Should I Take My Probiotics With Other Medications
Even if you toss back vitamins or other medication in the morning , you should still take your probiotics at nighttime. With more time in your gut, the good bacteria can get to work healing your digestive issues. And that’s exactly what you want if you’re investing in a supplement.
The bottom line: The best time to take a probiotic is generally at nighttime before bed. But speak with your doctor before taking any sort of supplement to make sure it makes sense for you and your body/condition.
Taking Probiotics With Antibiotics
Many people experience nausea, diarrhoea, tummy upsets, bloating, and even vomiting when taking antibiotics. Some doctors recommend taking a probiotic supplement at the same time to help with these digestive side effects.
Even after taking antibiotics, you can boost your own beneficial bacteria with probiotic foods and supplements. They contain microbes that maintain your gut environment and help regulate your microbiome, keeping opportunistic pathogens at bay and beneficial ones thriving.
Can You Take Too Much Probiotics How Much Is Too Much
While it is critical to observe accurate dosage for most medicines, Probiotics seem to deviate from the norm.
Most research indicates that there exists no consensus on the dosing that should be observed.
However, it is also noteworthy, as indicated by Pasha Gurevich that if you ingest too much good bacteria, it can lead to minor side effects such as upset stomach and diarrhoea.
This would only happen if you were not in an antibiotic medication. However, if your immunity capacity is greatly reduced, there is a risk of getting other side effects, which may be severe.
For instance, probiotic sepsis, which is and overwhelming immune response to bacterial infection. Thought not agreed on its fatality when it happens, it caused by probiotic overdose.
On the same note, other researchers indicate that there is difficulty in overdosing on good bacteria. This is motivated by the fact that already the body has high numbers of good bacteria in the body.
Estimated to be around 100 trillion bacteria. However, just the mild symptoms such as bloating and flatulence, though they indicate that the probiotics are functioning, if persistent, they act as a danger sign and medical help should be sought in that case.
Read Also: Best Oral Probiotics For Acne
What Are The Different Types Of Probiotics
Probiotic supplements, foods, and beverages contain bacteria and/or yeasts. Up until the 1960s, the only gut microflora that they were able to identify were clostridia, lactobacilli, enterococci, and E. coli. Since then, innovative techniques have discovered many more bacteria.
There are several different kinds of probiotics, and their health benefits are determined by the job that they do in the gut. They must be identified by their genus, species, and probiotic strain level. Here is a list of probiotics and their possible health benefits.
1. Lactobacillus
There are more than 50 species of lactobacilli. They are naturally found in the digestive, urinary, and genital systems. Foods that are fermented, like yogurt, and dietary supplements also contain these bacteria. Lactobacillus has been used for treating and preventing a wide variety of diseases and conditions.
Some of the lactobacilli found in foods and supplements are Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. acidophilus DDS-1, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus plantarium, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus johnsonii, and Lactobacillus gasseri.
When Should I Take A Probiotic
Because supplements like probiotics aren’t regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, each probiotic supplement may come with different directions on dosing and timing. The most important advice is to choose a time you’ll actually stick to, especially if you have trouble remembering to take pills in the first place. “Consistency is the key with taking probiotics if one wants to reap the potential benefits,” Dr. Asike says.
While the time of day is ultimately up to you, this expert suggests that probiotics may be most effective if you plan to take them about 30 minutes before a mealand most effective if you take your supplement before breakfast. Probiotics will have a greater effect in your small intestine if you take them before you eat: “During a fast or prior to eating, the stomach won’t be as acidic and this will allow the probiotic capsule or tablet to be able to make its way into the intestine,” he explains.
Adding a probiotic into your routine first thing in the A.M., then, will likely keep your stomach from sabotaging your efforts. “Breakfast is usually eaten around the same time daily, and tends to be smaller and more easily digested,” Dr. Asike says.
Also Check: Why Are Probiotics Good For Us
Study Summary: Probiotics Significantly Reduce Aad
Hempel et al reviewed 82 studies and pooled data from 63 RCTs to identify the relative risk of AAD among patients who received probiotics during antibiotic treatment compared with those who received no probiotics or were given a placebo. The studies encompassed a variety of antibiotics, taken alone or in combination, and several probiotics, including Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces, and some combinations.
The outcome: The pooled RR for AAD in the probiotics groups was 0.58 , with a number needed to treat of 13. Although the authors reported that the overall quality of the included trials was poor, a sensitivity analysis of the higher quality studies yielded similar results.
Subgroup analyses by type of probiotic and duration of antibiotic treatment were also consistent with the overall pooled RR. In subgroup analysis by age, a similar decrease in AAD was found among the youngest patients and those between the ages of 17 and 65 years. Among patients older than 65 yearsfor whom there were just 3 studiesa non-significant decrease in risk was found. Twenty-three of the studies assessed adverse outcomes, and none was found.
Choose A Quality Probiotic Formula
Quality assurance practices do matter. Probiotic manufacturing is not highly regulated and some label claims do not stand up to scrutiny. Consider the results of these investigations into probiotic quality:
- One study assessed 26 commercial probiotics and found that none fully supported label claims. Some probiotic supplements contained unacceptable microorganisms .
- The same study found two common problems in probiotic supplements: low concentration of viable cells and the presence of undesired organisms .
- Another study found only half of the probiotics examined had the specific strain listed on the label .
- 43% of the probiotics in another study contained less than half the amount of probiotics listed on their labels .
If a company follows quality assurance practices, a probiotic supplement will meet its label claims and not contain potentially harmful organisms.
Also Check: Gnc Probiotic Complex With Fiber
Best Probiotic To Take After Antibiotics
Taking antibiotics can be a complicated health issue. On one hand, antibiotics are very powerful and can heal and save lives. On the other hand, many people suffer with fairly substantial digestive problems because of antibiotics.
Even in the rare case that someone does not notice any gastric distress from taking antibiotics, they are almost certainly dealing with the loss of healthy bacteria that is essential for gut health.
The good news is that multiple studies have shown that probiotics may be able to lower your chances of getting diarrhea, which so often comes with taking antibiotics.
However, you will want to be careful when you take probiotics after antibiotics. Choosing the right healthy bacteria, and taking the probiotics at the right time, are paramount to having success with them.
Looking for the best probiotic to take after antibiotics? Read on to learn more!
How To Eat Yogurt With Antibiotics
To get the benefits of probiotics, choose probiotic yogurt that contains a high concentration of friendly bacteria than ordinary yogurt. Continue to eat the probiotic-rich yogurt for a week or two after completing the course of antibiotics. In case you get persistent diarrhea, bloating, fever, or abdominal pain, consult a doctor.
Beware of the Following Combination
Being a milk derivative, yogurt contains calcium which can combine with tetracycline antibiotics within the stomach. If this happens, the quantity of tetracycline available for absorption decreases, which may reduce the potency of the tetracyclines. To prevent such interaction when you are on tetracycline, eat your yogurt 2 hours prior to or 4 hours after taking a dose of tetracycline.
Tetracyclines include Declomycin , Minocin , and Achromycin .
Not a Cure for All
While study results on combining yogurt and antibiotics are impressive, the combination is not necessarily recommended during every antibiotic prescription. Experts advise the following types of patients to try probiotics:
- Those who have suffered from diarrhea associated with an antibiotic, especially those who have had C. difficile infection
- Those who need to take antibiotics for more than 5-10 days
- Those who switch from one type of antibiotic to another within a short time
Don’t Miss: Renew Life Probiotics 30 Billion
Is There A Case Against Taking Probiotics With Antibiotics
Ive seen some internet articles that warn people against taking probiotics to help with recovery from antibiotic therapy. Where is this advice coming from?
One study questions the value of taking probiotics and antibiotics together . In this study of 21 patients, eight patients received probiotic therapy, seven patients received no treatment, and six patients received a fecal transplant. Researchers found that probiotics were less effective for antibiotic recovery than no treatment at all. The fecal transplant brought near-complete recovery in a matter of days.
However, when you are looking for health insights from research, its important to follow the overall trends rather than focus narrowly on one study. So, if we compare the evidence for taking probiotics after antibiotic treatment:
A large-scale meta-analysis of 63 research trials showed that subjects had 48% less antibiotic-associated diarrhea after taking probiotics [11
Trusted SourcePubMedGo to source].
Its clear that the one small study doesnt stand up against a much larger meta-analysis of 63 studies. This is the reason a meta-analysis is the gold standard for research.
Bottom line: Be careful about science-based claims you read on the internet. Marketers often cherry-pick studies to support their position.
Amoxicillin And Its Role As An Antibiotic In Killing Good Bacteria
There are few classes of bacteria that amoxicillin doesnt attack. From opportunistic bacteria such as H. Influenzae to the digestive-focused Helicobacter pylori, it searches and destroys the cultures that cause some of the worst symptoms of food poisoning, meningitis and strep throat. When paired with clavulanic acid, it is particularly effective in breaking down stubborn respiratory tract infections. And while all of this makes it highly useful, it also means that some good bacteria will get pulled down in the crossfire.
Therefore, it is worth considering whether amoxicillin and probiotics can be choreographed in such a way that you get the benefits of the former with no side-effects .
Recommended Reading: Best Women’s Probiotic To Prevent Yeast Infections
Best Probiotics For Long
The best probiotics when taking antibiotics long term are ones which have shown to be helpful in reducing side effects when taken at the same time. If you need to take a longer course of antibiotics, you may wish to consider choosing a supplement that contains Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM®. A supplement that contains this particular strain has been demonstrated in a randomised controlled trial to minimise disturbance to the composition of the gut microbiome when taken alongside antibiotics14. This can be useful when antibiotics are being taken for longer than two weeks. However, it is recommended to take this probiotic strain 2 hours away from an antibiotic, rather than at the exact same time. To find out more about the research using this strain, health professionals can visit its entry in the Probiotics Database: Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM®
How To Replenish Good Bacteria After Antibiotics
Restoring gut flora after antibiotics is achievable if you eat the correct foods: plants. That’s because your gut microbes turn fibers and plant nutrients into important metabolites like short-chain fatty acids – acetate, butyrate, and propionate – which have important functions:
- fuelling the cells of your gut lining
- preventing damage to your cells
- anti-cancer properties
- nourishing other beneficial bacteria
- deterring opportunistic microbes
Don’t Miss: Baby Formula With Prebiotics And Probiotics
Do You Need To Quit Or Reduce Probiotic Consumptions
In the cases described above, probiotic use is part of your therapy. So you shouldnt quit before consulting your doctor. Even after you no longer need to take probiotics as part of your treatment, there is a question of, should you stop altogether or drop down your dose?
If you insist on quitting probiotics, your doctor may recommend reducing the dose instead. Discontinuing probiotics wont have a rebound effect. The doctors recommendation is meant to assess how a reduction in dosage will impact your symptoms. If severe symptoms emerge or resume, your doctor may recommend that you revert to your initial probiotics regimen.
Conversely, some Clostridium Difficile patients are asymptomatic. This means they dont display the usual diarrhea symptoms their symptoms dont reflect the state of infection. In this case, you need a thorough clinical evaluation as well as a stool culture before you opt to discontinue probiotic treatment or drop down your dosage.
Other Options To Strengthen The Gut Microbiome
Mayer added that this doesnt rule out that other life microbes occurring in fermented food products like sauerkraut and kimchi, for instance, may be beneficial for patients following a course of antibiotics.
Traditionally, antibiotics are one of the most prescribed medications out there, according to Megan Meyer, PhD, director of science communications at the International Food Information Council Foundation.
Because of this, antibiotic treatment may disrupt the composition and diversity of bacterial found in the gut, which can result in a variety of symptoms, including diarrhea. Probiotics may help improve the balance of bacteria found in the gut, counteracting potential alterations brought on by antibiotic treatment, she wrote in an email to Healthline.
Meyer added that this does have uses taking a probiotic like Bifidobacteria has been shown to reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhea. A 2008 review in the journal Nutrition cites that probiotics can have a beneficial effect on diarrheal conditions and related GI symptoms.
While the new study offers a counterpoint to the traditional emphasis on probiotics, it offers an alternate solution to returning to the gut microbiome to normal following antibiotic treatment.
Mayer, of UCLA, said that the only approved, recommended course of autologous fecal transplantation right now is for people who have C. difficile colitis, inflammation of the colon caused by the bacteria Clostridiumdifficile.
Don’t Miss: 1 Md Complete Probiotics Platinum
Is It Ok To Take Probiotics Every Day
A common question about probiotics is whether it is ok to take probiotic supplements every day. Whilst there may be a few exceptions to this rule, the general answer is yes, it’s safe, and usually recommended, to take them daily.
It’s important to understand that probiotics are a natural supplement and not a medicine. They are best used at breakfast time as part of a daily health regime, rather than as a ‘quick fix’ option. There are also some situations where certain strains can be taken for a short time, such as alongside antibiotics. Fermented foods containing live cultures have been part of traditional diets in many different ethnic groups for centuries. Learn more by reading about our 5 favourite fermented foods. People have been consuming probiotics for generations in foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and kombucha , but it has only been more recently that we have been able to consume specific strains for specific purposes, in easy-to-take capsules, powders, or kids’ gummies.
The Surprising Benefits Of Combined Therapy
If you leave your doctors office with a prescription for antibiotics, you may have very mixed feelings. Of course, you want to clear up an infection, but at what cost to the beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome? In order to reduce damage to the gut, should you be taking probiotics with antibiotics?
In the story of modern medicine, antibiotics play the role of both hero and villain. Few other drugs have saved so many lives. However, antibiotics also play a part in the growing epidemic of gut dysbiosis, antibiotic resistance, and the litany of chronic health conditions that result from poor gut health.
So, if you must take a course of antibiotics, taking probiotics with antibiotics is a great way to combat negative side effects. Plus, they have lots of other health benefits.
Some people suggest that its pointless to take probiotics and antibiotics together since the antibiotics will kill all the good probiotic bacteria. While that may make sense intuitively, recent studies show that probiotics and antibiotics actually work in partnership.
In fact, adding a probiotic to your antibiotic protocol has been shown to significantly improve treatment outcomes for SIBO and H. Pylori. Probiotics can also help to reduce or resolve antibiotic-associated side effects including diarrhea.
Lets take a look at some of that research now.
Also Check: Nature’s Truth Probiotic Enzymes
How To Properly Take Probiotics With Antibiotics
Note: This is a guest post from Jamie Morea
Even the healthiest among us will likely have to take an antibiotic at some point in our lives whether its for strep throat, a tooth infection, or as a pre-surgery prophylactic.
The truth is that antibiotics are life-saving medicines, but they can do a number on our overall health.
From diarrhea and yeast infections to more serious inflammatory and immune conditions, antibiotics arent without their side effects.
The good news is that if you do need antibiotics for a bacterial infection, you can take steps to support your body during the process to minimize negative health consequences, including taking probiotics with antibiotics.
The Lack Of Consistency In The Findings On Probiotics Comes In Part Because They Are Being Treated Like Conventional Drugs
This opens the door to developing personalised probiotic treatments based on someones genetic profile. Such a system is realistic and could be developed relatively soon, says Elinav, but at this stage it remains a proof of concept. To become a reality, it will need more research on probiotic tailoring and testing more bacterial strains in larger groups of people.
This kind of personalisation may release the full potential of probiotic treatments for gut health. At the moment, the lack of consistency in the findings on probiotics comes in part because they are being treated like conventional drugs. When you take a paracetamol tablet, you can be more or less sure that the active component will do its job and work on receptors in your brain, dulling your sensation of pain. This is because most peoples pain receptors are similar enough to react in the same way to the drug.
But the microbiome is not just a receptor it is closer to an ecosystem, and sometimes likened to a rainforest in its complexity.
As a result, finding and tailoring a probiotic treatment that will work on something as intricate and individual as your own internal ecosystem is no easy task. And with that in mind, its not so surprising that a dried-out pack of bacteria from a supermarket shelf may well not do the trick.
Join 900,000+ Future fans by liking us on or .
Also Check: What Is The Best Probiotic At Walmart
