In this episode of Thyroid Strong, Dr. Emily Kiberd tackles one of the most common questions she hears: “Should I be taking a probiotic?” While probiotics are trendy and heavily marketed, they are not a universal fix and in some cases, like SIBO, they can make symptoms worse.

Dr. Emily unpacks the latest research, when probiotics may help, and when they can backfire, especially for women with Hashimoto’s struggling with bloating, gas, histamine reactions, or constipation. She also shares why stool testing with the GI Map is a game changer for tailoring the right probiotic strains (if any) instead of guessing at the supplement aisle.

If you’ve been reaching for probiotics but still feel brain foggy, bloated, or stuck, this episode will help you understand why and what to do next.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why probiotics are not a cure-all and can sometimes worsen symptoms
• How probiotics may flare SIBO and histamine reactions
• Why many probiotic strains don’t survive stomach acid or bile
• The risks of long-term, high-dose probiotic use
• Which probiotic strains may help in specific cases like antibiotic-associated diarrhea
• The connection between probiotics, SIBO, and IBS
• How the GI Map stool test moves you from guessing to clarity
• Why personalized gut healing is key for Hashimoto’s

Highlights:

00:00 Why probiotics aren’t a universal fix

01:26 Probiotics and SIBO: A Cautionary Tale

02:22 Timelines and Limitations of Probiotics

03:28 The GI Map: Personalized Gut Health

04:19 Why root cause coaching goes beyond one-size-fits-all probiotics

Links & Resources

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