Bottom line Probiotics reduce the incidence of CDAD in patients taking antibiotics, with a number needed to treat (NNT) of 26. However, in a recent, high-quality, publicly funded study, probiotics were not beneficial in elderly inpatients. The influence of funding on study results, as well as the ideal product, duration of therapy, and safety of probiotics (particularly in immunocompromised pat...

13 Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. The biologic effects of individual probiotics vary and each should be rigorously evaluated in a controlled fashion to define potential clinical utility. The mechanisms of action vary from probiotic to probiotic. Many probiotics help balance the intestinal microflora. Some can ...

The etiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is thought to be multifactorial, with several factors (including alterations in gut motility, small-bowel bacterial overgrowth, microscopic inflammation, and visceral hypersensitivity) potentially playing a role. Recent studies have suggested that probiotics may be useful in the treatment of IBS. Although the exact mechanism for how probiotics may ...

As more is learned about the importance of the intestinal microbiome to human health there is increasing interest in the potential benefits of probiotics. Probiotics are live micro-organisms which, when consumed in adequate amounts, confer a health effect on the host by altering its microflora. Probiotics have been administered both prophylactically and therapeutically for various conditions. T...

There is increased investigation of the human microbiome as it relates to health and disease. Dysbiosis is implicated in various clinical conditions including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Probiotics have been explored as a potential treatment for IBD and other diseases. The mechanism of action for probiotics has yet to be fully elucidated. This paper discusses novel mechanisms of action fo...

background and objectives: probiotic bacteria are able to absorb fatty acids present in the culture medium and convert them into intracellular fatty acids, which may affect the physicochemical properties of probiotics. subsequently, changing the composition of cellular fatty acids of probiotics improves the electron acceptance capacity of these microorganisms, and results in an increased adhesi...

Administration of probiotics to premature newborns has been shown to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis and reduce all-cause mortality. In our hospital, we documented 2 cases of Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis bacteremia in newborns receiving probiotics. By comparative genomics, we confirmed that the strains isolated from each patient originated from the probiotics.

Probiotics are live micro-organisms with a health promoting effect. Because of their immunomodulating capacity as well as improvement of gut barrier function, probiotics have the capacity to prevent infectious complications in a variety of clinical settings. Now selected probiotics show potential for improving the clinical outcome of severe trauma patients.

The role of intestinal microbiota and probiotics in prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, including diarrheal diseases in children and animal models, is increasingly recognized. Intestinal commensals play a major role in development of the immune system in neonates and in shaping host immune responses to pathogens. Lactobacilli spp. and Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 are two probiotics...

Probiotics are live nonpathogenic microorganisms. Many of these microorganisms are part of the normal human gut flora, where they live in a symbiotic relationship. Probiotics have been used to treat gastrointestinal (GI) and non-GI medical conditions. However, the data supporting their use are often conflicting, especially for non-GI-associated illnesses. The strongest evidence supporting the u...