Evidence-based probiotic guide tackles confusion
The UK Probiotics Guide helps healthcare professionals navigate the overwhelming probiotic market by providing tailored, evidence-based recommendations.
The UK Probiotics Guide cuts through marketing claims to identify products with robust scientific backing. Healthcare professionals can search by patient demographics or specific health outcomes to find the most appropriate probiotic supplements.
Dr Gemma Walton from the University of Reading's Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences explained: “The probiotic market has exploded, but choosing the right product remains incredibly challenging. Well-researched products sit on the shelves next to others that may have very little research behind them.
“By bringing research evidence together in an accessible place, the probiotics guide brings needed clarity to the situation. This platform provides healthcare professionals and consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions, rather than navigating marketing messages alone.”
The free-to-access database includes only products that meet stringent criteria: they must be commercially available in the UK, contain strains recognised as safe by regulatory authorities, including the European Food Safety Authority, and be supported by published clinical evidence for the specific strains and combinations used.
Developed following support from the INFORM Hub – a BBSRC-funded open research innovation club led by the University of Reading, which connects researchers and medical professionals.
The platform represents a collaboration between the University of Reading, the University of Leeds, King's College London and the Alliance for Education in Probiotics. The Alliance for Education in Probiotics maintains similar guides in Canada and the United States.
Professor Kieran Tuohy, Professor of Energy Metabolism and Microbiome in the School of Food Science and Nutrition, said: “This is about giving people easy access to unbiased evidence-based scientific advice, to empower professionals and individuals alike to make the best choices for their health.
“Some probiotics have scientific research which backs up their efficacy, and that evidence is published, but it’s not readily accessible to either consumers or medical professionals who are advising patients
“Every time I give a talk to medical practitioners, the first question they ask is ‘which probiotic should we use?’ Until now, there hasn’t been anywhere to point them to get this information, but now this app will allow practitioners and consumers alike to find the information they need, easily and simply.”
Unlike other resources that simply list available products, this guide evaluates the quality and relevance of scientific evidence behind each recommendation, helping practitioners match specific probiotic strains to individual patient needs and health conditions.
The platform launches at a time when the global probiotics market continues rapid expansion, yet regulatory oversight remains limited compared to conventional pharmaceuticals.
