Probiotics can reduce the adverse effects of antibiotics, such as increased risk of allergies or obesity and diarrhea, when used properly. More and more studies show this. Find out in this article how to best use probiotics with antibiotics.

The effectiveness of a probiotic product is determined by the combination of bacteria and how well the bacteria survive in the gastrointestinal tract. Always choose a probiotic that has been proven to reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD). In the National Guide of Clinically Proven Probiotics in Antibiotic Use of the TNO you will find an overview of probiotics available in the Netherlands whose effectiveness has been scientifically proven in AAD.

Protiobica: do not wait until after the treatment

Administering antibiotics and probiotics at the same time is more effective than starting probiotics at the end of the antibiotic treatment when it comes to preventing or reducing AAD. American researchers found that the sooner probiotics are started after starting the antibiotic, the greater the chance that clostridium difficile infections (CDI) will be prevented. In addition, it is recommended to continue taking probiotics up to 1 to 2 weeks after the treatment.

Probiotics not at the same time as antibiotics

It is therefore advisable to take probiotics during the course of antibiotics, but pay attention: it is not recommended to take probiotics and antibiotics at the same time. The purpose of antibiotics is to kill pathogenic bacteria and cure disease, but unfortunately, broad spectrum antibiotics do not distinguish between good and bad bacteria. Probiotics consist of good, often the body’s own bacteria, so when taken together with an antibiotic the probiotic bacteria will also be killed. To prevent this from happening, it is best to use probiotics 2 to 3 hours before or after taking the antibiotics.

Source: Nature.com