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Diarrhea probiotics are microorganisms that can be beneficial to health

Edited and resized image by Paweł Czerwiński, is available on Unsplash

Diarrhea probiotics are microorganisms that have been shown to offer a wide range of health benefits.

• What are probiotic foods?

In addition to being found in supplements and in certain foods such as sauerkraut, probiotics live naturally in the intestine. There, they play several important roles, such as maintaining immune health, protecting the body against infections and diseases (see study about it here: 1).

Gut bacteria can be affected both negatively and positively by a variety of factors, including diet, stress, and medication use.

When the composition of intestinal bacteria becomes unbalanced and the normal population of probiotics is interrupted, it can lead to negative health effects, such as an increased risk of diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and digestive symptoms such as diarrhea (see studies here respect: 3, 4).

The World Health Organization defines diarrhea as "three or more soft or watery stools in a 24-hour period". Acute diarrhea lasts less than 14 days, while persistent diarrhea lasts 14 days or more (see study about it here: 5).

Supplementation with probiotics can help prevent and treat certain types of diarrhea, replenishing beneficial intestinal bacteria and correcting the imbalance.

Probiotics fight pathogenic bacteria, competing for nutrients, stimulating the immune system and altering the intestinal environment to make it less conducive to pathogenic activity (see studies about it here: 5).

Types of diarrhea and probiotics

Diarrhea can be caused by bacterial or viral infections, use of medications or exposure to different microorganisms while traveling.

infectious diarrhea

Infectious diarrhea is caused by an infectious agent such as bacteria or parasites. More than 20 different bacteria, viruses and parasites are known to cause infectious diarrhea, including Rotavirus, E. coli and salmonella (Check out the study about it here: 5).

This type of diarrhea is more common in developing countries, and can lead to death if left untreated. Treatment includes preventing dehydration and the duration of diarrhea.

A review of 63 studies in 8,014 people found that probiotics reliably reduced the duration of diarrhea and the frequency of stools in adults and children with infectious diarrhea (see study about this: 5).

On average, the groups treated with probiotics had diarrhea for almost 25 hours less than the control groups (see study about it here: 5).

Diarrhea caused by antibiotics

Diarrhea is a common side effect of antibiotics as it affects the intestinal microbiota as a whole, not just the pathogenic bacteria.

Taking probiotics can help prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea by replenishing beneficial bacteria in the gut.

A review of 17 studies in 3,631 people showed that diarrhea associated with antibiotic intake was significantly more prevalent in those who were not supplementing probiotics.

In fact, almost 18% of people in the control groups had antibiotic-associated diarrhea, while only 8% of people in the probiotic-treated groups were affected (see study about this: 6).

Studies have concluded that probiotics - particularly species Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii - can reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea by up to 51% (see a review of studies on this here: 6).

traveler's diarrhea

Traveling exposes you to many types of micro-organisms that are not normally introduced into your system, which can cause diarrhea.

Traveler's diarrhea is defined as “the passing of three or more unformed stools per day” with at least one related symptom, such as cramps or abdominal pain, occurring in a traveler upon arrival at their destination. It affects 20 million people annually (see studies about it here: 7, 8).

A review of 11 studies found that preventive treatment with probiotic supplements significantly reduced the occurrence of traveler's diarrhea (see study about this: 9).

Another 2019 review of 12 studies showed that only probiotic treatment Saccharomyces boulardii resulted in significant reductions of up to 21% in traveler's diarrhea (see study about it here: 8).

Diarrhea in babies and children

Necrotizing enterocolitis is a bowel disease that occurs almost exclusively in infants. This disease is characterized by intestinal inflammation that leads to an overgrowth of bacteria, which seriously damage the cells of the intestine and colon (see study about it here: 10). It is a serious condition, with a mortality rate of up to 50% (see study about it here: 10).

One of the symptoms is severe diarrhea. Antibiotics are often used to treat this disease, which can lead to antibiotic-associated diarrhea, which can worsen the patient's condition.

In addition, some experts suggest that antibiotic treatment may be a factor in causing necrotizing enterocolitis (see study about it here: 11).

Studies have shown that probiotics can help reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis and mortality in preterm infants (see study about it here: 12).

A review of 42 studies that included more than 5,000 children under 37 weeks found that the use of probiotics reduced the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and demonstrated that treatment with probiotics led to a decrease in overall infant mortality (see study about this: 13 ).

In addition, another review found that probiotic treatment was associated with lower rates of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in people aged one month to 18 years (see study here: 14).

Other studies have found that certain strains of probiotics, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, can also treat infectious diarrhea in children (see study about it here: 15).

Best Types of Probiotics for Diarrhea

There are hundreds of types of probiotics, but some research has shown that supplementing with certain types is more beneficial in fighting diarrhea.

According to scientific findings, the following types are the most effective probiotic strains for the treatment of diarrhea:

• Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG): is among the most commonly supplemented strains. Research shows that LGG is one of the most effective probiotics in treating diarrhea in adults and children (6, 16).
• Saccharomyces boulardii: S. boulardii is a beneficial strain of yeast that is commonly used in probiotic supplements. It has been shown to treat infectious and antibiotic-associated diarrhea (6, 17).
• Bifidobacterium lactis: This probiotic has immune system-stimulating and gut-protective qualities and can significantly reduce the severity and frequency of diarrhea in children (18).
• Lactobacillus casei: L. got married is another probiotic strain that has been studied for its antidiarrheal benefits. Some studies suggest that it treats infectious and antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children and adults (19, 20).

While other types of probiotics can help treat diarrhea, the strains listed above have more research supporting their use for this specific condition.

Probiotics are measured in colony forming units (CFU), which indicate the number of beneficial bacteria concentrated in each dose. Most probiotic supplements contain between 1 and 10 billion CFU per serving.

However, some probiotic supplements are packaged with more than 100 billion CFU per serving.

While it is essential to choose a probiotic supplement with a high CFU, the strains included in the supplement and the quality of the product are equally important (see study about it here: 21).

Since the quality and CFU of probiotic supplements can vary widely, it's a good idea to work with a qualified healthcare practitioner to choose the most effective probiotic and dose.

Possible side effects related to the use of probiotics

Although probiotics are generally considered safe for children and adults and serious side effects are rare in healthy people, some potential adverse effects may occur in certain populations.

People vulnerable to infections, including individuals recovering from surgery, critically ill babies and those who have indwelling catheters or are chronically ill, are at greater risk of experiencing adverse reactions after taking probiotics (see study on this: 22).

Probiotics can cause serious systemic infections, diarrhea, excessive stimulation of the immune system, abdominal cramps and nausea in immunocompromised individuals (see study on this: 23).

Less serious side effects related to the use of probiotics can also occasionally occur in healthy people, including bloating, gas, hiccups, skin rash and constipation (see study here: 24).

Although probiotics are generally considered safe for most people, it is always a good idea to seek medical help before adding any supplements to the diet.