Can yogurt help with digestive problems?

Does yogurt help digestion?

Yogurt is not the topic of the official pages we opened. They cover probiotics, which are live bacteria and yeasts that the NHS says are often added to yoghurts or taken as supplements. NCCIH says probiotics can be found in yogurt and other fermented foods and supplements. Neither page reports research on yogurt itself, so we cannot say yogurt treats a digestive problem.

What does the NHS say about probiotics?

The NHS says there is some evidence that probiotics may be helpful in some cases, including easing some IBS symptoms, but also that there is little evidence to support many health claims. It says probiotics appear to be safe for most people with a healthy immune system. Because they are regulated as food, it cannot always be sure a product contains the stated bacteria, enough of them, or that they reach the gut.

What does NIH say about digestive conditions?

• IBS: a 2018 review found probiotics may have beneficial effects on IBS symptoms and abdominal pain, but definite conclusions were not possible.
• Antibiotic-associated diarrhea: a 2017 review linked probiotics to about half the likelihood of this diarrhea, which NCCIH calls tentative.
• C. difficile diarrhea: a 2017 analysis suggested probiotics may lower the risk in people taking antibiotics.

Who should be careful?

NCCIH says the risk of harm is greater in people with severe illness or weakened immune systems, and that severe infections have been reported in premature infants given probiotics. The NHS advises talking to a doctor before taking probiotic supplements if you have a health condition or weakened immune system. Do not use probiotics as a reason to delay seeing a doctor about digestive symptoms.