Knowledge and Practices Regarding Probiotic Use Among Latin American Healthcare Professionals: A Multicenter Study

The gut microbiota plays a vital role in human health, and probiotics and prebiotics are commonly used to modulate its composition; however, clinical practices related to their use vary widely. This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge and clinical practices regarding probiotic use among physicians from various Latin American countries. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey targeting licensed physicians with active clinical experience. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, probiotic-related knowledge, and clinical practices were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation tests. A total of 850 physicians participated, 62% of whom were women. Most respondents correctly identified probiotics (693; 81.53%), synbiotics (658; 77.41%), and prebiotics (539; 63.41%), while the term postbiotics had the highest rate of incorrect responses (375; 44.12%). The primary reported purpose for probiotic use was microbiota modulation (829; 97.53%), and the most reported side effects were abdominal distension (287; 30.70%) and sepsis (124; 13.26%). Yogurt was the most frequently recognized food source (776; 45.81%), and the most recommended strains were Saccharomyces boulardii (704; 82.8%) and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (688; 81.0%). These findings reveal a strong interest in probiotics among Latin American physicians. Although general knowledge is adequate, conceptual gaps remain—particularly regarding less familiar terms—highlighting the need for targeted educational strategies.