Probiotics: What They Are, Benefits & Side Effects

What are probiotics?Probiotics are live microorganisms (microbes) that can have beneficial effects on or inside your body. Every human body is home to trillions of microorganisms that live with us and help support our bodily functions and health. Not all of the microbes we may carry are helpful to us — some types (germs) can be harmful. But beneficial microbes, like probiotics, help to control the potentially harmful types.Probiotic products contain select, beneficial types of microbes to add to the populations already living in your body. Many probiotics are oral supplements designed to be ingested into your gastrointestinal tract. Others are topical products that you can apply to your skin or to the mucous membranes inside your body cavities, like your nose or genitals. These are all places where beneficial microbes commonly live.AdvertisementCleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Cl...