Canadian researchers may have uncovered a new function for probiotics that could be a potential treatment for painful conditions.

Dr Robert Hancock led the research team at the University of British Columbia in a study that initially looked at a probiotic cure for bad breath, Ubyssey.ca reports.

“How come we are absolutely full of bacteria, but somehow we manage to recognize bad bugs, kill them and prevent them from infecting us?” Hancock told the news provider.

The two-year study focused on a certain probiotic called BLIS K-12, which is used in lozenges to treat bad breath, according to the article. The findings, according to Hancock, challenged “the conventional belief about how probiotics provide immunity.”

BLIS was found to produce “aggressive peptides,” which assisted the body in suppressing inflation and allowed the probiotics to fight bad bacteria without causing harm to the body, states Ubyssey.ca.

“It provides a scientific basis for the use of probiotics for treating painful conditions,” Hancock said. However, he was quick to add that more research was needed.

Aside from this potentially new benefit, many people have used probiotics to assist in digestive health. In December, probiotics were predicted to be one of the major health trends of 2009.