They have to be used in an adequate dose, and they have to have some proven beneficial health effect," McFarland said of probiotics. Here's a look at probiotics' steady rise in popularity, from Europe to America, and where health experts now stand on their benefits. The beneficial health properties of kefir and other dairy products were a part of folklore until the idea of probiotics arose. There has been a big thing on gender probiotics," McFarland said of one emerging trend. All in all, McFarland said, probiotics may be beneficial if taken to prevent travel-associated diarrhea or to prevent side effects of antibiotics.

Source: CNN July 13, 2017 10:30 UTC