How to Take Acidophilus With Antibiotics

Last Updated: October 15, 2022 References

Your digestive tract has a delicate balance of “good” beneficial bacteria and "bad" harmful bacteria. When you take antibiotics to rid your body of the bad bacteria that is causing infection, you can also lose some of the beneficial bacteria that are in your gut. A decrease in healthy bacteria can lead to the overgrowth of “bad” bacteria, which can produce toxins and cause inflammation and diarrhea. Some doctors recommend taking probiotics like acidophilus to reduce this imbalance. If you're prescribed acidophilus while taking an antibiotic, it's important to use the supplement correctly.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Reducing the Side Effects of Antibiotic Use

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Consult your physician about what type and how much acidophilus to take. Your doctor will able to best indicate a daily dosage and the form of acidophilus to take. Dosages can range, however for antibiotics-associated diarrhea, 10 – 20 billion CFU per day has been shown to help.^{[1]
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- Your doctor may suggest you take smaller or larger dosages depending upon the antibiotic taken, length of time you are taking the antibiotic, and your likeliness to get colitis. Some antibiotics, like cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and clindamycin, are more likely to cause antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
- In addition, there are many different dosage forms available such as capsules, tablets, and powders. Use only the form of acidophilus your doctor recommends. Do not mix different types of acidophilus, such as tablets or powders, because each formula contains different strains of bacteria.
- Use for as long as your doctor recommends. Generally probiotics are used for at least one to three weeks longer than the duration of antibiotic treatment.^{[2]
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Take acidophilus and antibiotics separately. If you take both at the same time, they will not work as effectively. This is because the probiotic is promoting good bacteria, while the antibiotic is depleting your system of good bacteria.
- Take acidophilus at least one to two hours before or one to two hours after you take your antibiotic. Some recommend two to four hours apart.^{[3]
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Take acidophilus appropriately to increase effectiveness. Make sure the supplement has not expired and has been stored correctly. Expired supplements or supplements that should have been refrigerated but were not may lose effectiveness. Make sure you take it routinely. Sometimes manufacturers or prescribers may suggest taking it with food or taking it right before breakfast as a higher gastric pH may be favorable.^{[4]
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Consider eating foods high in acidophilus. The most common of these foods is yogurt. Many commercial brands of yogurt contain probiotics, such as acidophilus. There are even brands that advertise the probiotics that they contain.
- Eating yogurt daily will add acidophilus to your diet, but a lower amount than if you take a supplement.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Learning About Acidophilus and its Use with Antibiotics

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Learn about acidophilus. What is acidophilus? Acidophilus (Lactobacillus acidophilus or L. acidophilus) is a type of “good bacteria” in your body. The good bacteria helps to break down food in your colon and protect against “bad bacteria” by producing lactic acid. Acidophilus is naturally found in your body and may be taken as a probiotic supplement to help with various GI issues and other conditions.^{[5]
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University of Rochester Medical Center
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- In addition to acidophilus, there are many other probiotics available, some in the Lactobacillus species. However, Lactobacillus acidophilus is the most commonly used probiotic.
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Know what acidophilus is used for and how it works with antibiotics. Clinical studies have found that acidophilus suppresses the growth of pathogens (something that can cause disease, such as bad bacteria) in the digestive tract. It can be used to manage gastrointestinal conditions (such as irritable bowel syndrome), aid digestion, reduce vaginal yeast infections, help with other conditions such as lung infections or skin issues, and reduce antibiotic-induced diarrhea.^{[6]
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- In the case of antibiotic-induced diarrhea, when you take antibiotics to rid your body of the bad bacteria that is causing infection, you can lose some of the beneficial bacteria that are in your gut. A decrease in healthy bacteria can lead to the overgrowth of “bad” bacteria that can produce toxins, and cause inflammation and diarrhea.^{[7]
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  Mayo Clinic
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Understand why preventing antibiotic-induced diarrhea important. Most of the time, antibiotic-associated diarrhea is mild and goes away after you stop the antibiotic. However, sometimes it can lead to serious issues like colitis (inflammation of your colon) or a serious type of colitis called pseudomembranous colitis. About one third of the time, long term (usually hospital) antibiotic use can lead to a Clostridium difficile infection, which is a serious infection that is hard to cure and causes frequent diarrhea.
- Recent important studies have shown that probiotics like acidophilus can prevent or reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhea and may also be helpful in preventing C difficile infection.^{[8]
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  Hempel S, Newberry SJ, Maher AR, et al. Probiotics for the prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. 2012;307:1959-1969.}^{[9]
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  Johnston BC, Ma SS, Goldenberg JZ, et al. Probiotics for the prevention of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2012;157:878-888.}
- C. diff occurs most commonly after the use of fluoroquinolones, cephalosporins, clindamycin, and penicillins.

Expert Q&A

Question

What are the side effects of taking acidophilus?

Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
Master's Degree, Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian specializing in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 2010.

Claudia Carberry, RD, MS

Master's Degree, Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville

Expert Answer

There shouldn't be any major side effects if you are taking the correct dose. Make sure you are drinking enough water and eating a balanced diet to prevent diarrhea.
Question

Is it OK to use acidophilus while on Z-pak?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

Yes, it is okay to use acidophilus while on Z-pack unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Always check with your doctor if you are unsure.
Question

How much acidophilus per day do I take with amoxicillin?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

In your case, I would recommend taking 10 – 20 billion CFU per day, as this has been shown to help.

Warnings

Cease all medication and consult a doctor if you have swelling of the face or mouth, as this could be a sign of an allergic reaction.

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Consult your physician if you are pregnant or nursing, have an immunodeficient disease, or have a bowel disease before taking acidophilus or antibiotics.

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