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Probiotic bacteria are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. There is a growing interest in probiotics within the scientific community, with consumers, and in the food industry. The interactions between the gut and intestinal microbiota and between resident and transient microbiota define a new arena in physiology, an understanding of which would shed light on the "cross-talk" between humans and microbes. The different beneficial effects of specific probiotic strains may be translated into different health claims. However, there is a need for comprehensive and harmonized guidelines on the assessment of the characteristics and efficacy of probiotics and of foods containing them. An international expert group of ILSI has evaluated the published evidence of the functionality of different probiotics in 4 areas of (human) application: 1) metabolism, 2) chronic intestinal inflammatory and functional disorders, 3) infections, and 4) allergy. Based on the existing evidence, concrete examples of demonstration of benefits and gaps are listed, and guidelines and recommendations are defined that should help design the next generation of probiotic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the 2 distinct idiopathic pathologies of inflammatory bowel diseases, are spontaneously relapsing, immunologically mediated disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Selected probiotics strains have been proven to be clinically effective in maintaining remission in patients with ulcerative colitis. None of the probiotics thus far tested has been shown to be effective in induction of remission or in maintenance of remission in patients with Crohn's disease. The multispecies probiotics mixture of 8 strains seems effective in the maintenance of remission in pouchitis. Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional bowel disorder manifested by chronic, recurring abdominal pain or discomfort associated with disturbed bowel habit in the absence of structural abnormalities likely to account for these symptoms. Recently conducted appropriately powered studies with different (combinations of) probiotics show positive results on reduction of symptoms, although a considerable placebo effect is also found. Mechanistic studies aimed at pathophysiological mechanisms of inflammatory bowel diseases can identify new targets for probiotic bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the 2 distinct idiopathic pathologies of inflammatory bowel diseases, are spontaneously relapsing, immunologically mediated disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Selected probiotics strains have been proven to be clinically effective in maintaining remission in patients with ulcerative colitis. None of the probiotics thus far tested has been shown to be effective in induction of remission or in maintenance of remission in patients with Crohn's disease. The multispecies probiotics mixture of 8 strains seems effective in the maintenance of remission in pouchitis. Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional bowel disorder manifested by chronic, recurring abdominal pain or discomfort associated with disturbed bowel habit in the absence of structural abnormalities likely to account for these symptoms. Recently conducted appropriately powered studies with different (combinations of) probiotics show positive results on reduction of symptoms, although a considerable placebo effect is also found. Mechanistic studies aimed at pathophysiological mechanisms of inflammatory bowel diseases can identify new targets for probiotic bacteria.