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Probiotics

Key points about probiotics

Probiotics are living bacteria and yeasts which, when taken in the right amounts, can improve your health.
Probiotic supplements are available to buy over-the-counter (OTC) at pharmacies, 'health' stores and supermarkets.
There are many different probiotic dietary supplements on the market, each containing different species and strains of bacteria and yeasts.
Different probiotics may be useful for different conditions. Check with your pharmacist or read the label to make sure you’ve chosen the right probiotic for your needs.

HN 0891 mother and young son receiving counselling from pharmacist

Probiotics are living bacteria and yeasts which, when taken in the right amounts, can improve your health.

Your body is a host to large numbers of microorganisms that normally live on your skin, in your gut and in reproductive areas. They help protect your body from infections, help keep your immune system healthy and improve your food digestion.

The microorganisms in your gut are also commonly called your ‘gut microbiome’ or ‘gut microbiota’ or ‘intestinal microflora’. Research shows that the balance of microorganisms, especially in your gut, can influence your overall health.

Taking a probiotic supplement may promote health by maintaining a natural balance of bacteria and reducing the growth of harmful bacteria.

This page contains information about supplements that contain probiotics but there are also many foods that may contain probiotics such as yoghurt and drinks.

Always check the label to see if it specifically lists live probiotic cultures.
A food labelled as 'fermented' doesn’t necessarily contain live probiotics.
In some cases, microbes are only used during production and are no longer present in the final product.
Other foods may contain live cultures, but not all of these are proven probiotic strains with health benefits.
The most well known strains of probiotics are called Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria.
The number of living cells in a probiotic supplement is written as the number of colony-forming units (CFU) on the label.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, capsules or powders containing beneficial bacteria, prebiotics and probiotics can be bought from pharmacies, health shops and supermarkets.

What are prebiotics and synbiotics?

Prebiotics are dietary fibres that microorganisms feed on and use as a source of food.
A synbiotic is a product that includes both prebiotics and probiotics. By taking them together it may help the probiotic colonies survive and grow in your gut.

Unlike medicines, probiotics don't need to be approved by Medsafe, the medicines regulatory organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand. This means that manufacturers can make claims of safety and effectiveness without any evidence.

Not all probiotic strains do the same thing. The benefits of probiotics are specific to the strain, so the right strain needs to be matched to the right condition.

Your genetics, overall health and the microorganisms you already have in your gut can all affect how you respond to probiotics.

There's enough good evidence to support using probiotics to prevent and treat diarrhoea (runny poo) caused by antibiotics. Evidence of benefits for most other health conditions varies and more research is needed before healthcare providers can recommend them for everyone.

You may think about taking a probiotic supplement:

to prevent side effects associated with antibiotics such as diarrhoea
to help manage vaginal thrush or oral thrush
to help manage irritable bowel disease
to help manage eczema
to prevent urinary tract infections
alongside treatments for depression and anxiety.

If you want to try probiotics, talk to your healthcare provider first.

No research has been done on the safety of taking probiotics, but in general they won’t do any harm unless you’re immunocompromised (have a weakened immune system), already very sick or you're very young.

Probiotics can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.

Tell your healthcare provider if these side effects bother you.

Feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting (being sick): Take your probiotic with or just after a meal.
Sore stomach.
Diarrhoea (runny poo): Drink plenty of fluids.
Stomach gas or bloating.

Phone 111 for an ambulance or go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) clinic if these occur

Signs of an allergic reaction such as itchy skin, and rash, swollen lips or tongue, problems breathing, like a tight chest or shortness of breath.
Signs of infection such as high fever, chills, persistent cough.

Supplements
Irritable bowel syndrome
Diarrhoea

The following links have more information on probiotics.

Probiotics and prebiotics(external link) Patient, UK, 2023
Probiotics for IBS – do they work?(external link) Patient, UK, 2024