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Lactobacillus acidophilus
Overview
Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) is a type of probiotic ("good" bacteria) found in the human gut, mouth, and vagina, and also in certain foods.
"Good" bacteria such as L. acidophilus can help break down food, absorb nutrients, and fight off "bad" organisms that might cause diseases. L. acidophilus is sometimes added to fermented foods like yogurt and is also found in probiotic supplements.
People commonly use L. acidophilus for diarrhea from antibiotics, as well as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina, and an infection caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). It is also used for acne, hay fever, eczema, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support many of these other uses. There is also no good evidence to support using L. acidophilus COVID-19.
Don't confuse L. acidophilus with other probiotics, or with fermented food products such as fermented milk, kefir, or yogurt. These are not the same. Also note that the Lactobacillus genus was split up into 25 different genera in April 2020. Some other species' names changed, but L. acidophilus remained the same.
"Good" bacteria such as L. acidophilus can help break down food, absorb nutrients, and fight off "bad" organisms that might cause diseases. L. acidophilus is sometimes added to fermented foods like yogurt and is also found in probiotic supplements.
People commonly use L. acidophilus for diarrhea from antibiotics, as well as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina, and an infection caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). It is also used for acne, hay fever, eczema, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support many of these other uses. There is also no good evidence to support using L. acidophilus COVID-19.
Don't confuse L. acidophilus with other probiotics, or with fermented food products such as fermented milk, kefir, or yogurt. These are not the same. Also note that the Lactobacillus genus was split up into 25 different genera in April 2020. Some other species' names changed, but L. acidophilus remained the same.
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