Probiotic supplements have grown into a multibillion-dollar industryspurred by claims that the products will populate your gut with bacteria that can boost your health in numerous ways.
But beware of the hype: In healthy people, probiotic supplements offer little benefit, and they can potentially do more harm than good.
Studies show that taking probiotic supplements — for overall health or to counter the effects of antibiotics — can alter the composition of your microbiome and reduce the levels of microbial diversity in your gut, which is linked to a number of health problems.