With the growing awareness concerning probiotics and how they can help in improving one’s immune system and digestive health of both kids and adults, more and more people are now consuming probiotic foods and supplements to help them cope up with a deficiency or digestive problem.

However, before you start shopping like a madman for a probiotic supplement, you should know what side effects these healthy and friendly micro organisms can cause when taken in large amounts and very strong concentration. Yes, everything in excess can’t be very good. Knowing the probiotics’ side effects can help you increase your awareness of what you should look for in a probiotic food supplement and what to do once you start feeling or looking strange.

Many of the side effects caused by too much probiotic intake can be linked to digestive problems. Gas and bloating are two of the most common side effects of probiotics – that’s especially true if you are eating probiotic foods and taking a lot of probiotic supplements as well. In addition to that, there have been some reports on probiotics and how it caused severe fungal infections. Furthermore, those who suffered from this condition were discovered to have their immune system severely impaired. With that in mind, you should consult a doctor before consuming a probiotic-heavy diet…PERIOD! You sure don’t want to cause more harm than good to your health, do you?

Another side effect you should take note of – probiotics can cause drastic changes in the person’s metabolic activities. Here’s an example – probiotics can heighten and stimulate the immune system. With that in mind, there is a great chance that people with underlying health issues can catch infections caused by probiotics – and they may need to be treated with antibiotics or any suitable drug or medicine.

Here’s a note you should keep in mind – there are many people from the four corners of the globe who have been using live micro organisms (bacteria, probiotics, etc.) for a long time now…BUT they don’t have any major issues with it. BUT, you should know that studies – those that are very thorough and conform to scientific protocols, are few. There is a very good chance that using probiotics uninhibitedly can cause future complications. And you sure don’t want to be hit by these not-so-pleasant complications! Only time will tell how probiotics will affect different and specific groups of people who have different needs and demands.

So what should you do? If you are someone who’s into natural healing and medicine, you should always be updated with the latest developments concerning probiotics.

Never ever self-diagnose and engage in a probiotic-based diet to solve all of your health and digestive problems. If you are suffering from serious digestive issues, you should always consult your doctor before making any massive and dramatic changes in your diet. You may need other treatment plans than just changing your diet. Self diagnosing and fixing the problem on your own can pose large health risks and major complications.

However, there’s one thing for sure – probiotics will have its uses especially when it comes to optimizing one’s health as shown by many studies and researches worldwide.