A review of how probiotics work and why they are so important to good health.

Probiotics have received a great deal of attention lately, and this focus is
absolutely justified. An increasing number of products, from yogurts to pet
foods, contain probiotics. Often referred to as “healthy” and/or “friendly”
bacteria (or microorganisms) in the media, their proper notation is “direct fed
microbials” when used in pet foods. Basically, probiotics are helpful bacteria
that reside in the intestinal tract. In fact, every digestive system contains
millions of bacteria, both those with a healthful purpose (like probiotics) and
some that are not so beneficial. While some kinds of bacteria can be harmful,
many (like direct fed microbials) actually help the immune system adapt to
internal changes within the body and thus naturally support good health. More...