But the evidence is building that it has a positive role in augmenting the immune system. Everyone would welcome that. Jung presented a recent paper at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology in Washington. It showed that subjects in a randomized study who took a probiotic supplement were able to build more antibodies after a typhoid fever vaccine and be better protected against the illness than individuals who received only the shot. He has seen enough to recommend yogurt and certain probiotic supplements to his young patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Consumers there are able to buy a whole range of products with probiotics.
FOS is available in small amounts in fruits, vegetables and grains. It is less uncommon these days to hear a doctor recommend eating more yogurt during treatment phases. Times of high stress are another trigger for pulling a cup of yogurt from the fridge, O'Sullivan said. Not surprisingly, nutritionists and doctors recommend getting your probiotics first from food, using supplements as a backup. For now, yogurt is the best option, along with fermented milk products such as kefir.