Do Probiotics Actually Work?
Medically reviewed by our MD Laboratory Director (a role required by CLIA; the director's name is on file in the CMS CLIA database, #45D2048957, and can be verified independently) · Editorial policy
AGA does not recommend probiotics for most GI conditions. The marketing is far ahead of the evidence.CLIA #45D2048957 · CAP #8722734 · Same-day results · Walk-ins welcome
For most gastrointestinal conditions, professional guidance does not support them. AGA's guideline concluded that evidence is insufficient to recommend probiotics for most GI indications, with a small number of narrow exceptions. That is not a fringe opinion — it is the specialty society, reading the same trials the supplement labels cite.
Not sure what you need? Text us and we will set it up.
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
3707 Westcenter Dr Suite 100, Houston, TX 77042 · Walk-ins welcome
Where the line sits
| Intervention | Evidence position |
|---|---|
| Probiotics for most GI conditions | Not recommended by AGA on current evidence |
| Probiotics, selected narrow indications | Limited, specific — a physician's call |
| Fecal microbiota transplantation / microbiota-based therapy | Defined role, chiefly in recurrent C. difficile |
| FMT for IBS, obesity, autism, etc. | Not established. Do not do this outside a trial |
"It cannot hurt" is not true in immunocompromised patients, and DIY FMT is genuinely dangerous — including documented transmission of drug-resistant organisms.
We name drugs, never doses. Treatment statements follow ACG, AGA, IDSA and CDC guidance; dose and duration are a physician's decision.
Same day, start to finish. Sample by 1:00 PM → results at 4:30 PM → if treatment is clinically appropriate, a licensed physician in our partner network sees you between 4:30 and 6:00 PM, a few minutes away. That window is reserved for patients tested here, and your slot is held the moment we take your sample — the slot is held, not hunted. On your own, a same-day appointment is nearly impossible; at an urgent care, you wait in the queue. STAT: ~2 hours, sample in by 3:00 PM.
FAQ
- Should I stop taking my probiotic?
- If it helps you and does no harm, that is a conversation with ythe partner-network physician. Just do not expect it to treat a disease.
- What about after antibiotics?
- Evidence is mixed and society guidance is cautious. Ask a physician rather than a shelf.
- Is FMT available for recurrent C. diff?
- It has a defined role there and is delivered under medical supervision — see C. diff testing.
- Do you sell any of this?
- No. We run tests and we tell you what the evidence says.
Not sure what you need? Text us and we will set it up.
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808
3707 Westcenter Dr Suite 100, Houston, TX 77042 · Walk-ins welcome