How Do Probiotics Work?

Probiotics, the good bacteria that help maintain the integrity of the digestive tract, work to protect our intestinal lining and digest some nutrients. Watch as gastroenterologist Roshini Raj, MD, explains how probiotics work to keep the gut healthy.

Transcript

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Probiotics are those good for you

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bacteria and yeast that are normally present in your body but can be disrupted by things like antibiotics

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or even traveling or getting an infection. So the way probiotics work is they really maintain the integrity of your digestive tract.

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They do that in a couple ways. They help maintain the lining of your intestine so that things that you don't want getting into your bloodstream don't

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go through that leaky lining. And they also help actually literally digest some of your nutrients. So they're very important, and we really

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want to maintain that balance of good bacteria in our gut. You can get probiotics in your food,

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or you can take a supplement. These days, we're still learning more and more about the ideal dosage of supplements,

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so I don't really recommend just going out and taking one for no apparent reason. Talk to your doctor if you feel you need one.

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But getting it in food, I think, is a great idea for everyone. And it's present in things like yogurt or kefir, sauerkraut,

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miso-- a lot of fermented foods do contain probiotics.