Eli5: If we are to assume that probiotics survive and thrive in our bodies, why is it necessary to take them indefinitely? Shouldn’t we be able to establish a self-sustaining colony?

Question

Eli5: If we are to assume that probiotics survive and thrive in our bodies, why is it necessary to take them indefinitely? Shouldn’t we be able to establish a self-sustaining colony?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Your gut flora is in parts determined by your diet. This means that over time, it will adjust to where most of your gut flora is made up of those strains that make the best use of what they are given to work with.

This means that occasional intake of outside sources of bacteria can make your gut flora more varied, or reintroduce bacteria that might be beneficial.