Dietary supplements are intended to fill nutritional gaps in the diet. For example, a person who does not regularly eat seafood is likely to have an inadequate intake of certain omega-3 fatty acids and may benefit from a fish oil supplement. Similarly, probiotic supplements can fill any gaps for people who do not get enough probiotics from their diet, or who are looking for support for occasional lifestyle stressors. Probiotics are also beneficial for people who are looking for immune support, consume a low fiber diet or are taking an antibiotic.
Food sources of probiotics include fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, miso and kim chi. However, these fermented foods often contain organisms meant for food production but not clinically studied for specific health benefits. Aside from scientific substantiation of probiotics, it is also important to consider the variety of different organisms in the diet.
A person who eats yogurt everyday may not be getting an adequate variety of organisms to suit their needs. A diet that includes fermented foods can also be supplemented with probiotics to improve the quality, quantity and variety of strains they consume.