The Best Way To Combine Probiotics With Antibiotics
If youre taking antibiotics, I highly recommend taking them with probiotics. In fact, researchers suggest that taking probiotics as early as possible with antibiotics is best for decreasing antibiotic side effects such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea [15
Here are some tips on how to get the most from your probiotic supplement when taking antibiotics.
Why Bacterial Balance Matters
The gut helps your body carry out essential functions. And thats putting it lightly! Its key when it comes to nutrient absorption and energy production after all, most of our nutrients come directly from our diet!
Your gut can even affect your mood and brain health. Add to that, the fact that 70% of your immune system lives in the GI tract, and you know its an important part of immune health, as well.
To put it simply, your gut is the gateway to almost every part of your body, so keeping it healthy is a HUGE priority. And one of the best ways to support a healthy gut is by promoting bacteria balance.
Which Probiotics Should You Take With Antibiotics
Your pharmacy probably has shelves filled with different bottles of probiotics. How do you choose the right probiotics to take with your antibiotics? Dr. Bryan Tran, cofounder of DrFormulas, recommends looking for probiotics that have the three Ds:
Dose: The amount of active micro-organisms in a probiotic is measured in colony-forming units, or CFUs. You want a dose with 10 billion CFUs or higher, Dr. Tran says. This dose may appear on the product label as 1 x 1010. And while you may see probiotics with 100 billion or more CFUs, according to Dr. Hoberman, you generally stop reaping added benefits after about 20 billion.
Diversity: The label on a bottle of probiotics will also tell you which bacteria strains the capsules contain. Look for probiotics that have five to 10 unique strains. Studies that compare single-strain probiotics to multi-strain probiotics have found that a variety of strains is more effective at reducing diarrhea, Dr. Tran says.
Delayed-release mechanism: Finally, look for probiotics that use delayed-release capsules. When you take probiotics orally, you expose them to your stomach acid and that reduces the effective dosage that makes it to the gut, Dr. Tran says. Probiotics with delayed-release mechanisms wont release the microorganisms until they go past the stomach.
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Can I Take Probiotics After Finishing My Antibiotics
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How Does Taking Them To Affect Me
Some people experience none at all, while others will notice the effects very quickly.
You should watch for side effects if you decide to take them. If you feel anything strange or uncomfortable, stop taking them immediately. This could be a sign that something else is wrong.
The first and most obvious effect is that you will feel a lot better. This will help you prevent any illnesses and you will feel great.
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How Soon After Antibiotics Can You Take Probiotics
Once a day, about 4 hours after taking an antibiotic, I took a Synbiotic 365 pill.
You can take S. boulardii at the same time as your antibiotics because S. Boulardii is a probiotic yeastand probiotic yeast are unharmed by antibiotics .
Each course of antibiotics I will take Synbiotic 365 as well as a S. Boulardii.
I used to think that pure Saccharomyces boulardii was the best way to go. But, looking deeper into it, I think the research better supports taking a broad spectrum probiotic like Synbiotic 365 which also has Saccharomyces boulardii. Ill keep an eye on the research and maybe well get a definitive answer on the best probiotic combination to take with antibiotics.
What Can I Do After Antibiotics To Help Build Gut Health Again
Im not going to reinvent that wheel here, but I would like to say that because antibiotics harm the guts flora, not the gut lining necessarily , taking probiotics and eating fermented foods are the most important steps to repair any damage from the medicine. Just beware the dangers of soil based probiotics. They are not the same thing!
The antibiotics are going to wipe out both good and bad bacteria in your gut, so you need to replenish it with the good guys, lest the bad guys take hold.
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Best Probiotics For Constipation
When choosing a probiotic for constipation its important that it contains clinically researched strains that help alleviate the condition.
When I say help, I mean they should at least
- Increase the frequency of bowel movements
- Shorten the transit times
Without doubt the two most effective probiotic species are Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.
However, its the strain that makes the difference and not all strains are created equal.
Certain strains are better at dealing with the symptoms of chronic constipation than others..
And the best probiotic supplements for constipation should contain at least one of these strains.
Below is a list of clinically researched bacterial strains that are shown to have a beneficial effect on constipation.
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What If Things Arent Going Well
Chances are, youve already experienced having gut problems at least a few times in your life . Youll recognize symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, loose stools, constipation, heartburn, nausea, or vomiting. Weve all occasionally caught a stomach bug . The rate at which these problems come and go, and how serious each episode is could potentially be a warning from your body. A warning that your gut health isnt what it used to be, and that you need to take some steps in order to get it back on track.
More serious symptoms include loss of weight without a good reason, blood in the stool, black stool , severe vomiting, fever, severe stomachaches, trouble swallowing food, or pain in the throat and stomach when food is swallowed. These symptoms should be a big red flag. Its time to call the doctor!
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When Is The Best Time To Take Probiotics After Amoxicillin
To some extent, this depends on the dosage recommendations for the antibiotic itself. Often it will be recommended that you take an antibiotic three times a day, at six-hour intervals . In this case, the wisest move will be to take probiotics after amoxicillin at a three-hour interval This ensures that there is time for the probiotic to work unhindered – as far away as possible from each dose of the antibiotic.
Allowing a window when taking probiotics with antibiotics is beneficial not just because it gives maximum functionality to the former, but because the latter will also be able to work on the bacteria it really needs to be killing, without its task being further complicated. If the gap between doses is shorter than six hours, then it is important to also narrow the window for doses of the probiotic. The optimum time to take lactobacillus is half-way between antibiotic doses.
How Long Does It Take To Repopulate The Gut With Good Bacteria
Theres no simple answer to this question because it depends on the state of your microbiome, the quality of your diet, any medication you take, your level of exercise and more. However, the gut microbiome is very adaptable and responds to positive lifestyle choices.
So if you eat a diet with lots of fiber-rich whole foods and add some probiotic foods or supplements, you can speed up your gut biome restoration. Plus, getting regular exercise, especially cardio, is associated with higher diversity in your gut.
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Their Influence On Vaginal Microflora
Just like the gut, a healthy vagina has a microbiome that is filled with good bacteria and needs to be balanced for health.
Good bacteria like Lactobacilli in the vagina prevent pathogenic bacteria and yeasts from causing infections. These infections include bacterial vaginosis, Candida yeast infections, urinary tract infections, and even some sexually transmissible diseases .
The microbiome of the vagina is also responsible for maintaining the correct pH, a part of your immune system which also prevents a proliferation of bad bacteria.
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Should You Take A Psyllium Fiber Supplement
The decision whether you should take a psyllium fiber supplement is highly individual and truly is one you must make for yourself, and I would caution you do that in all instances having to do with your personal health. Never just take someones word for it, no matter how authoritative they may appear to be.
That said, let me tell you what I do and why.
I do take a daily psyllium supplement and have for years. My original reasoning was for the many known and documented health benefits it confers, from heart health to weight control to cholesterol reduction to, yes, regularity.
To be honest, the notion that it provides additional benefits for my microbiome is basically frosting on the cake.
If you are specifically looking to benefit your microbiome, I do believe psyllium plays a role, but not the only one, and certainly not the primary one. It is becoming increasingly apparent that a wide variety of fibers, including both broadly and narrowly defined prebiotics, are your best bet.
The beneficial microorganisms that inhabit your gut can be particular about what they consume, so the greater variety of food you provide them, the greater variety of health-promoting microorganisms you will have.
And the healthier your gut is, the healthier you are.
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What Probiotics For Antibiotic Side Effects
Typically, it will take the body time to balance the microbiome to healthy, diverse bacteria levels. In fact, research shows that it takes about 6 months to recover from the damage done by antibiotics. And even then, the body might not even be back to its pre-antibiotic state.
Saccharomyces boulardii, a probiotic yeast is particularly good at preventing and alleviating antibiotic-associated diarrhea and travellers diarrhea. Its also a friend to your gut bacteria that supports good bacteria and prevents inflammation.
Lactobacillus acidophilus, a probiotic bacterium best known for being in yoghurt is also great for your gut. Studies show that its good at treating and preventing infections, and reducing the digestive side effects of antibiotics.
Other bacteria that help recover from antibiotic use include:
- L. casei
Why Progurt Probiotics Is The Best Probiotic To Take After Antibiotics
We have only begun to scratch the surface concerning the systemic impact of the gut microbiome on whole-body health. Still, we already know the microbiome is instrumental in immune function, neurological function, athletic performance, and prevention of chronic illness/inflammation.
The problem with antibiotics is that they cause significant changes to the makeup of your gut flora. While killing off the nasty bugs , they can kill off many of the good bugs as well. This is where a probiotic can help mitigate some of the long-term damage that these medications have.
But why Progurt?
Progurt uses bacterial strains that are well established in the research, but they also add in Lactic Acid Bacteria and Bifidobacteria. Their sachets contain a trillion colony-forming units , , helping the gut replace strains that have gone missing and supporting nutrients like calcium, proteins, potassium, zinc, and magnesium get absorbed more efficiently and effectively.
Basically, its kind of like this Imagine a beautiful forest wiped out by a forest fire . After the fire, do you want to re-plant the first by just a few trees each day or re-plant the entire area by basically showering the entire devastated area with countless numbers of seeds that have been researched and proven to be the ones that are most likely to thrive and re-populate the area quickly, restoring the area to its natural beauty?
Thats massive-beautiful, all-at-once re-seeding is what Progurt does for your gut.
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What Studies Do Not Recommend Giving Probiotics With Antibiotics
Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and other institutions reported that the gut microbiome took longer to return to normal in those people given an 11-strain probiotic treatment for four weeks following a course of antibiotics. This was despite the probiotics effectively colonizing the gut with healthy bacteria. The trouble was the presence of the new bacteria and yeasts strains prevented the gut microbiome from returning to normal for the full six month study period.
Conversely, the gut microbiome in those given no probiotics returned to normal within three weeks of going off the antibiotics. The authors did conclude that this study just examined one type of probiotic, and a different probiotic may be helpful in patients taking different antibiotics. However, they did point out the findings of the study imply that the traditional practice of taking a probiotic after antibiotic may not be beneficial.
Whats The Best Probiotic To Take With Antibiotics
Based on my research, there is no single best strain, or best combination of strains. But the strains that have some benefit are:
- saccharomyces strains
- lactobacillus strains
- bacillus strains
I really like Synbiotic 365 because it has all 4 of those strains that are researched to help fight antibiotic associated diarrhea. It has a strong prebiotic, which helps support the regrowth of probiotics after anbiotics. Lastly, it has a full spectrum of B vitamins, including B-12 and methylfolate.
I take Synbiotic 365 about 4 hours after taking the antibiotics, so hopefully more of the lactobacillus and bifidobacterium strains are more likely to survive. But taking it at the same time as the antibiotic would also work well.
Because Im a little obsessed, I also took a pure Saccharomyces boulardii probiotic with each dose of antibiotics as well. A product like Florastor could also be taken in that situation.
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When Should I Take Probiotics When Taking Antibiotics
Generally, with a few exceptions aside, it is best to take our probiotic supplements in the morning with breakfast. If you are taking a probiotic containing the strains Lactobacillus acidophilus Rosell-52, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Rosell-11 and Bifidobacterium lactis Lafti B94, you would still be able to follow this recommendation alongside antibiotics and take both with your brekkie.
However, if you are taking different strains, it is best to give a 2 hour gap between antibiotics and taking the probiotic supplement. So, if you have been instructed by your doctor to take your antibiotics with breakfast, you would take the medication first in this instance and leave a 2 hour gap before taking the other probiotics. Its a good idea to take our supplements with food, so in this case, with your lunch or a mid-morning snack.
Probioticsantibiotics: The Bottom Line
Antibiotics are important against bacterial infections, but they can cause side effects, including long-term negative changes in the composition of your gut microbiome because they do not distinguish between health-promoting microbes and the ones causing illness.
Taking a probiotic supplement or eating probiotic foods may help mitigate immediate side effects, like diarrhoea, and they can help to get your gut microbiome back on track afterwards too.
Incorporating foods that are rich in fibre, as well as fermented foods containing live bacterial cultures, can enrich your microbiome with health-promoting bacteria that help restore this ecosystem to its former glory.
Its also good to know which foods and beverages to avoid when taking a course of antibiotics. Stay away from alcohol, grapefruit, and calcium-fortified foods to avoid any unnecessary harm from this medication.
You can check in on your gut microbes three months after taking antibiotics with the Atlas Microbiome Test. You’ll also receive personalised food recommendations to restore microbiome balance with your diet.
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Do Antibiotics Kill Probiotics
Unfortunately, only a few probiotic strains have been shown to survive when taken directly alongside antibiotics. As all antibiotic medication will have some kind of negative impact on the gut microbiome, its really important to choose the right strains of probiotics when taking this type of medication. You want strains that have not only been researched to survive when directly taken alongside antibiotics, but to also demonstrate that they exert benefits.
The extensive research behind the three previously mentioned Lactobacillus strains sets them apart from many probiotic supplements on the market today and makes them a suitable choice for anyone who wishes to take natural bacteria during their course of antibiotics. Furthermore, Lactobacillus acidophilus Rosell-52, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Rosell-11 and Bifidobacterium lactis Lafti B94 have been tested and shown in-vitro to survive stomach acidity and bile salts.
What Is The Best Prebiotic To Take With Antibiotics
Most probiotic strains are considered safe for most people, but if youre allergic, avoid strains with high histamine-producing tendencies, such as Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Lactobacillus Casei, and Lactobacillus Reuters.
Choose a probiotic that improves digestion and reduces histamine levels while preventing inflammation, such as Bifidobacterium Lactis, Bifidobacterium Longum, Lactobacillus Plantarum, and Bifidobacterium Infantis.
Another great alternative is to use a yeast strain probiotic such as S. Boulardii. Since its not a bacteria, antibiotics wont even come near.
Studies are now showing that S.boulardii can prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea if taken with antibiotics.
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