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How to take probiotics with antibiotics

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

Probiotics come to save our intestines since it has been shown that they can have a good effect when the normal flora is altered. It is common to take them during a course of antibiotics, but let me tell you that their positive impact will depend on the way they are taken, the type of probiotic that is ingested, and whether they are brought together or separately with the antibiotics and how your health is.

Below, you will find in this FastlyHealarticle everything you need to know about taking probiotics with antibiotics.

What are probiotics

To understand what a probiotic is, first, you must know what the intestinal flora is. Through the large number of meters that it measures, your intestine is an entire ecosystem. In it, numerous different species of bacterial microorganisms coexist that have various functions such as:

  • Help degrade food.
  • Transform nutrients.
  • Promote the absorption of nutrients.
  • Synthesize vitamins.
  • Maintain immunity.

Probiotics are substances composed of bacteria or fungi that favor the maintenance of the proper ecosystem of your intestinal flora. In this way, they help all the functions performed by your flora to be adequately fulfilled.

They can be incorporated into the diet since there are probiotic foods. Still, they can also be used as supplements or administered in cases where the intestinal flora is in danger. The latter happens when you take a course with antibiotics.

How to take probiotics with antibiotics correctly.

As I have told you, antibiotics can cause the bacteria in your intestine to be altered, and their functions no longer occur properly. These drugs have the property of destroying bacteria that are supposedly harmful to your health, but along the way, they also take part of your intestinal flora with them.

In this case, symptoms as annoying as:

  • Diarrhea.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Abdominal swelling
  • Gases.
  • Indigestion.

That is why lately, more and more people hear about the benefits of supplementing a probiotic with antibiotic treatment.

Are all probiotics the same?

Not really. There are different types of probiotics depending on their origin and the microorganisms that form them. Hence they do not act in the same way in your gastrointestinal tract. That is why not all are administered the same way, even more so in conjunction with antibiotics.

  • Natural ferments: there are many kinds of wild ferments. The best-known examples are sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, and yogurt. Some are useful in cases of bacterial dysbiosis, and some are not.
  • Commercial probiotics: the pharmaceutical industry produces preparations. Some are formed by bacteria such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus, others by spores of Bacillus clausii, and options are composed of yeasts such as Saccharomyces boulardii C.

What is the best way to take probiotics with antibiotics?

This depends on the probiotic you want to consume. Generally, consuming them separated by at least two hours is convenient. This is like this for:

  • Facilitate the digestion of the antibiotic.
  • If the probiotic is bacterial, it is not inhibited by the antibiotic.

For the probiotic you choose to have the best effect, I recommend that you:

  • You consume them in small quantities.
  • Add them to lunch, as digestion is better at noon.
  • The foods that accompany the probiotic are light and easy to digest.

Can we all take probiotics?

Probiotics are usually indicated when a dysbiosis is detected, that is, an alteration of the own flora. Sometimes its use is suggested when antibiotic treatment is shown, but you should know that diet is the best way to maintain healthy and normal intestinal flora. In the following article, you can see which foods help improve intestinal flora.

Your eating habits, sleeping habits, the way you handle stress, how you manage your emotions, and how your mind works are the pillars that maintain your health or, on the contrary, deteriorate it. If you maintain good habits, your digestion will be good and, consequently, your intestinal flora, normal.

On the other hand, if you consume an excessive amount of unhealthy foods (processed, preserved meats, flours, sugar, alcohol, etc.), it is more likely that your digestion is not appropriate and, consequently, the flora is altered. In this case, the effect of the probiotics will probably not be what you expect. Your flora can be partially reestablished, but if, in addition to the antibiotic, you continue to eat unhealthy foods or do not rest well, it will not take long for its effect to last.

And there is an important detail, if your defenses are meager, you should not take probiotics. It is best to consult your doctor or family doctor to ensure that it is a suitable supplement for you.

When are probiotics taken, before or after the antibiotic?

As I have mentioned, antibiotics precisely attack bacteria. So, if the probiotic you have chosen is made from bacteria, the antibiotic may also destroy those beneficial microorganisms.

This is even more marked when the antibiotic dose is high. It is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial (that is, it attacks many different bacteria), or the treatment lasts long.

As a general recommendation, it is convenient to eat the probiotic together with the main meal at noon and separate the antibiotic for at least two hours. Longer, the better.

This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to take probiotics with antibiotics, we recommend that you enter our category of Medication and medical tests.

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