The term 'probiotics' comes from the Greek words 'for life' and refers to living bacteria. Bacteria in the gut is often referred to as either good or bad bacteria, and probiotics are what have become known as the good bacteria. It is thought that by ingesting probiotics you will be able to replace the lost 'good bacteria'. Extensive research has shown that probiotics help keep our systems regular. Maintaining a healthy gut flora may also be useful in cases of candida, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. As research continues into the uses of probiotics, it is thought that there could be even more benefits to them than currently known.