Taking antibiotics can be a complicated health issue. On one hand, antibiotics are very powerful and can heal and save lives. On the other hand, many people suffer with fairly substantial digestive problems because of antibiotics.
Even in the rare case that someone does not notice any gastric distress from taking antibiotics, they are almost certainly dealing with the loss of healthy bacteria that is essential for gut health.
The good news is that multiple studies have shown that probiotics may be able to lower your chances of getting diarrhea, which so often comes with taking antibiotics.
However, you will want to be careful when you take probiotics after antibiotics. Choosing the right healthy bacteria, and taking the probiotics at the right time, are paramount to having success with them.
Looking for the best probiotic to take after antibiotics? Read on to learn more!
Why We Take Antibiotics
Antibiotics are a powerful form of medicine that can fight bacteria. While there are downsides to antibiotics, they are considered one of the most important medical inventions of the early 20th century.
Antibiotics, like penicillin, have saved countless lives, and continue to heal thousands today. However, it is critical to understand the appropriate use of antibiotics, which is to fight bacteria only. Many people misunderstand what antibiotics are for.
Mis-use of Antibiotics
There is a very dangerous idea that antibiotics are a “cure-all.'' Many doctors report their patients pressuring them to prescribe antibiotics for anything from a common cold and the flu, to ringworm and yeast infections.
As healthcare providers will assure you, these ailments cannot be cured by antibiotics, and prescribing them will only lead to harm. The misuse of antibiotics is heavily contributing to what’s called antibiotic resistance.
The Dangers of Antibiotics
Beyond the misuse of, and resistance to, antibiotics - there are direct dangers you should know about before you or your children take these medications.
Primarily, antibiotics kill good gut bacteria, leading to a host of issues including diarrhea, which can be severe.
Why does this happen? Because antibiotics are great at killing bad bacteria, but they are completely unable to distinguish the good from the bad.
So, as your medication is protecting your body from the harmful bacteria that has invaded it, at the same time it is destroying the good bacteria.
Research has shown that even six months after taking antibiotics, the good bacteria is not always fully recolonized. Considering that good bacteria can affect a wide range of health factors, including your immune system, digestive system, cholesterol, and weight, this is an extensive amount of time to go without the fully balanced good bacteria you want in your gut.
How Probiotics Can Help after Antibiotics
Probiotics are so useful during and after a course of antibiotics because they replenish the good bacteria which the antibiotics are destroying.
While continually building up your supply of good bacteria is a strong component to any healthy routine, this is even more important when these healthy bacteria are under threat from antibiotics.
Antibiotics are strong, but you can be proactive in giving your gut the best chance of staying strong and healthy during the course of your medication.
Can I Take Probiotics at the Same Time as Antibiotics?
You can absolutely take probiotics on the same day as you take antibiotics, but you should not take them at the same exact time of day.
Taking probiotics and antibiotics very close together (within two hours of each other) can result in the antibiotics killing the good bacteria in the probiotics, which defeats the purpose of taking these healthy bacteria.
Some people wait until their course of antibiotics is done, and then begin probiotics when they realize that they are having symptoms like diarrhea. While taking probiotics after your antibiotics are done can certainly help build back up good bacteria, it is even better to get ahead of the problem.
When you or your child takes probiotics during the course of antibiotics, you can get a headstart on maintaining and replenishing those essential healthy gut bacteria.
What are the Best Probiotics to Take After Antibiotics?
We recommend Healthy Trinity as the best probiotic to take after antibiotics. Healthy Trinity is a three-in-one probiotic supplement. Each capsule has at least 30 billion colony forming units (cfu) of three potent super strains of good bacteria.
In addition to being our most popular probiotic, Healthy Trinity is safe and effective for children over 8, as well as adults.
While there are many probiotics available, Natren’s Healthy Trinity is unique in its use of the Trenev Process®. This proprietary process ensures a level of survivability and stability of the healthy, live bacteria that you cannot find in lower quality probiotics.
With the Trenev Process® we are able to use an oil-matrix system to encapsulate each of the three super strains of good bacteria to keep them virtually 100% protected from your stomach's gastric juices. This means the healthy bacteria can get to your intestines, where the majority of the gut microbiome is.
Healthy Trinity is a great choice for people trying to optimize and maintain their health, and it is an especially good choice for those who are taking antibiotics.
Instead of worrying that the side effects of antibiotics, like diarrhea, are inevitable, you can take action to reduce or prevent them. You can learn about our full line of probiotics aimed at optimizing digestive health here.
When Should I Take Probiotics After Antibiotics?
When you’re taking antibiotics, you can take probiotics either before or after them. For best results, we recommend taking the probiotics two hours after you take the antibiotic. The important factor is to leave at least two hours between taking probiotics and antibiotics. This allows each to take the action that is right for optimizing your health, without them interfering with each other.
Taking probiotics throughout the course of your antibiotics is key. Be sure to always take the full course of antibiotics that your doctor has prescribed. Natren probiotics should be doubled for two weeks after you finish your antibiotic course, to ensure the healthy gut flora is replenished.
You may be tempted to consider a lower priced probiotic, however, keep in mind that quality is worth paying for. A cheap probiotic on the shelf of a health food store does not guarantee any level of purity or quality.
Instead, Natren probiotics come with a 100% potency guarantee, so you know that you and your family are getting the quality you deserve. Learn more about our family of probiotics here and remember that the best probiotic to take after antibiotics - as well as throughout your course of antibiotics - are those backed by Natren: a company with the highest standards of excellence.
