Don’t count on probiotics to ease symptoms of most digestive conditions. According to guidelines from the American Gastroenterological Association, published in the journal Gastroenterology, there is insufficient evidence to recommend the supplements (which contain strains of “beneficial” or “friendly” bacteria) for treating Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, or Clostridioides difficile (C. diff ) infections.
The guidelines do, however, recommend three specific instances in which certain probiotic strains or combinations of strains can be considered: to prevent C. diff in people taking antibiotics; to prevent dangerous intestinal inflammation in premature infants; and to treat a condition called pouchitis, in which inflammation occurs in the lining of a pouch surgically created to manage ulcerative colitis or certain other diseases.
