WMBD/WYZZ TV –PEORIA – Let's face it: There are times when we need a little extra help to "go."  But it seems like companies like Dannon have been promoting digestive health products more and more on TV.

If you haven't seen it in the grocery store... You've probably heard about it from Jamie Lee Curtis.  Activia Yogurt is just one of many products that contain a probiotic.  It's touted as a functional food.   Think of a probiotic as a colony of "good" bacteria -- living microorganisms -- that help provide the same health benefits as your body's existing bacteria. 

But doctors urge you to check the label first.  Some health experts recommend nothing less than 5 to 10 billion colonies in a true probiotic... Something you're unlikely to find inside a carton of yogurt.

Dr. Jill Carnahan says, "the typical probiotic that I prescribe is... 1 capsule is equivalent to about 10 cartons of yogurt."

Even so, some shoppers say they'd prefer a spoonful of yogurt to popping a pill.

According to the mayo clinic, studies have shown probiotics can also help reduce bladder cancer recurrence, prevent eczema in children and shorten the duration of intestinal infections.