Probiotics and health: understanding probiotic trials

Research into the health benefits of probiotics has growing interest. Reported benefits of probiotic consumption range from the improvement of intestinal function to immune support. However, trials of probiotics lack the standardisation required to judge efficacy. It is important to acknowledge that probiotic products include a range of bacterial species and strains that can have varied effects. In this article, we address the importance of correctly interpreting trials of proposed probiotics. We discuss the necessity to treat probiotic bacterial strains independently, and to communicate findings consistently through both data reporting and product labelling. Finally, we propose a new approach to study the health effects of probiotics in the future.