Wednesday, March 13, 2024

What Probiotic Should I Take When On Antibiotics

What Probiotics For Antibiotic Side Effects

Should I take probiotics with antibiotics?

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

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.

Probiotics Vs Antibiotics Youre Asking The Wrong Question

The question of whether someone should be taking a probiotic or an antibiotic is commonly asked. The answer, in short, is that it isn’t a question of either/or! but instead, whether a probiotic should be taken in addition to, or alongside, an antibiotic. The answer to this question is, in most cases, yes!

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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.

How To Use Adult Probiotic

Should I Take A Probiotic?

Follow all directions on the product package. Refer to the label directions for your specific product to see if the dose should be swallowed whole, chewed, sprinkled onto food or mixed with liquid. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Some probiotic products may contain live bacteria . Antibiotics may prevent these products from working well. Take any product containing live bacteria at least 2 to 3 hours before or after taking antibiotics. Follow the directions for your specific product.

If you are taking this product for diarrhea due to antibiotics, do not use it if you have a high fever or for more than 2 days, unless directed by your doctor. You may have a serious problem that requires medical treatment.

If your condition persists or worsens, or if you think you may have a serious medical problem, seek immediate medical attention.

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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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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.

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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.

How Soon After Antibiotics Can You Take Probiotics

Taking Probiotics with Antibiotics or Anti-microbial Herbs

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.

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Probiotics Work With Antifungals To Control Yeast

Researchers have found that combining probiotics and antifungals is a powerful way to restore beneficial bacteria and reduce harmful fungi in the gut.

In a study published in Digestive and Liver Disease, antifungals were shown to control the overgrowth of yeast and fungi by breaking down biofilms. At the same time, probiotics helped to restore and maintain the balance of gut flora in those with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohns.

Interestingly, the researchers also found that members of the same family who have IBD also tend to have both yeast overgrowth and bacterial imbalances in their gut microbiome. These organisms appeared to join forces to make robust biofilms that made intestinal inflammation even worse.

Another benefit of taking probiotics alongside antifungals is that they will help support your normal digestive processes. When on the Candida Diet, you may suffer some ill effects of yeast die-off, which can include bloating, gas, indigestion and other issues. This is due to the Candida yeast releasing unpleasant toxins as it is broken down by the antifungals.

A quality probiotic supplement can prevent these digestive symptoms, reducing bloating and diarrhea. These beneficial bacteria help to break down the food as it moves through your intestines, allowing your body to absorb nutrients more efficiently, while also easing discomfort.

Frequently Asked Questions About Taking Probiotics With Antibiotics

If you choose to take probiotics with antibiotics you may be asking some of these questions.

Q: If I take probiotics with antibiotics, which one should I use?

A: Studies have shown that different probiotics have different benefits. It depends to a great extent on your health status, age, genetic factors, the antibiotic you are being treated on and the duration of the therapy.

For Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea :

  • Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG

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Probiotics And Antibiotics: An Overview

  • Antibiotics deplete the populations of friendly bacteria in the gut and may cause digestive issues so its important to select probiotics to take with antibiotics, dont wait until the course has finished.
  • If taking Lactobacillus acidophilus Rosell-52, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Rosell-11 and Bifidobacterium lactis Lafti B94 then take them with breakfast. These strains can be taken at the SAME time as your antibiotic if this is also at breakfast-time.
  • If taking a different probiotic supplement, wait at least 2 hours after your antibiotics before taking probiotics.
  • It is important to always follow the advice from your doctor, and always take and finish a course of antibiotics as prescribed. Taking probiotics alongside antibiotics may reduce digestive issues and enable you to finish a course, reducing the chances of antibiotic resistance.
  • If you have already finished a course of antibiotics before being recommended a friendly bacteria supplement, better late than never by all means take a probiotic now! For next time, you know you can take them during as well as after.
  • It simply isn’t a question of antibiotics OR probiotics – it’s a question of antibiotics AND probiotics.

You may also wish to read our FAQ, At what time should I take probiotics?

Challenges To Implementation: Lack Of Guidance On Dosing And Duration

Should you take probiotics?

Since probiotics are considered food supplements, health insurance will not cover the cost . No single probiotic strain has high-quality evidence however, most of the RCTs included in the meta-analysis used combinations of Lactobacillus species, which are usually found in over-the-counter antidiarrheal probiotic supplements. No standard dose exists, but dose ranges in RCTs are 107 to 1010 colony-forming units per capsule however, product labels have variable accuracy. The duration of treatment ranges from one to 3 weeksor as long as the patient continues to take antibiotics.

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Are Probiotics Really Good For Kids

Benefits of Probiotics for Kids Improves Digestion and IBS Probiotics are more beneficial for kids suffering from recurrent constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, and abdominal pain. Treat Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea. Children are often prescribed antibiotic courses to treat flu and infections. Improves Immune Health. More items

Take Probiotics To Reduce Antibiotic

Diarrhea is a common side effect of antibiotics. However, preliminary research suggests that taking probiotics may help prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea .

For example, one review of 17 studies found that taking a probiotic may reduce the risk of developing AAD by 51%.

Moreover, some antibiotics can leave you more vulnerable to certain infections, like Clostridium difficile . This is a bacterial infection that can cause diarrhea, an inflamed colon, and, in severe cases death.

However, preliminary research found that taking probiotics may help prevent diarrhea from C. diff infections, though the correlation was weak. For example, based on a review of 31 studies, researchers report that one case of diarrhea for every 42 C. diff-infected patients may be prevented from taking probiotics.

As for what type of probiotic to take, one option is a yeast called Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745, sold under the brand name Florastar. This probiotic supplement is used to help prevent and treat diarrhea.

Those who are immunocompromised may not benefit from probiotics and should discuss other options with a doctor.

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Should I Take Probiotics And Antibiotics The Same Day

Bedford recommends that you start taking probiotics the same day as an antibiotic treatment. While youre on antibiotics, take those first before the probiotics. Dont take them at the exact same time because the antibiotics could destroy the bacteria from the probiotic and cancel out any beneficial effects, Bedford says.

Do Opposites Attract Or Cancel Each Other Out We Asked The Experts For The Bottom Line

Can I Take Probiotics With Antibiotics?

by Health Writer

In short: Yes, you can take a probiotic while youre taking an antibioticits perfectly safe to do so. In fact, experts generally agree that probiotics may help ward off the gut reaction that comes from taking antibiotics , but the data is limited. On the other hand, to reap the maximum gut flora-restoring benefits that probiotics offer, it may be better to wait until the tail-end of your course of antibiotics before starting to take them, says Eric Goldberg, M.D., an internist and medical director of NYU Langone Internal Medicine Associates in New York City.

To understand how probiotics and antibiotics work together, lets first talk about the gut microbiome. The microbiome is where trillions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses live. We all have a balance of good and bad bacteria in our gut microbiome. When levels of the harmful bacteria get too high, you get sickin the form of stomach bugs, fungal infections, and a hit to your immune system, making you more vulnerable to future infection.

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The Life Inside All Of Us

Microbes & me is a new collaborative series between BBC Future and BBC Good Food.

In the series, well be looking at recent research into the microbiome of bacteria that lives in all of us.

Well be exploring how it affects our health, what could be having detrimental effects on it, and recommending recipes that might help it thrive.

Probiotics have been touted as a treatment for a huge range of conditions, from obesity to mental health problems. One of their popular uses is to replenish the gut microbiome after a course of antibiotics. The logic is antibiotics wipe out your gut bacteria along with the harmful bacteria that might be causing your infection, so a probiotic can help to restore order to your intestines.

But while it might sound like sense, there is scant solid evidence suggesting probiotics actually work if taken this way. Researchers have found that taking probiotics after antibiotics in fact delays gut health recovery.

Part of the problem when trying to figure out whether or not probiotics work is because different people can mean a variety of things with the term probiotic. To a scientist, it might be seen as a living culture of microorganisms that typically live in the healthy human gut. But the powdery substance blister packs on supermarket shelves can bear little resemblance to that definition.

Even when researchers use viable, living bacterial strains in their research, the cocktail varies from one lab to another making it tricky to compare.

Side Effects Of Antibiotics

Unfortunately, antibiotics are associated with a few side effects. These include:

  • Digestive problems

The most common side effects of antibiotics are digestive problems. These include:

  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Abdominal pain or cramping
  • Diarrhea

Luckily, many of the digestive problems that are caused by antibiotics can be helped by probiotic supplementation. Well go over that in just a minute, but hold tight there are a few other common side effects of antibiotics that well cover first.

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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.

Probioticsantibiotics: The Bottom Line

Should I Take Probiotics While on Antibiotics?

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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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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