Hundreds of studies have shown that consuming certain genera, species or specific strains of probiotic microbes can have health benefits. Beneficial effects on gastrointestinal conditions include:9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17

·       reducing the incidence and duration of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea;

·       treating acute paediatric infectious diarrhoea;

·       improving digestive discomfort;

·       preventing Clostridium difficile diarrhoea;

·       reducing the risk of other gut infections;

·       alleviating irritable bowel syndrome symptoms or frequency;

·       potentially reducing the impact of necrotising enterocolitis in preterm infants;

·       treating acute ulcerative colitis (although not necessarily help maintain remission);

·       reducing crying associated with colic;

·       relieving recurrent abdominal pain in children;

·       easing lactose maldigestion symptoms.

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization define probiotics as “live microorganisms, that when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.”18

Ideally, the term ‘probiotic’ should be used only for characterised strains with a scientifically demonstrated effect on health, advises the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP). Microorganisms in the same genus or species may show different health effects, hence the need to be specific.9

‘Paraprobiotics’ or ‘ghost probiotics’ are inactivated probiotics (eg prepared by heat treatment or irradiation to preserve bacterial cell-wall components) which may still confer health benefits on the host. ‘Postbiotics’ is used for compounds secreted from a probiotic such as enzymes, SCFAs, proteins, or other molecular building blocks. 19,20