Your intestines contain a mixture of bacteria, yeast and other microorganisms. In addition to bad bacteria that cause infections and disease, there are good bacteria that keep your body healthy. One species of good bacteria is Lactobacillus acidophilus. Some people take L. acidophilus supplements to maintain levels of beneficial bacteria when taking antibiotics. Before starting a new supplement, discuss it with your doctor to make sure it is appropriate for you.
L. acidophilus
The human mouth, vagina and intestines naturally contain L. acidophilus bacteria. These bacteria create an environment that is hostile to disease-causing bacteria. L. acidophilus helps break down food in the gastrointestinal tract, creating hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid as byproducts. These substances are toxic to bad bacteria that cause infections.
Antibiotics
Doctors prescribe a variety of antibiotic medications to treat illness. Some antibiotics prevent bacteria from reproducing, while others kill the bacteria directly. Antibiotic medications are only effective against bacterial infections and do not affect viruses. Although antibiotics are used to fight disease, they do not discriminate between bad bacteria and beneficial bacteria. Thus, antibiotics kill L. acidophilus and other beneficial bacteria found in the gut.
Dosing
Some people worry that killing beneficial bacteria with antibiotics leaves the body susceptible to yeast infections. Thus, L. acidophilus supplements may be prescribed to restore beneficial bacteria to the body. L. acidophilus can be taken while you are on a course of antibiotics. However, the Mayo Clinic website recommends that you wait to take an L. acidophilus supplement for at least two hours after taking an antibiotic. This prevents the antibiotics from immediately killing the beneficial bacteria. Adults may take between 1 and 10 billion live L. acidophilus organisms per day.
Considerations
L. acidophilus is present in several dietary sources, including miso, tempeh, milk enriched with L. acidophilus, and yogurt containing live, active cultures of the bacteria. L. acidophilus supplements come in tablet, capsule and liquid preparations. Before taking L. acidophilus with your medication, consult your doctor to ensure it is safe.
