Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic. Probiotics arc live microbes that are beneficial to human health. Right now, there is a lot of advertising for probiot­ics on television. It seems like it must be a brand-new concept, but it is not. Scientists have known about probiot­ics for a long time. The first definition was written in 1989 by Robert Fuller. A probiotics is, he said, “A live microbial feed supplement which beneficially affects the host animal by improv­ing its intestinal microbial balance. “According to the World Health Orga­nization, it now includes “live micro­organisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health ben­efit to the host.”

While probiotics have been in use for decades, they are now being taken by more people than ever before. Most probiotics arc bacteria. These organ­isms can be found in yogurt and other milk products that say on the packag­ing that they contain probiotics. They are being sold to promote good gastro­intestinal health.

Saccharomyces boulardii is one of the most effective probiotics in helping prevent or treat disease. It is a yeast, not a bacteria like most of the other probiotics. There is a patented preparation of the yeast, lyophilized into powder that is placed inside a capsule. These capsules have been used for decades in Europe to treat diarrheal diseases.