Probiotics are very trendy right now, and that has led food manufacturers to add them to everything from butter to burritos. But are those infusions of healthy bacteria actually doing you any good? According to Dr. Andrew Rubman, naturopathic physician and author of Bottom Line’s “Nature Doc’s Patient Diary” blog, there may be some small benefit. The main problem, he explains, is that the most common probiotics—dairy-derived probiotics—stay in your system for only two to three days, and then the body decides there’s something not quite right about them and flushes them from our system. As a result, these healthy bacteria never take root in our digestive tracts, and it is necessary to continue taking the supplement to continue to derive the benefits. It is possible, however, to get a different type of probiotic that will solve this problem by helping to regrow the flora in the stomach.

Andrew Rubman, ND, is a teacher as well as a physician, helping his patients make better-informed choices about their healthcare and become better consumers of both traditional and conventional medical options.  He is also a member of the Bottom Line Personal Panel of Experts. For more great tips from Dr. Rubman, check out his other videos and Bottom Line blog “Nature Doc’s Patient Diary” or visit his website, https://southburyclinic.com.

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