic research moving forward should address the following:

  • Assessments of the microbiome how it already exists prior to probiotic use and functional alterations made
  • Horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes
  • Infection potential
  • Interactions with medications or other drugs
  • Long-term colonization
  • Vulnerable populations 
  • Probiotic quality, delivery method, and how much actually makes it to the gut
  • Full reports describing any adverse effects

Probiotics Have Been Linked to Antibiotic Resistance

This is a huge deal. While we generally regard antibiotics to be the enemy of our digestive tracts, they do have a necessary place in the medical world.

Antibiotics are needed for serious infections. Overprescribing of antibiotics in recent years has made us more susceptible to antibiotic resistance.

Some studies have linked probiotic usage to antibiotic resistance. This is because probiotics by nature adapt to sustain life, especially their own. As a result, they have genes that remember what they’ve come into contact with and learn how to adjust so they don’t die off. 

When we take probiotics, we can add to a reservoir that keeps these genes in place in case we come into contact with something that can kill off the bacteria — which is exactly what antibiotics are created to do. In addition, there is a concept known as horizontal gene transfer, where probiotics that have antibiotic-resistant genes can pass them on to the pathogenic bacteria that you are trying to get rid of making these bacteria even more difficult to remove.

Not all probiotics are treated the same in this instance. Some probiotics carry antibiotic-resistant genes. Other probiotics do not and they can help to mitigate the risk of antibiotic resistance. However, there need to be many more studies done to figure out which strains do what and how to safely add probiotics to the gut microbiome.

Probiotics May Have the Potential to Mutate in Your Gut

Since probiotics are living organisms, they have the ability to adapt and change as needed in their environment to survive. 

This will vary on a person-to-person basis. Some of the different habitat issues that are believed to cause probiotic mutations include:

  • Previous or current usage of antibiotics
  • Diet especially sugar, fiber, and carbohydrate intake levels
  • Current microbial diversity/conditions
  • Stress levels
  • Diseases or conditions the person has

Probiotics Can Inhibit the Effectiveness of Certain Cancer Treatments

This may be one of the most problematic issues of all. Not only is it frightening but it’s the most backed by science issue with probiotics.

One study found that higher diversity in the gut microbiome created better results for melanoma patients being treated with anti-PD-1. 

Another study found that the use of probiotics actually made for a worse diversity and therefore worse outcomes with treatment. 

This study also showed that by creating a better diversity through a high-fiber diet had much better effects than those who used probiotics.

Some studies show that probiotics can help cancer patients and are used as an adjunctive treatment. However, doctors and patients should do their research to ensure that the probiotics don’t affect the treatments currently being used. 

Probiotics Can Increase Chances of Systemic Infections 

While these are rare, there have been several cases of systemic infection being caused by probiotic use. 

Some probiotic-related systemic infections include:

  • Fungemia 
  • Bacteremia
  • Sepsis
  • Endocarditis

Other conditions and procedures have had success with the use of probiotics, but the conditions listed above should proceed with caution if using probiotic supplements. 

Probiotics Can Cause Complications With SIBO and Other GI Conditions

When you have a gastrointestinal issue the first thing you think is to fix the health of your gut. 

Since probiotics are pictured as the ultimate gateway to good gut health you may be considering using them to fix your gut health. 

If you have SIBO, taking a probiotic can add more bacteria into the small intestine, where it shouldn’t be. Thus, you are adding more fuel to the fire by putting more bacteria in the area where you need to get rid of it.

D-lactic acidosis is a condition where your D-lactate levels rise and you have neurological issues associated with it. D-lactic acidosis typically affects those who have short bowel syndrome. 

Recent studies have shown that brain fog, bloating, and gas are exacerbated in SIBO and D-lactic acidosis patients when they are given probiotics — even if they don’t have short bowel syndrome.

In this case, antibiotics were found to help relieve brain fog, bloating, and gas. So knowing where you’re experiencing bacteria and what type of infection you have can help you to decide if taking probiotics is the right move for you.

Store-bought probiotics may not have what they say they do

Store-bought probiotics are not always truthful with what is in the bottle. They are not regulated and if there is no third-party testing done, you cannot be sure that what you’re trying to buy is what you actually got. 

In addition, the strains used in most store-bought probiotics don’t ever actually make it to your colon (where your gut microbiome lives) because they are destroyed in the stomach acid before ever being able to move on.

They also are often high in unnecessary sugars and additives that can counteract any health benefits you may have gotten in the first place.

Who is at risk of adverse effects from taking probiotics?

Certain conditions or life stages can increase your risk of experiencing adverse effects from probiotics. 

People who are at risk of adverse effects from probiotics include:

  • Elderly
  • Infants — especially premature infants
  • Immune-compromised patients
  • Patients who need indwelling IV catheters
  • GI tract infections
  • Patients requiring immune suppression medications

How to Reduce the Risk of Side Effects from Probiotics

Although probiotic supplementation can cause issues, using probiotic-rich foods like those listed above can give your body tons of benefits. These should be used with caution as well if your doctor has said to not take probiotics due to a health concern. 

Make sure to talk to your doctor before making any changes to your dietary or lifestyle habits. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Prebiotics are a great source of food for your healthy bacteria to allow them to create a more diverse population of microbes on their own. This way you avoid adding bacteria directly to your system where they can do as they please. Atrantil is an easy and safe way to get more prebiotics in your body. You can also add foods that are high in fiber and polyphenols to get more prebiotics in your diet. 

Another option is taking spore-based probiotics like those found in AtrantilPro. Spore-based probiotics are generally safer than regular probiotics because: 

  • They only come out of the spore if they are needed in the environment
  • They can survive the entirety of the digestive tract so they only come out in your colon where they are needed
  • Their safety has been more efficiently documented than regular probiotics
  • Taking them with large polyphenols (like those found in Atrantil and AtrantilPro) provide your body with prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, polyphenols, and antioxidants that support your body’s wellness.

As always, keep a healthy diet, do light exercise several times a week, and drink lots of water. These basic tips can be the difference you need for a healthier and happier life.

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