Meet your Best of the Best Pharmacy Award winners! Search for a topic or drug. Why you should take probiotics with antibiotics. By Joni Sweet Updated on Jan.
Top Reads in Drug Info. Can you mix Trintellix and alcohol? Does hydroxyzine for anxiety work? Do coffee and Zoloft mix? Treating heartburn during pregnancy Oct. Ideally, any alternative probiotic strains taken should also have research demonstrating their efficacy during antibiotic therapy. If you are taking a probiotic from a different supplier, it is best to ask that supplier directly about the length of time to leave between taking their product and taking your antibiotics. As a general rule, many companies tend to recommend waiting 1 or 2 hours after taking antibiotics before taking their probiotics.
After this length of time, sufficient levels of the beneficial bacteria are able to reach the gut alive. It is generally recommended to take probiotics every day during your course of antibiotics; this way you can replenish your friendly bacteria on a daily basis, before your digestive system is upset by a longstanding microbial imbalance. Children aged 1 year and over can also take Lactobacillus acidophilus Rosell and Lactobacillus rhamnosus Rosell, which have been trialled in this young age group.
These strains are often used alongside antibiotics for vaginal infections, but are best taken 2 hours away from the medication. 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. 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.
The emergence of antibiotic resistance is a concerning public health issue. The World Health Organisation WHO published a report 1 , analysing data from countries, and calling resistance to antibiotics a 'major global threat'. They state that simple, common infections thought to pose little threat today, could become killers again in the future, due in large part to antibiotic resistance.
In light of this, steps must be taken to slow the progress of antibiotic resistance, and to change the way we use and prescribe antibiotics. Studies to verify the composition of probiotic formulations have found that discrepancies are common between the stated and actual number of viable organisms in any given product.
Prebiotics occur naturally in foods, however, supplements provide a more concentrated source. Prebiotics are oligosaccharides, chains of sugar units linked together, and include inulin and fructooligosaccharides FOS.
FOS are the most commonly used. Pediatric Newborns and infants 0 to 1 year : Always check with your pediatrician before giving dietary supplements to an infant or child. Topical forms are available that may be used for diaper rash. If your infant is taking antibiotics, ask your doctor if a probiotic supplement might be appropriate as well.
Recommended doses of L. Check the specific dosage recommendations on the product label. The following are guidelines for the most common uses. If diarrhea or bloating occurs, reduce the dosage, or stop taking the product, and talk with your doctor. Because of the potential for side effects and interactions with medications, you should take dietary supplements only under the supervision of a knowledgeable health care provider.
Lactobacillus acidophilus is generally considered safe for most people. Gas, upset stomach, and diarrhea are potential side effects in some people not on antibiotic therapy who take more than 1 to 2 billion L.
There has been one report of anaphylaxis a serious allergic reaction accompanied by shortness of breath and loss of consciousness in a person taking inulin, a type of prebiotic. People with weakened immune systems such as those receiving chemotherapy or drugs that suppress their immune systems should ask their doctors before taking probiotics. People with artificial heart valves should not take L.
If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use Lactobacillus or other probiotics without talking to your health care provider first. Sulfasalazine: A laboratory study suggests that L. Antibiotics: Antibiotics may kill acidophilus bacteria. Take antibiotics at least 2 hours before or after you take this remedy. Alvarez-Olmos MI. Probiotic agents and infectious diseases: a modern perspective on a traditional therapy. Clin Infect Dis. Cholesterol-lowering effect of probiotic yogurt in comparison with ordinary yogurt in mildly to moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects.
Ann Nutr Metab. Long-term treatment with probiotics in primary care patients with irritable bowel syndrom--a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. Scan J Gastroenterol. Curr Microbiol.
Randomized controlled trial of live lactobacillus acidophilu plus bifidobacterium bifidum in prophylaxis of diarrhea during radiotherapy in cervical cancer patients. Radiat Oncol. Probiotics and immune response. Am J Gastroenterol. Effects of probiotic bacteria on diarrhea, lipid metabolism, and carcinogenesis: a review of papers published between and Am J Clin Nutr. Probiotics and prebiotics: effects on diarrhea. J Nutr. Effect of probiotic yogurt containing Lactobacillus acidophillus and Bifidobacterium lactis on lipid profile in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
J Dairy Sci. Probiotics and prebiotics in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. World J Gastroenterol. Probiotics and the management of inflammatory bowel disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis. Friedrich MJ. Follow their instructions to determine how much acidophilus you should take and how often. To get the best effect from your acidophilus, take it 1 or 2 hours before or after your antibiotic dosage.
You should also make sure that your supplements have been stored properly and are not expired. As an alternative to taking supplements, consider eating foods that contain acidophilus, such as yogurt. Keep reading for more information from our Medical co-author, including how to understand how acidophilus works with antibiotics.
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Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Co-authored by Chris M. Method 1. Consult your physician about what type and how much acidophilus to take. Your doctor will able to best indicate a daily dosage and the form of acidophilus to take. Dosages can range, however for antibiotics-associated diarrhea, 10 — 20 billion CFU per day has been shown to help.
Some antibiotics, like cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and clindamycin, are more likely to cause antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
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