Vanderhoof Jon A, Young Rosemary
Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Clin Infect Dis. 2008 Feb 1;46 Suppl 2:S67-72; discussion S144-51. doi: 10.1086/523339.
Probiotics are live microbial products that have a defined health benefit. Scientific research has established that there are validated indications for the use of some probiotics available in the United States; however, in many cases, they are often used for conditions for which no benefit has been established. This article will review the uses of probiotics in the United States, as well as the current state of regulatory issues surrounding probiotics. Although the use and scientific understanding of probiotics are rapidly increasing, it is evident that there is a need to clarify the regulatory issues, which, at present, are unclear and subject to misinterpretation. In addition to efficacy, safety issues must be considered in determining when and how probiotics are to be used.
益生菌是具有明确健康益处的活微生物制品。科学研究已证实，美国市面上的某些益生菌有经过验证的适用症；然而，在许多情况下，它们常被用于尚未证实有益的病症。本文将综述美国益生菌的使用情况，以及围绕益生菌的监管问题现状。尽管对益生菌的使用和科学认识正在迅速增加，但显然有必要澄清目前尚不清楚且容易被误解的监管问题。除了疗效外，在确定何时以及如何使用益生菌时，还必须考虑安全性问题。
