Is there any harm to probiotics? No right? Even if the literature doesn't show a benefit to the patient, their is still parental placebo effect if nothing else.
Not really any harm. There are occasional reports of GI side effects, but when all studies are put together, the rate is not higher and possibly lower. There is the theoretical possibility of immune stimulation but this hasn't translated into adverse events in vivo in humans. I probably wouldn't take a neutropenic cancer patient with mucositis throughout the gut and feed them a bunch of bacteria, but otherwise I think your placebo effect argument is a strong one! :)
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James C. - September 24, 2019 7:06 AM
Is there any harm to probiotics? No right? Even if the literature doesn't show a benefit to the patient, their is still parental placebo effect if nothing else.
ilene c. - September 24, 2019 1:01 PM
Not really any harm. There are occasional reports of GI side effects, but when all studies are put together, the rate is not higher and possibly lower. There is the theoretical possibility of immune stimulation but this hasn't translated into adverse events in vivo in humans. I probably wouldn't take a neutropenic cancer patient with mucositis throughout the gut and feed them a bunch of bacteria, but otherwise I think your placebo effect argument is a strong one! :)