7 Benefits of Probiotics and How to Add Them to Your Diet

• Probiotics are live microorganisms that promote good gut health. Since immune, metabolic, and mental health are closely related to gastrointestinal (GI) health, probiotics may have a positive impact on these areas too.
• Fermented foods, some cultured dairy products, and supplements contain probiotics. Each contains different strains, and the strains have varying impacts on someone’s health.
• Depending on the strain, probiotics may reduce gut inflammation, enhance mood, help manage weight, strengthen the immune system, and reduce the risk for gastrointestinal conditions, among other benefits. 

Most gut bacteria are beneficial or neutral to human health. When the gut’s ecosystem is disrupted by factors like antibiotic overuse, poor diet, or stress, the newly imbalanced gut microbiome can potentially be harmful to health. Probiotics are live microorganisms that add more beneficial bacteria to the gut. They lead to a variety of health benefits, ranging from an effective digestive tract to an improved immune response to better skin health and more.

Continue reading to learn about the health benefits of probiotics, foods that contain these microorganisms, and when probiotic supplements are helpful.

The gut contains over 3,000 species of bacteria. Collectively, those species are known as the gut microbiome. When there are more harmful bacteria than good bacteria in our gut microbiome, the digestive system, weight, and other aspects of health can be negatively affected.

Probiotics provide us with healthy gut microorganisms, usually bacteria. The most popular probiotic strains with bacteria are Lactobacillus, sometimes referred to as lactic acid bacteria, Saccharomyces boulardii, and Bifidobacterium. While bacteria are often thought of as harmful, that isn’t the case for most bacteria. In general, most bacteria are neutral, with the bacteria in probiotic interventions actually being helpful. 

Probiotics and Gut Health

Taking probiotics may help promote good bacteria in the gut. However, that isn’t the only role probiotics play. Many microbial species found in probiotics promote a diverse microbiome, which may allow the body to achieve metabolic balance, a state called nutrient synthesis, where the body is effectively turning food into energy. This may increase nutrient absorption, helping people manage weight and contributing to overall health. 

Probiotics provide various health benefits, with the seven below being the most evidence-backed. Since probiotics come in different strains, it’s important to note that potential benefits may result from specific microbial strains, not all probiotic types. 

1) Support a Healthy Gut Microbiota

The main reason probiotics provide health benefits is their effect on the gut microbiome. Because they help tip the scales in favor of beneficial bacteria and microbes in the gut, these microorganisms can have a ripple effect on the entire GI system.

2) Boost Mental Health via The Gut Brain Connection

The gut-brain axis connects the gut and the brain. This connection is why you may feel your stomach jump when anxious or worried. Research suggests that gastrointestinal irritation can transmit signals to the central nervous system (CNS), potentially triggering shifts in mood. Even more clinical trials suggest that regular probiotic use may reduce stress and can help ameliorate depression when used alongside therapy. 

3) Strengthen the Immune System

70–80% of immune cells are found in the gut suggesting that immune system function relies in part on the health of the gut microbiome. Since probiotics support gut health, they also support enhanced immunity. Probiotics may also promote the production of short-chain fatty acids and other antimicrobial substances that help immune cells better defend against harmful diseases.

Additionally, research supports that probiotics help the body fight off diseases with more ease, and may even reduce the risk of certain immunological illnesses, such as allergies or autoimmune conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis. 

4) Help Manage Weight

Since probiotics result in improved metabolic health, they may be a valuable clinical tool to help manage weight. People who are overweight or obese may especially benefit from taking a probiotic strain from the genus Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium. These strains are the most closely linked to weight reduction.

5) Improve Digestive Health

Since probiotics promote a healthy gut microbiome, they may have a positive effect on the entire digestive tract. Certain probiotic strains may help with an upset stomach as well as various types of diarrhea, including antibiotic-associated diarrhea and traveller’s diarrhea.

6) Reduce Gut Inflammation

When the microbiome is more diverse, there’s less gut inflammation. This may reduce the risk of some chronic inflammatory conditions, especially inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders like celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). For this reason, probiotics may be used prophylactically if one has concerns about their gut health based on their family history. 

However, if someone already has a gastrointestinal tract disorder, research is mixed on whether probiotics help.

7) Improve Metabolic Health

Since probiotics promote metabolic balance, they can improve overall metabolic health. While this may lead to effective weight management, as discussed above, it may also reduce the risk of metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Less gut inflammation may also reduce insulin resistance, which could possibly help those with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. 

Probiotics might possibly benefit health in other ways. These are supported by animal studies, studies with a small number of human participants, or both. While there isn’t enough evidence to fully endorse these benefits, probiotics might:

• Promote oral health, mainly by combating tooth decay
• Reduce the risk of upper respiratory infections, like the cold or sinus infections
• Improve symptoms of allergies or help prevent allergies
• Help relieve constipation
• Reduce blood glucose or blood sugar
• Help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Strengthen the intestinal barrier, which improves overall digestive health
• Provide a slightly positive or neutral effect for urinary tract infections
• Lower cholesterol
• Reduce the risk of some cardiovascular diseases, like coronary heart disease and stroke

Probiotics can be found in certain foods naturally and in probiotic supplements. Both options are beneficial, but the digestive system may be able to better tolerate probiotics from food, and getting probiotics from diet is often recommended over supplements. 

Foods with Probiotics

Probiotics are most commonly found in fermented foods or cultured dairy products. However, processed fermented foods, like sourdough or processed pickles, do not contain probiotics.

Fermented foods that naturally contain probiotics include:

• Fermented dairy products like yogurt and many cheeses
• Miso
• Kimchi
• Kombucha
• Sauerkraut
• Unprocessed pickles
• Raw apple cider vinegar

Sometimes live and active cultures are added to other foods, such as juices, cereals, nutrition bars, and milks. Nutrition labels should state when probiotics have been added.

Dietary Supplements

Those who do not get enough probiotics from diet alone may benefit from a daily probiotic supplement. Oral probiotics often contain beneficial strains, though they can cause digestive side effects, like bloating or an upset stomach, for some people. These side effects may disappear once someone adjusts to the probiotic.

Additionally, probiotic supplements may interact with some medications and health conditions so it’s important to talk with a healthcare provider before purchasing a probiotic supplement.

Last but not least, supplements are not regulated by the FDA. That means the FDA does not guarantee the quality, safety, or effectiveness of the ingredients or endorse helpful, not harmful, microbes and ingredients. To make sure a probiotic is useful, look for a supplement that has been third-party tested by an organization like the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) or the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). This ensures the quality, quantity, and efficacy of a supplement’s ingredients. 

While probiotic products can be healthy in moderation, they do present variable beneficial properties, depending on both their origin and strain. That’s why it’s important to discuss your health concerns and what strain will work best with a healthcare provider.

Additionally, researchers are still unsure if probiotics are helpful or harmful for certain conditions. For example, while some strains of probiotics may place ulcerative colitis, a type of IBD, into remission, research is mixed on whether they help, hurt, or are neutral for Crohn’s disease (another type of IBD).

They may also promote antibiotic resistance, which means antibiotics may not be as effective should someone need them in the future. For these reasons you should always consult a healthcare provider before starting probiotics.

Who Should Avoid Probiotics?

While most people are able to tolerate probiotics, some people report moderate to severe side effects. These tend to be most common in those with a compromised immune system or severe illnesses. Probiotics may also be fatal to premature infants.

Additionally, some studies suggest specific strains may not work for all individuals. A 2025 study, for example, suggests a link between the probiotic strain S. cerevisiae and vulvovaginal candidiasis, a type of fungal infection, in postmenopausal people.

It’s important to discuss this decision with a healthcare provider before taking a supplement or radically increasing the amount of probiotic-containing foods that you eat.