CommonHealth: As Probiotic Labels Tout Benefits, A Call To Examine Risks

07:04

Updated September 17, 2018

Carey Goldberg
Anthony Brooks
Walter Wuthmann

In this Monday, Nov. 20, 2017 photo, Chobani yogurt cups are displayed in New York. Chobani, the company that helped kick-start the Greek yogurt craze, is shrinking those words from its label as it hints it may expand beyond that food in an increasingly crowded yogurt market. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

They promise to improve immune health, bolster intestinal health — even help us cope with stress and restore our "natural balance" of bacteria. Such rosy claims crop up in the supermarket yogurt section, the pharmacy vitamin aisle, the kombucha cooler — wherever probiotics are sold.

But are they really all they're made out to be? A leading medical watchdog says we should be looking at the risks of probiotic supplements, as well as questioning some of the claims of their benefits.

Guest

Carey Goldberg, host of WBUR's CommonHealth blog, which tweets @commonhealth.

This article was originally published on September 17, 2018.

This segment aired on September 17, 2018.

CommonHealth: As Probiotic Labels Tout Benefits, A Call To Examine Risks

Guest

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