If you have taken antibiotics or cared for a small child taking them, you have likely seen first-hand the effects the medicines can have on the digestive system. The problem comes from the antibiotics – which are designed to kill bacteria – wiping out the productive bacteria that help the digestive system function properly.
One treatment doctors have explored is using probiotics – live microorganisms that can be consumed – to replenish the body’s productive bacteria. But what does the evidence say?
A systematic review this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association compiled data from 82 randomized, controlled clinical trials to come up with the best advice we have on using probiotics together with antibiotics.
The review concluded that probiotics do reduce the prevalence of diarrhea associated with taking antibiotics, but the data available didn’t provide additional details.
An article in the publication Family Practice News did note that most of the studies included in the review did not demonstrated a significant benefit from using probiotics when looked at on their own. But the complication of data show a benefit.
The review also noted that, on the whole, the quality of the research on probiotics is considered low. Many of the studies lacked enough evidence to evaluate the risk of probiotics and did not report on adverse events related to them.
The bottom line: Probiotics are a good avenue for treating diarrhea associated with taking antibiotics, but much more evidence is needed to develop solid clinical guidelines. Sometimes a systematic review serves the purpose of spotlighting areas that need additional research. That seems to be the case here.
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