Review study) Effects of Probiotics on the Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders

Probiotics are viable microorganisms, which have beneficial effects on gastrointestinal health. They exert such effects by modulating the intestinal microflora. The object of this study is reviewing the clinical evidence and effects of probiotics on prevention or treatment of gastrointestinal disorders during 1990-2010. The related articles in PubMed and Science direct databases were studied. Clinical trials and systematic reviews that evaluated the effects of probiotics on prevention or treatment of gastrointestinal disorders were included. At this time there are good results of therapeutic use of probiotics in infectious diarrhea, antibiotic associated diarrhea and lactose intolerance. Evidence has also emerged for the beneficial effects of probiotics to treat inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, helicobacter pylori infection and prevention of colon cancer. However, small sample size, methodological limitations and the use of various strains of probiotic bacteria do not allow firm conclusions. Further clinical studies are necessary to investigate the effective probiotic strains and doses in different disorders. Probiotics can be used as adjunct to other therapies in gastrointestinal disorders. However, additional well-designed researches are needed to clarify the effectiveness and safety of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders and their mechanisms of action.