Frequent side effects? Probiotics should be classified as a medicine

Probiotics lead to dangerous side effects?

Probiotics are often seen in our society as a harmless supplement. This could change in the near future, if in the opinion of some doctors. The experts are convinced that probiotics should be classified as medicine.

The researchers from the University of Augusta found in their recent research that probiotics can affect the brain and thinking ability and cause bloating. The experts published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology".

Can the consumption of probiotic foods lead to negative effects on thinking ability? (Image: Heike Rau / fotolia.com)

Probiotics affect the ability to think?

Concerns about dietary supplements that are rich in healthy bacteria and termed probiotics are growing. They seem to affect the brain and the ability to think. In addition, they also lead to flatulence. In the current study, large colonies of bacteria found in the small intestine of the patients where they should not actually be.

Probiotics should be considered medicinal

Some people reported suffering from such severe side effects from taking probiotics that they were sometimes forced to stop working. Although the intake of probiotic supplements can lead to benefits, but the researchers advise caution. Probiotics should be treated as a medicine, not as a dietary supplement, study author Dr. Satish Rao from the University of Augusta.

Foods with probiotics are not a problem

Foods such as yoghurt, sauerkraut, kefir and dark chocolate contain small amounts of healthy bacteria anyway. However, according to the researchers, these foods are unlikely to pose a health hazard. Thirty volunteers participated in the study. Of the participants, 22 had indicated that they were using probiotic supplements.

Effects of taking probiotics

The living bacteria, mainly Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, are strong enough to survive the acidic environment of the stomach. All participants who had consumed these living microorganisms reported confusion and difficulty concentrating as well as bloating, say the scientists.

Produced D-lactic acid can be toxic to the brain cells

The researchers explain that bacterial fermentation of sugars in food can lead to hydrogen gas and methane, which in turn can lead to bloating. The same process in the stomach also produces high levels of D-lactic acid, which can be temporarily toxic to the brain cells. Some subjects had two to three times the normal amount of D-lactic acid, which may affect perception and thinking.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are scientifically defined as living microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host. Simply put, they are healthy bacteria that are beneficial to the body. Probiotics are also found in some foods (such as some types of yogurt and fermented vegetables such as cucumbers and sauerkraut), but can also be purchased as nutritional supplements. While our digestive system usually contains trillions of microbes, including healthy and unhealthy bacteria, sometimes the balance between these bacteria can be out of balance. Disease, an unhealthy lifestyle (such as eating too little fruit and vegetables, heavy drinking, smoking, and physical inactivity) and natural aging can disrupt that balance.

How can the mental confusion be reversed??

Four patients stated that the mental confusion was so strong many hours after eating that they had to stop their work. One patient even reported being confused and bloated within minutes of eating. However, when the volunteers stopped taking probiotics and began treatment with antibiotics, their mental confusion resolved. After such treatment, almost three-quarters of patients experienced an improvement in symptoms.

Further research is needed

It is now known that probiotic bacteria have the unique ability to break down sugars and produce D-lactic acid. Rao. If you accidently colonize your small intestine with probiotic bacteria, you've laid the groundwork for a possible development of lactic acidosis and mental confusion, the expert adds. Further studies are now needed to further investigate the results and the observed effects. (As)