Allergies Food Allergies Living With Can Probiotics Help Your Food Allergies? Probiotics may provide relief for eczema, celiac disease, and other allergies By Victoria Groce linkedin Victoria Groce is a medical writer living with celiac disease who specializes in writing about dietary management of food allergies. Learn about our editorial process Victoria Groce Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Daniel More, MD on January 09, 2020 Daniel More, MD, is a board-certified allergist and clinical immunologist. He is an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine and currently practices at Central Coast Allergy and Asthma in Salinas, California. Learn about our Medical Review Board Daniel More, MD on January 09, 2020 Print Probiotics have been touted as having a number of health benefits. One of those is that they might be able to help with food allergies. If you've heard these claims and deal with allergies, you're likely wondering if it's true. Unfortunately, the answer is not a simple one. The effects that probiotics may have on reducing the symptoms of allergies—whether they're from food, the environment, or other causes—is undetermined. Researchers are looking into this issue, but the evidence is still not there to prove whether they can help or not. Tashi-Delek / Getty Images What Are Probiotics? Probiotics contain types of "good" bacteria that are normally found in the large intestine of healthy people. Our bodies contain hundreds of strains of "good" bacteria. Only a few are included in the supplements that are sold as probiotics. Particular strains of these "good" bacteria are used to culture milk for making yogurt, kefir, and other fermented dairy products. When you see yogurt advertised with "live, active cultures," that's referring to live bacteria of the same sort found in probiotics. The types of bacteria that are especially well-studied for their benefits as probiotics include: Lactobacillus acidophilusBifidobacterium bifidum You'll find these in many over-the-counter probiotic products. Disappointing Results So Far A line of thought called the hygiene hypothesis is one reason researchers have begun to conduct research with probiotics. This is the idea that the clean environments Westerners live in have prevented our bodies from being colonized with the good bacteria we need to develop a healthy immune system. The theory is that this is why more people experience allergic reactions than in previous generations. Thus far, however, supplements of probiotics have shown little effect on preventing most allergies. Research and trials have shown only mixed or unclear effects on preventing food allergies, asthma, and environmental allergies. As research continues, there is evidence that shows promise for some people. Yet, even with these early indications, researchers cannot provide definitive advice to anyone dealing with allergies. Allergies in Babies Several studies have shown that infants in groups supplemented with probiotics were significantly less likely to develop eczema later in life. Eczema is an allergic condition that is often associated with other types of allergies. More studies are needed to determine whether this encouraging effect will continue to hold true. According to guidelines released by the World Allergy Organization (WAO), probiotics may be beneficial for some pregnant and breastfeeding women. The advice pertains particularly to women whose babies are at a higher risk for developing allergies with the intent of preventing those allergies. However, even these guidelines come with the caveat that, "All recommendations are conditional and supported by very low-quality evidence." Furthermore, there is also some concern that probiotics may actually make some infants more sensitive to allergies. Therefore, more research is needed in this area. Celiac Disease People with celiac disease may also be able to find some relief from their symptoms through the use of probiotics. A number of studies are looking into the association of gut microbiota and allergic reactions to gluten. Though the evidence is preliminary and not definitive, it does point to the possibility that introducing good bacteria may reduce symptoms even more than a gluten-free diet alone. Prebiotics One other area of current study is prebiotics. These are non-digestible sugars that encourage the growth of favorable bacteria within the body. To date, though, there has not been conclusive results on whether prebiotics can prevent food allergies. Cautions Probiotics are not considered especially risky for most people. However, because probiotics may be cultured from dairy products, some probiotic preparations may be risky for people with dairy allergies. Additionally, it's important to be aware of the fact that probiotics are dietary supplements and are not subject to approval by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Probiotics are also not standardized and each strain can have different effects on your body. For these reasons, it's best to have a good understanding of probiotics before taking them. If you have any questions, talk to your doctor or another member of your healthcare team. Your allergist or pediatrician can also advise you about the risks and benefits of probiotics for your child. A Word From Verywell There is no conclusive evidence that probiotics can improve your allergy symptoms. At best, they may be beneficial in addition to your standard allergy treatments. Since they are unregulated and vary greatly, it's a good idea to consult your allergist or physician as to whether any probiotic may be beneficial for you. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get one simple hack every day to make your life healthier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Prakash S, Tomaro-Duchesneau C, Saha S, Rodes L, Kahouli I, Malhotra M. Probiotics for the prevention and treatment of allergies, with an emphasis on mode of delivery and mechanism of action. Curr Pharm Des. 2014;20(6):1025–1037. doi:10.2174/138161282006140220145154 Cuello-Garcia CA, Brożek JL, Fiocchi A, et al. Probiotics for the prevention of allergy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015;136(4):952–961. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2015.04.031 Fiocchi A, Pawankar R, Cuello-Garcia C, et al. World Allergy Organization-McMaster University guidelines for allergic disease prevention (GLAD-P): Probiotics. World Allergy Organ J. 2015;8(1):4. Published 2015 Jan 27. doi:10.1186/s40413-015-0055-2 Marasco G, Di Biase AR, Schiumerini R, et al. Gut microbiota and celiac disease. Dig Dis Sci. 2016;61(6):1461–1472. doi:10.1007/s10620-015-4020-2 Cuello-Garcia C, Fiocchi A, Pawankar R, et al. Prebiotics for the prevention of allergies: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Exp Allergy. 2017;47(11):1468–1477. doi:10.1111/cea.13042 Additional Reading National Institutes of Health: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Probiotics: What you need to know. Updated August 2019.