Adding certain kinds of yogurt to your diet may help ease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to research. Yogurt cultures containing the bacteria lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, such as found in the yogurt Activia show the most promise. These beneficial, or “good,” bacteria (probiotics) are normally found in your large intestine.
Some research has shown that probiotics can decrease gas, pain and bloating associated with IBS. Certain probiotics can also decrease the time it takes for food to travel through the intestine, which may be helpful in people with constipation. In people with IBS who have diarrhea, probiotics may decrease the frequency of loose stools.