As someone who’s dealt with digestive issues for years, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued by probiotics. Wherever I look, there are probiotic products—from capsules and powders to gummies and fizzy sodas—that claim to boost your immune system, fix your gut, and even improve your mood.
There are many different probiotic strains, but common ones include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces. They can be found in fermented foods—like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha—or grown in laboratories and packed into supplements.
A wealth of research is coming out about how the microbiome—the mixture of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live on the skin and inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract—boosts immunity, aids digestion, and energizes us. As a result, probiotic supplements, which are designed to optimize the overall health of the microbiome, have exploded in popularity. The probiotic supplement market is projected to reach a value of nearly $24 million by 2034, especially among competitive athletes looking to up their game.
But can probiotic supplements actually…
