Podcasts pack the facts on probiotics and digestive health

CLEVELAND Ganeden Biotech last week announced the launching of a series of four “Gut Reactions” podcasts focused on particular digestive health issues and probiotics, hosted by Dr. Michael Roizen, best-selling author and founder of RealAge, as part of an ongoing commitment to help educate consumers about probiotics and digestive health.

The need for consumer education around probiotics is highlighted by a recent national survey, in which 85 percent of Americans reported knowning little to nothing about probiotics, a rapidly-growing product category.

“Many people may not understand that probiotics are more than something you find just in yogurt,” Roizen said. “Taking probiotics is a habit that can really benefit the digestive system, which is intricately connected to our overall health; yet most Americans are still unfamiliar with them and the good they can do.”

Two-thirds of respondents had never heard the term “probiotics,” even though Americans spent more than $1 billion on products containing probiotics over the past 12 months.

Earlier this year the World Gastroenterology Organization included taking probiotics as one of 10 key recommendations to improving digestive health—further boosting the need to educate consumers about this often misunderstood area of health. Nearly half of all Americans report that uncomfortable digestive problems affect their day-to-day lives, according to a recent survey by the Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition.