Antibiotics are useful for treating bacterial infections because they kill bacteria in your body. Some of the bacteria in your body are good for you, however, especially those that live in your intestines. Probiotics are substances that can help boost the concentrations of these beneficial bacteria and can help reduce some of the side effects of antibiotics.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are substances that contain microorganisms, which include bacteria and yeast. As the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine explains, probiotics are any sort of microorganism which can provide health benefits when consumed in sufficient quantities. Most probiotics contain strains of Lactobacillus or Bifidobacteria, as these bacterial strains are similar to the bacteria which are naturally found in the digestive tract. Probiotics can be found in tempeh, miso and some yogurts or they can be taken as freeze-dried granules or powders.
Antibiotics and Diarrhea
The bacteria that live in your intestines are important for breaking down undigested food particles. They also help prevent bacterial infections by taking up space and resources that would otherwise be used by harmful infectious bacteria. Antibiotics kill both harmful and helpful bacteria, so a course of antibiotics can kill off some good bacteria in your intestines. This disrupts your intestinal environment and can cause diarrhea. It also makes you more susceptible to developing infections in your digestive tract once the antibiotics are finished.
Probiotics and Antibiotics
If you are taking antibiotics, probiotic supplements can help replenish the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. According to "Science Daily," an analysis of several different studies examining the effects of probiotics on patients taking antibiotics demonstrated that probiotics can help prevent diarrhea in people taking antibiotics. Because antibiotics can also kill the probiotic bacteria, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends waiting two to three hours after your last dose of antibiotics to take probiotic supplements.
Dosing and Safety
Probiotic supplements do not generally cause any health problems for people. Some develop gas, bloating and diarrhea, but these side effects are usually mild. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends consuming one to two billion live probiotic microorganisms each day to treat or prevent diarrhea, though higher doses are recommended by some people. You should always talk with your doctor before taking probiotic supplements, as the supplements may pose risks for people with certain health problems, such as a weakened immune system or artificial heart valves.
