Yesterday, we discussed the interactions of drugs with the normal functioning of our gut.   Today, we’ll talk about how folks try to promote their gut metabolism.  And, you would think by now folks would realize all those “probiotic” pills they are consuming are doing them no good.  When in actually, most are actually creating problems.

Now, I know if you are on an antibiotic regimen, then eating yoghurt with live cultures is a good thing.  Because we are killing off a slew of our colonic bacteria.  (It’s also not clear if these yoghurt cultures are exactly the right ones, but they do stop those periods of intestinal distress when we are loaded with antibiotics.)

Before I get too far into this, maybe I need to explain what probiotics are.  They are microbes (bacteria, yeast) that may provide some health benefits.  Sure, the vendors of the pills and capsules (including kombucha foodstuffs) claim they will preclude tooth decay, UTI (urinary tract infections), ulcers, IBS (inflammatory bowel disease)- but those are simply claims.  Ask them for proof- and you will get a bunch of anecdotal stories.

And, I can provide as many anecdotal stories that demonstrate that folks who ingest these probiotics (including kombucha, yoghurt, beets) often find that after 6 months of inclusion in their diet, the diversity of their microbiome has been diminished!  (As a matter of fact, a study effected at the MD Anderson Cancer Institute under Dr. Christine Spencer found that  the 40% of patients in their study of 113 folks who dosed with probiotics all had diminished microbiome diversity. As did a study at the Weizmann Institute.)

So, you can choose foods that provide probiotic- but avoid those supplements, those pills.  (Actually, the data indicate that almost every vitamin supplement you can buy provides no benefits.  Check my blog for a slew of data on that  Here’s but one example.)

Your gut thanks you!

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