The wellness world has been abuzz with talk of probiotics and how they can improve gut health for some time now. If you've done any research into the area you'll no doubt have come across one brand in particular: Symprove.

Doctors, dieticians and nutritionists alike say it has some of the strongest research backing it. But is this just a clever marketing campaign, or does it really work? I took on the Symprove 12-week programme to find out.

Probiotics are live organisms, also described as "good bacteria", which are believed to help rebalance your gut bacteria. There are probiotic foods like kombucha, kefir and sauerkraut, and people are increasingly taking them in supplement form.

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But in order for a probiotic to provide a health benefit, it needs to be able to pass through the stomach and small intestine without triggering the digestive system, and reach your lower gut in sufficient amounts, explains Kirsten Jackson, gut specialist and founder of the Food Treatment Clinic.

But why should you care about having a balanced gut in the first place?

Dr Rangan Chatterjee, a general practitioner (GP) and author of The Stress Solution, who is also a Symprove ambassador, says: "We’ve got trillions of gut bugs that live inside us and the composition of these gut bugs and their relationship with each other determines multiple aspects of your health.

"Many of us these days have imbalanced gut bugs because of the way we live our modern lives, that’s why intolerances and allergies are on the rise," he continues, adding that anything from consuming highly processed food and fizzy drinks to not getting enough sleep, taking the pill or a course of antibiotics can interfere with your gut microbiome.

"We also forget about the elephant in room which is stress. Stress is probably the biggest factor in how your gut health is." Imbalances in your gut bacteria can affect all aspects of your health, from your digestive function to your mood, skin and joints, he adds.

Why I wanted to try a probiotic

I personally don't think I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), but since hitting my late 20s I've found myself increasingly irregular, which, when I asked around, was more prevalent among my female friends in particular than I'd realised – it's just something we never really spoke about. For some reason, it still feels slightly embarrassing to talk about going to the loo. But feeling constantly bloated and bunged up can really affect your mood and energy levels.

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Both constipation and diarrhoea can be features of IBS, though simply having one of these symptoms doesn't automatically mean you have the condition, Dr Chatterjee says that an IBS diagnosis is complex and has a strict criteria.

"I'm not a huge fan of the term 'IBS' as it doesn’t really tell me very much, it’s the name we give to a collection of symptoms which is what I want to treat."

Constipation can be caused by a lack of fibre in your diet, not enough water or exercise, a gluten or dairy intolerance, and in some cases an imbalance of your gut microbiome, Chatterjee says.

As a huge fan of bread and cheese, I wasn't overly keen on the idea of an elimination diet, and I already workout regularly and drink plenty of water so I decided to try a probiotic instead.

Why Symprove?

A 2014 independent study from University College London found that Symprove, thanks to its water-based formula, was capable of arriving, surviving and thriving in the part of your gut where bacteria lives. Studies conducted by Symprove since have also suggested it may help to relieve symptoms of IBS-C (constipation predominant) and IBS-D (diarrhoea predominant).

Due to regulatory laws, as it's a food supplement, the company is not allowed to make any health claims, but take a quick scroll through its reviews and you'll see people crediting it for helping with everything from bloating to skin conditions.

Symprove comes in two flavours, I chose mango & passionfruit (the other is original) and I think the fact that I didn't mind the taste definitely helped me stick to the programme.

During the 12-week programme you're supposed to take a 70ml shot on an empty stomach each morning and not eat or drink anything afterwards for a further 10 minutes – then keep your bottles in the fridge once opened.

Within about a week my toilet habits completely changed

On the first few days of taking Symprove I suddenly had lots of bowel movement, almost too much, which I'd read sometimes happens while your body adjusts, but this subsided within a couple of days.

Within about a week my toilet habits had completely changed. I was suddenly as regular as clockwork, which made me feel lighter, less bloated and with more energy.

Another thing that I noticed was that I became far more conscious about what I was putting in my body. Prior to this I had a serious Diet Coke habit. I'd usually have at least one a day, but knowing that I was making a concerted effort to rebalance my gut, cracking a fizzy drink each lunchtime just didn't feel right.

I replaced my can a day with cups and cups of green tea, found myself making healthier lunch choices and having more veggie evening meals.

I noticed that initially, on the days I didn't take my morning shot, I'd go straight back to not having much movement at all. So do you have to take it everyday to feel the benefits? Because, at £79 for a month's supply, it's not exactly cheap.

Dr Chatterjee says that if you want to see real improvement in these kinds of issues long-term, it's about taking measures to address lifestyle factors like your stress levels.

The verdict

I'm on to the final bottle of my 12-week supply and over the last two months I've not been taking Symprove every day, closer to every few days, which I've found has been enough to keep me much more regular than before.

For me personally, taking the probiotic has felt like a relatively quick fix to a long-term problem. It's no exaggeration that it has totally changed my toilet habits, and I feel so much lighter and less bloated in myself.

I get the impression, though, that for me to continue to feel these benefits I'll have to invest in some more soon. I've met people who now take it every morning religiously as a preventive measure – but let's face it, that's an expensive way of looking after your gut.

Addressing things like my stress levels and diet (alongside purchasing a few more bottles of Symprove) are the next steps in my quest to rebalance my gut.

A dietician's approach to probiotics

Registered dietician Laura Tilt, who, along with with nutritional therapist Madeleine Shaw, founded the Happy Gut Guide, a 12-week programme designed to help people with IBS manage their symptoms, says if you're experiencing digestive problems, it's always best to see your GP first.

"Keep a symptom diary for a week or two beforehand, making a note of regularity and other symptoms, like heartburn or bloating," she says.

Seeking professional advice is important as certain probiotics, such as kombucha, can actually aggravate conditions like IBS, she adds.

But if you do decide to try a probiotic, Tilt shared a few expert tips to consider beforehand.

1. Not all probiotics are equal

Not all probiotics are the same, there are lots of different strains out there (Symprove contains four) so my advice would be to look for a probiotic that has studies in humans with a symptom you’ve got.

2. Everyone reacts differently

The other thing to be aware of is that everyone responds differently to a probiotic, it depends on the type of bacteria that already exists in your gut, so just because something's worked for your friend it might not work for you.

3. Give it a month

If you've tried a probiotic for a month and haven’t seen any difference, then you probably won't. So it's probably time to try a different strain.