What do you all know about probiotics?

[Warpy]

7. I know the science is in its infancy and you should be leery of supplements

although most of them are just acidophilus and won't hurt you any more than a carton of yogurt does, although with less enjoyment and more cash outlay. The problem with more exotic bugs is that we don't know yet which bugs do what and for whom. What might make person A supremely healthy might make person B ill. We just don't know yet.

The only time I would take acidophilus supplements is during and after heavy antibiotic use, chemotherapy using antibiotics, and radiation of and around the bowel, the latter two when foods are not being tolerated well but pills stay down. If you hate cultured milk products, then acidophilus supplements might be a good bet. They're cheaper than the same thing labeled "probiotics."