Information About Probiotics On The Internet Is Rarely Correct. We Tell You Why

2023 Author: Abraham Higgins | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 23:16

Information about probiotics on the internet is rarely correct. We tell you why

People need to be careful when looking for probiotic information on the Internet. According to a British-Belgian study published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, most web pages come from unreliable sources and health claims are often not supported by sufficient scientific evidence.

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People need to be careful when looking for probiotic information on the Internet. According to a British-Belgian study published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, most web pages come from unreliable sources and health claims are often not supported by sufficient scientific evidence.

Probiotics are living microorganisms that can be used for medicinal purposes. But not all of them have high-quality evidence of efficacy and safety. Today, the probiotic market is constantly expanding due to the globalization of online sales. People have unrealistic expectations about their positive action, which are reinforced by information from the Internet and the hype in the news.

Researchers evaluated the first 150 web pages that opened in Google search results for “probiotics” in combination with their origins and various diseases.

The researchers used the Cochrane Library (a database of clinical trials and meta-analyzes) to assess the credibility of the scientific evidence that was found on the Internet. They also analyzed how Google ranks these sites, since usually people don't look past the first ten results.

“Most probiotic information web pages come from commercial sources or news outlets, but they provide the least comprehensive information, which often does not include potential side effects or regulatory issues. We also find that many websites refer to the benefits of probiotics for diseases for which there is not enough scientific evidence other than studies in mice,”said Pietro Ghezzi, one of the authors of the study.

Although Google has developed strict criteria for ranking websites that are related to medicine, it's always worth asking where the information comes from. The sheer volume of commercial information is problematic for consumers seeking truthful answers, the researchers noted.