Scientists have discovered an important reason why you should reconsider taking probiotics

Bacteria used to have a poor reputation. Then there were probiotics.

It has suddenly become impossible to resist dietary products promoting ‘good’ bacteria, but while there is evidence that probiotics can be beneficial to your health, new study indicates they may potentially have major adverse effects.

Researchers from Augusta University discovered the first known association between probiotic use, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, and symptoms of confusing cognitive fogginess in a new study.

Patients who reported disorientation and difficulties concentrating, as well as gas and bloating, were discovered to have huge colonies of bacteria reproducing in their small intestines, with high amounts of D-lactic acid created by bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates in their meals.

“We now know that probiotic bacteria have a unique ability to break down sugar and create D-lactic acid,” says lead researcher and gastroenterologist Satish S.C. Rao.

“So, if you accidentally colonize your small bowel with probiotic bacteria, you’ve set the ground for the development of lactic acidosis and mental fogginess.”

The essential word here is “inadvertent,” because probiotics are supposed to function in the colon, not the small intestine or stomach.

However, if they get there and start breeding in the organ, aided by probiotics that increase their numbers, the effects can be severe.

D-lactic acid is momentarily harmful to brain cells and can impair cognition, thinking abilities, and sense of time.

The researchers discovered that some patients had two to three times the typical level of D-lactic acid in their blood, resulting in bouts of cognitive fogginess that may linger for hours after eating and were severe enough in some cases that patients had to abandon their professions.

The researchers discovered one patient who had mental fogginess and bloating within a minute of eating, indicating that the effects can be immediate.

“It happened right before our eyes,” Rao explains.

Of course, not everyone who takes probiotics will suffer the same symptoms, and not all probiotics are the same.

However, Rao claims that the experience of the people he and his team professionally watched over three years proves that no one should take probiotics casually or indiscriminately without seeking medical counsel.

“Probiotics should be considered as a medicine, not as a food supplement,” he argues.

Researchers previously discovered that probiotics could cause health problems in people with short bowel syndrome, a condition in which the small intestine does not function properly, but the new findings suggest that otherwise healthy people can succumb to brain fogginess and bloating if bacterial colonies begin to thrive in the small intestine.

The good news is that the symptoms were mostly temporary.

Most symptoms were relieved when individuals experiencing cognitive fogginess and bloating received treatment, which included taking antibiotics, discontinuing probiotics, and avoiding foods that naturally contain them, such as yoghurt.

Around 70% of patients reported significant improvement, with 85% reporting that their brain fogginess had disappeared, and those who had bloating also reported improvements.

If you’re having any of the same cognitive or bloating issues, you should definitely visit a doctor – but if you routinely take probiotics or eat a lot of yoghurt, there’s a good possibility that’s contributing.