While antidepressants are routinely prescribed for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a new Mayo Clinic study has found the herbal antidepressant St. John’s wort isn’t effective in treating the disorder. Scientists conducted a placebo-controlled trial of 70 IBS patients for their results.

Eating yogurt with blueberries may help protect against intestinal diseases like ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer, according to the findings of a new study.

A new review has suggested that certain good bacteria, known as probiotics, are the most effective treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

A new study has found a possible treatment for colitis. Researchers say mice that were given the probiotic Bacillus polyfermenticus during the non-inflammatory stage of the disease showed reduced rectal bleeding, less inflamed tissue and gained more weight than the mice that did not receive it.

Probiotics are sometimes prescribed by doctors to improve the body’s response to antibiotics by increasing levels of gut bacteria used by the body, but new research suggests they may play a complementary role in another treatment. Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine included probiotics as part of a regimen for patients who had recently undergone gastric bypass surgery.

There’s a new reason for mothers-to-be to include probiotic foods or supplements containing the good bacteria in their diet. Researchers say pregnant women who take probiotics at the end of their pregnancies can reduce their children’s risk of developing eczema.

They’re already known to aid in digestion and are believed to be helpful in treating and preventing a host of common illnesses, from urinary tract infections to eczema. Now researchers say probiotics may aid in weight loss.

Incorporating probiotics, the "good bacteria" that can improve digestive health, can now be done while drinking iced tea.

Consumers who have not signed up for the Mayo Clinic’s monthly newsletter may have missed out on an introduction to the benefits of probiotics, "good bacteria" that can benefit digestive health.

People who enjoy frozen desserts more than taking pills may still be able to get the benefits of probiotics to improve their digestive health with a new product.