December 09, 2025

Probiotics: Beyond Digestive Health

In this column, the authors explore emerging research on how probiotics influence health beyond digestion—examining their potential roles in mental health, cardiovascular function, metabolism, immune response, cancer therapy, and skin health—while emphasizing the need for standardized studies to translate these findings into practical applications.

Carson Strosahl, Joanne Slavin

Food Technology Magazine

Probiotic Functions

Learn how probiotics may influence the gut–brain axis, cardiovascular markers, metabolic hormones, immunity, and skin health beyond digestion.
Clinical Evidence

Discover what current human studies indicate and where evidence is still limited on strain specificity, dosing, delivery formats, efficacy, and safety.
Research Priorities

Gain sight into probiotics research and evaluation needs and the implications for designing future trials and practical guidelines.

Once regarded mainly as a key to digestive balance, the gut microbiome is now recognized as a powerful influencer of overall human health. Mounting evidence suggests that its reach extends well beyond the digestive tract—affecting everything from mood and metabolism to heart, immune, and skin health. This growing understanding has prompted scientists and product developers alike to explore how probiotics—live microorganisms such as beneficial bacteria and yeasts—can be used to shape the gut microbiome for better health outcomes.

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Authors

Carson Strosahl Research Assistant

Carson Strosahl is a research assistant at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (stros047@umn.edu).
Joanne Slavin Professor

Joanne Slavin, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and served as a member of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (jslavin@umn.edu).