Some researchers, as well as people with inflammatory bowel disease, think probiotics help ease symptoms. But only certain probiotics will treat ulcerative colitis. In European studies, the probiotic E. coli Nissle helped prevent UC flares, but it isn't available in the U.S. Other studies are testing different probiotics to help control UC. If you and your doctor decide to try probiotics, you'll need to keep taking enough of the right kind for it to work.