According to scientific research, probiotics may restore the composition of the gut microbiota and introduce beneficial functions to gut microbial communities. In fact, some probiotics can be used like drugs to treat some conditions and there is good evidence of their efficacy for diarrhoea associated to antibiotic intake or gastroenteritis diarrhoea.

Philippe Marteau is head of the medico-surgical department of hepato-gastroenterology at Lariboisière Hospital in Paris. He attended the 5th Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit 2016, where we interviewed him about probiotics and also prebiotics.