WASHINGTON, D.C. – 

Most of the strains of probiotics out there do nothing to improve digestive health according to a recent product study, but the claim of digestive health is so common thanks to lax FDA rules on medical claims; Most strains on the market are completely ineffective or at least not proven effective.

UCLA researcher Adrienne Labrosse says they have found most probiotics tested have little to no effect. They may not even have live bacteria by the time the consumer uses the product.

“Unless you have your own petri dish and microscope at home, there’s no way to tell what you’re ingesting even has live cultures. The FDA does not require the strains to be listed, so it is difficult for the consumer to tell the difference between one probiotic and the next, and there are hundreds of different species,” said Labrosse. “Even researchers are unsure what strain does what in the digestive process. They know there is naturally occurring bacteria in the gut, and assume it helps digestion, but at this point it’s mostly a bunch of speculation.”

Probiotic user Deborah Nutter insists she has seen improvements in her health and will continue using these products. “I love my microscopic little friends. I like to thank them by name as I eat them. Thank you, Mr. Lactobacilli. I love you, little L Plantarum. I love those guys. They make my tummy so happy, and my shits are as regular as a baby’s.”