ABSTRACT
For more than a century it has been known that certain microorganisms may impart health benefi ts to the host when administered in adequate amounts. These microorganisms, termed probiotics, have recently become an important topic in basic and clinical investigations. Probiotics are commonly used by patients with gastrointestinal (GI) complaints or diseases and are also being recommended by the clinicians in the daily practice of gastroenterology (Williams et al. 2010). The goal of this chapter is to provide an overview of the rationale and data for the role of probiotics for treating commonly encountered GI disorders.
