Best Probiotic To Take After Taking Antibiotics

What About Probiotic Foods

One way to add probiotic bacteria to the gut is through diet. A number of fermented foods, such as kefir, kimchi, Lacto-fermented sauerkraut, and many types of yogurt, are rich in probiotics.

However, as you can see in this chart, its difficult to eat enough fermented foods to get a therapeutic dose.

If you want to enjoy the benefits of fermented foods, you can eat these as well. However, if you are taking a course of antibiotics, I highly recommend probiotic supplements.

Garden Of Life Primal Defense Ultra

The Garden of Life Primal Defense Ultra is one of the most potent probiotic nutritional supplement out on the market. It has a nice 5 Billion CFU per capsule, and the recommended dose is taking anywhere from 1 to 3 capsules a day.

This probiotic supplement incorporates a wide variety of different probiotic strains that all aim to help you with your digestion and stomach concerns. Some of the strains that this product contains are Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacteria, and other strains which are known to assist with digestive bodily functions.

Another great thing about this product is that it doesnt have to be refrigerated to maintain the live cultures. Also, the added ingredients are pure, gluten-free and vegetarian. The manufacturer even boasts how their product is a soil based probiotic, meaning that is is natural and healthy.

The Garden of Life Primal Defense Ultra is a highly recommended probiotic gives its use many different health benefits, boosts digestive functions, and provides relief to various stomach ailments.

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.

Don’t Miss: Bnp Triple Antibiotic Ophthalmic Ointment

Were Always Here To Help

Still have questions about probiotics? Get in touch! Our teams here to answer all your product questions, discuss your gut health, or sound off on how you can rebalance your biome after antibiotics. Contact us here! Were always happy to help our customers find their healthy place.

Kerna NA. A complementary medicine approach to augmenting antibiotic therapy: current practices in the use of probiotics during antibiotic therapy. Int J Complement Alt Med. 2018 11:6266. DOI: 10.15406/ijcam.2018.11.00368

Probiotics Instead Of Antibiotics

As the field of microbial research continues to expand, we expect the future of medicine will include targeted probiotic prescriptions in lieu of antibiotics, and that antibiotics will be reserved for specific or emergency scenarios.

In fact, probiotics are already proving to be more effective than antibiotics at treating and preventing certain diseases and infections, such as mastitis.

In one study, researchers analyzed 352 women suffering from mastitis, a painful breast infection often associated with breastfeeding. After 21 days, women who took probiotics saw more improvement and fewer recurrences than those taking antibiotics .

Also Check: How To Get Antibiotics For Uti Without Insurance

Antibiotics And Gut Health

There is no doubt that antibiotics have an essential role to play in modern medicine in preventing and curing bacterial infections. Thanks to antibiotics, bacterial infections are no longer the most common cause of death in the modern world1. However, in recent times it has become increasingly recognised that antibiotics negatively affect our gut microbiome2.

The gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem of trillions of microbes that live together in harmony in our gastrointestinal tract. These microbes have far reaching effects on human health, enhancing digestion, immunity, skin health and energy3,4,5. A balance is required between beneficial microbes and more harmful microbes that naturally colonise the gut. This balance can be disturbed by various lifestyle factors including low-fibre diet, travel and infection, among others.

So, what happens to our gut microbiome when we take an antibiotic? Unfortunately, taking antibiotics can be detrimental to our gut health. Whilst effective in killing bad bacteria antibiotics are essentially non-selective and can also deplete the beneficial bacteria residing in the gut. This is thought to contribute to the development of diarrhoea, constipation and/or vaginal thrush when taking an antibiotic. In certain cases, this disruption to our gut microbiome can result in an overgrowth of unwanted, pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridium difficile.

People taking antibiotics may experience6:

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.

Read Also: Get Rid Of Bladder Infection Without Antibiotics

Best Probiotic After Antibiotics

Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!

Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!

HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.

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.

Read Also: How Soon Should Antibiotics Work For Uti

Taking Probiotics With Antibiotics Can Help

Although it may sound counterintuitive to take probiotic supplements while also taking probiotic-killing antibiotics, research shows that its beneficial to your gut health to fortify your system with the protective good guys.

In one recent review, patients taking probiotics during a course of antibiotics saw a whopping 60 percent reduction in the risk of contracting a C. difficile infection .

In another study, adults and children who took the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus during antibiotic treatment had a 10 percent less risk of contracting antibiotic-associated diarrhea .

Even in people who do experience diarrhea when taking broad-spectrum antibiotics, probiotic supplementation reduces the duration of symptoms by an entire day .

Probiotics may also help prevent widespread antibiotic resistance by ensuring that people take their full course of prescribed antibiotics.

Stopping a course of antibiotics early usually because of intolerable side effects increases the chances that some of the bad bacteria may survive and become resistant. By reducing or eliminating side effects, probiotics can make it much easier to stay the course .

Not too shabby for a bunch of microscopic friendly flora!

Whats New: A Reason To Pair Antibiotics And Probiotics

This meta-analysis reached a similar conclusion as the 2006 meta-analysis: Probiotics appear to be effective in preventing and treating AAD in children and adults receiving a wide variety of antibiotics for a number of conditions. The results were also consistent with those of a new meta-analysis that looked specifically at one pathogenand found a reduction of 66% in C difficile-associated diarrhea in patients taking probiotics with their antibiotics.

Recommended Reading: Over The Counter Antibiotics For Eye Infection

Best Probiotics To Take With Antibiotics

There are many probiotic supplements on the market, so how do you know which one to choose?

Well, the right probiotic to choose depends on what youd like it to do. Probiotic effects are strain-specific, meaning that different strains have different effects on the body. If you want to reduce anxiety you could take a strain called Bifidobacterium longum R0175, while this strain may not be as effective if you wanted to prevent c.diff infection.

So as you can see, its important to choose the right probiotic strain for the job!

Do Probiotics Disturb Antibiotic Functioning

There is no suggestion in current research that probiotics interfere with the action of antibiotics in any way. In fact, doctors and GPs are often now recommending probiotic supplements and probiotic foods, such as yoghurts or kefir, to be taken alongside a course of antibiotics.

You May Like: Do Antibiotics Help Dental Abscess

Five Tips For Choosing A Probiotic

Another way is to look for these five tips of what a good probiotic product should have on the label . If the probiotic doesnt meet all five criteria, you should just put it back on the shelf and choose another probiotic.

It Synergizes With Prebiotics

In short, Prebiotics are specialized plant fiber that acts as food for Probiotics. Prebiotics help Probiotics grow and develop in your gastrointestinal tract. The latest research shows using fiber-based prebiotics will help the probiotics populate and flourish in your gut. This will significantly increase the overall effectiveness of the probiotic. Not all probiotics work well with prebiotics as the probiotic may not have been clinically studied or tested enough.

You May Like: How Long To Take Antibiotics For Bv

How Long Does It Take For Probiotics To Work

How long it takes for probiotics to work is dependent on several factors such as what youre taking it for, what type of strain it is, and the dose.

Most reports show that it can take anywhere between 26 weeks to start seeing results from taking probiotics. However, it is likely that even more benefits are seen in taking them longer.

Being patient and taking your probiotic for at least a few months will yield the biggest benefits, as it takes some time for the healthy bacteria to build up in your body.

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.

Recommended Reading: What Probiotics Should I Take While Taking Antibiotics

Why Is Gut Recovery Different

A high quality probiotic, formulated with antibiotic-resistant strains, can replenish good bacteria to promote microbial balance during a course of antibiotics. This is key to maintaining a healthy gut and combating uncomfortable antibiotic side effects.

Gut Recovery is formulated with a potent combination of spore-forming, yeast-based and live probiotics that can survive antibiotics.

Spore forming probiotics

Yeast forming probiotics

• S. boulardii or Saccharomyces Boulardii DBVPG 6763
• In several studies, researchers found that S. boulardii prevented antibiotic-associated diarrhea when they administered it with antibiotics.

Non-Spore Forming Probiotics:

• Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG: This strain is well researched to show the effectiveness battling antibiotic side-effects like nausea and diarrhea.

Take Probiotics During And After Treatment

Taking antibiotics can alter the gut microbiota, which can lead to antibiotic-associated diarrhea, especially in children.

Fortunately, a number of studies have shown that taking probiotics, or live healthy bacteria, can reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea .

One review of 23 studies including nearly 400 children found that taking probiotics at the same time as antibiotics could reduce the risk of diarrhea by more than 50% .

A larger review of 82 studies including over 11,000 people found similar results in adults, as well as children .

These studies showed that Lactobacilli and Saccharomyces probiotics were particularly effective.

However, given that probiotics are usually bacteria themselves, they can also be killed by antibiotics if taken together. Thus, it is important to take antibiotics and probiotics a few hours apart.

Probiotics should also be taken after a course of antibiotics in order to restore some of the healthy bacteria in the intestines that may have been killed.

One study showed that probiotics can restore the microbiota to its original state after a disruptive event, such as taking antibiotics .

If taking probiotics after antibiotics, it may be better to take one that contains a mixture of different species of probiotics, rather than just one.

Recommended Reading: Where Can I Buy Antibiotic Eye Drops Over The Counter

So Who Should Have Them

Prebiotic foods are good for everyone, contain a range of nutrients and help promote a healthy bacterial gut environment.

The benefits of probiotics for a range of health conditions are unclear theyre likely to be small, and depend on what is being taken and the underlying health issues.

But people at high risk of diarrhoea after antibiotics may benefit from consuming probiotic as well as prebiotic foods daily.

There is also emerging evidence that combining specific probiotics and prebiotics can increase the beneficial effects of both. Both the pro- and prebiotics could be added to the one food, termed a synbiotic, or they could be from separate sources but eaten together.

When it comes to antibiotics, the bottom line is only take them when prescribed for bacterial infections. Take them according to instructions from the manufacturer, your pharmacist and your doctor.

Food Sources For Probiotics

Even if there aren’t recommendations on specific products, there are food sources for probiotics:

• Yogurt that contains live bacteria: Not all yogurts have these. Make sure the label says “live culture,” “live bacteria,” or “probiotic.” Buttermilk and acidophilus milk.
• Cheese with live bacteria cultures: Aged cheeses such as cheddar and blue cheese are a good source, but don’t cook them. Heat kills the bacteria cultures.
• Kefir: a yogurt-based drink found in most major food outlets.
• Miso and Tempeh: different forms of fermented soy. Miso is a paste used for seasoning and tempeh is a fermented version of soy often used as a meat substitute.
• Fermented cabbage: Sauerkraut is the German version Kimchi is the Korean style. But heavily processed products packaged in cans or jars probably don’t have live bacteria. Check the label.

Show Sources

Read Also: How To Get Antibiotics From Teladoc

Get Cnn Health’s Weekly Newsletter

every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.

A more practical strategy to aid recovery is to provide the good bacteria in your gut with their preferred source of nutrition: fiber. Fibrous compounds pass undigested through the small intestine and into the colon, where they act as fuel for bacterial fermentation.

So if youre taking antibiotics or have recently finished a course, make sure you eat plenty of vegetables, fruit and whole grains. Your gut bacteria will thank you for it.

Lito Papanicolas is an infectious diseases specialist and PhD candidate at the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute. Geraint Rogers is a professor and director of microbiome research at the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute.

Republished under a Creative Commons license from The Conversation.