Mixed
Probiotic supplementation does not significantly alter the overall composition, alpha-diversity, or richness of the fecal microbiota in healthy adults compared to placebo.
If you are healthy, taking probiotics is unlikely to change your gut bacteria composition or diversity. The marketing promise of 'rebalancing' the microbiota in healthy individuals is not supported by current high-quality evidence. Focus on dietary fiber and overall diet quality for microbiota health instead.
This systematic review of the pertinent literature demonstrates a lack of evidence for an impact of probiotics on fecal microbiota composition in healthy adults.
Why this rating
Systematic review of 7 RCTs with medium-to-high quality, though heterogeneity in methods limits meta-analysis.
Source
Alterations in fecal microbiota composition by probiotic supplementation in healthy adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Nadja B. Kristensen et al. · Genome Medicine · 2016
DOI 10.1186/s13073-016-0300-5
Related findings · Mixed
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