How your mind is going to react if you come to know that the dish containing your mouth-watering meals have bacteria in good numbers which are not so visible to your naked eyes! Your reaction surely would not be any different form that of mine. Stop for a minute and put on your thinking caps. Some of these bacteria might be your friends working efficiently in your body to ward off many a disease which are known as 'Probiotics' in scientific parlance. The wide belief in the beneficial effects of these probiotics which are nothing but microorganism which are present in yogurt. fermented milk, cottage cheese, buttermilk, lassi,energy drinks etc, is still not firmly established. Yet some doctors are convinced of their positive effects on health. The pharmaceutical and health and nutritional products manfucturing companies are are quick to cash in on this popular imagination and belief. These companies have launched some products containing probiotics claiming their beneficial effects. Although FDA in the United States has not taken any official position in recognizing the potential benefits arising out of consumption of probiotics, the market for them has been growing very steadily. Similarly there is a strong demand in Europe and Japan for them. 

The presence of bacteria in our system is common and natural especially in the gut but whenever we fall ill and go to our doctors ,they invariably prescribe antibiotics to deal with the pathological condition and in the process these friendly bacteria which promote digestion, immunity come under severe threat and in some cases result in substantial loss of these bacteria. Some quarters claim that intake of these probiotics may compensate for the loss. This is claim which has to be clinically established yet. It is fairly understandable why some haziness still surround their efficacy as each of us is a host of several bacteria and microorganisms in our body and the intricate working of them only underscores the need to scientifically estimate the exact need of any particular group of bacteria determining their efficacy. Therefore, one needs to extremely cautious in not falling prey to ad-blitz of some pharmaceutical and ayurvedic formulations which claim to be possessing magical properties in curing one and all diseases. Similar caution needs to be observed while going for antibiotic courses.A national survey has alarmingly concluded that doctors in the country have been prescribing antibiotics in cases where there have been any justification for the same. As a result some of these friendly bacteria get seriously depleted disturbing the right  bodily equilibrium. It is quite obvious that each individual needs for probiotics must be medically assessed before their intake is advised.

In recent times it is very easy to come across advertisements in print as well as electronic media of a host of products based on probiotics with exaggerated claims of affording protection against infection ,boosting our systems to fight off a broad spectrum of diseases and so on. Some of these products are packaged very alluringly with fancy names to catch the attention of the public in general. These products are available at stores in the form of powders or capsules. As already emphasized in the earlier part of the article that it is crucial to assess the exact requirement of probiotics and intake of them in correct dosage. What is relatively less known is the fact that such capsules must contain  over 70 million microorganisms and should be taken with non-chlorinated water. Presence of chlorine is very harmful to these microorganisms. It is also advisable to take probiotics in an empty stomach. Intestines have to be suffused with them. It is not certain as to how many of these formulations which are marketed by these companies ensure this aspect in their products. Buyers falling prey to the these exaggerating advertisements more often than not gloss over these hard facts - a tendency which  need to be checked.

Coming to the question which may agitate our minds is if the intake of probiotics has any side effects. Some gastro-enterologists opine that  there are some side effects in the form of flatulence or overstimulation of our immune system have been observed in some cases. Especially regular use of probiotics in the case of children and  critically ill patients has been found to be inadvisable.   In this context one must distinguish between anti-biotics and probiotics.Administration of anti-biotics is common in treat a specific infection but probiotics are natural microorganisms living in our system to perform certain beneficial functions. Use of probiotics in the treatment of diarrhea, infection in the urinary tract, irritable bowels syndrome,colon cancer,bronchitis,sinusitis and certain kinds of seasonal allergies is very common.

In India use of probiotics could be traced back to  very old times. It goes to credit of Indian traditional knowledge and wisdom that natural probiotic was discovered in curds. Its medicinal properties in curing bad breath, tooth decay arising out of formation of plaques. What is remarkable is that it instantly starts working in the mouth. Its beneficial effects on stomach are also well-established. Regular intake of curds helps fighting acute gas and acidity related problems like dyspepsia and other. In intestines curd's medicinal properties help in curing and controlling gas formation and diarrhea .As curd is anti-inflammatory it takes care any infection from mouth to anus. Even irregular bowel habits can be corrected with regular intake of curd.           

It is,therefore, evident that that scientific circle are not yet unanimous based on laboratory and clinical studies on the exact benefits of probiotics. Some companies have launched products without proper labels containing essential information as to their schedules,dosages etc. Absence of such informatiom makes it difficult for the consumers as a whole to make informed choices in this regard. However, our traditional curd can be trusted to derive the practical benefits of probiotics. Keeping in mind the  research and clinical studies which are currently in progress in various countries, it can hoped that days are not far off when more scientific confirmations of the positive effects of probiotics would coming forth.   .