You hear the term "probiotic" tossed around a fair amount these days. Or more specifically, you hear what dairy can do to aid digestive health, improve regularity, lower cholesterol, boost immunity, etc. But what exactly are probiotics, and should you incorporate them into your life?

Experts at the World Health Organization and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) define a probiotic as "live microorganisms administered in adequate amounts which confer a beneficial health effect on the host." Basically, probiotics are beneficial bacteria contained in dietary supplements or foods. These bacteria are normally found in your body, and the microorganisms (or microflora) that comprises these bacteria may aid with digestion, or help protect against some types of harmful bacteria. Several probiotic products on the market claim to lower cholesterol and boost your immune system and overall health.

Some of the common bacteria in probiotics are enterococcus, lactobacillus, acidophilus, saccharomyces boulardii, and bifidobacterium. Probiotics are comprised of billions of live active cultures, or bacterial colonies, and are found in fermented foods, particularly dairy products such as yogurt, tempeh, miso, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut.

Long popular in Europe and Japan, probiotics are gaining ground in the U.S. According to researchers at Harvard Medical School, "clinical studies have established that probiotic therapy can help treat several gastrointestinal ills, and delay the development of allergies in children, and treat and prevent vaginal and urinary infections in women." Preliminary studies suggest probiotics may help with the side effects of antibiotic treatments, reduce the risk of tooth decay.

According to a report from a conference co-funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and convened by the American Society for Microbiology, uses of probiotics for which there is some encouraging evidence include:

• To treat diarrhea (this is the strongest area of evidence, especially for diarrhea from rotavirus
   
• To prevent and treat infections of the urinary tract or female genital tract
   
• To treat irritable bowel syndrome
   
• To reduce recurrence of bladder cancer
   
• To shorten how long an intestinal infection lasts that is caused by a bacterium called Clostridium difficile
   
• To prevent and treat pouchitis (a condition that can follow surgery to remove the colon)
   
• To prevent and manage atopic dermatitis (eczema) in children

For more information on probiotics, visit USprobiotics.org. It's a good idea to check with your health care provider before adding probiotics to your diet. Remember, the Food and Drug Administration considers probiotics a dietary supplement, and their manufacture is regulated as a food and not a drug.