Do Probiotics Interact With Any Medications?

March 22, 2018

Jelly Bell

Do Probiotics Interact With Any Medications?

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Introduction

Probiotics are increasingly being taken by individuals, especially babies and children groups due to many health benefits of immunity, gastrointestinal system, cardiovascular system and so on. However, people are also worried about do probiotics interact with any medications as well as whether they may change the effects of other medications when they have to take both probiotics and drugs at the same.

To understand the matter well, we think that you should also know what a good choice of probiotics is, let’s find out in BEST PROBIOTICS FOR MEN.

Do probiotics interact with any medications? This question will be answered in the following article.

What is a valuable type of probiotics?

At present, there are many different types of microbiological bacteria; each one has the separate effects. To determine the impact of microbial strains, treatment and clinical examination practically are necessary. Great probiotics need to meet the following criteria:

Firstly, the effectiveness of probiotics depends on the type of bacteria inside them. Bacterial strains that were selected and developed from useful microorganisms in the human body have been studied and tested clinically. Some bacterial groups were recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) to use like yeast strains of the Saccharomycetaceae, Lactobacillus, Bacillus.

A study sponsored by Nation Center for Complementary and Integrative Health revealed that Lactobacillus strains were safe for over 65-year-old healthy inhabitants.

Secondly, the content of bacterial strain must have a minimum of 107 CFU/gr. According to WHO, to get the most efficient effects, the bacterial content must reach from 107 to 1010 CFU/gr. If the microbiological level is out of this range, their ability to survive and grow in the digestive tract will not be high, leading to lower their effects and even be ineffective.

Why do we need to consume probiotics?

Most bacteria in probiotics do have similar characteristics to the beneficial microorganisms in our system. Therefore, they bring a lot of positive impact on our general health. In some cases, probiotics might interact with any types of medications in the specific ways to provide your body the best effectiveness. Let’s see some following noticeable effects of probiotics.

The gastrointestinal system

Acute diarrhea

Several clinical studies had shown that probiotics could reduce the incidence of diarrhea in children. However, they were not effective when used as prophylactics.

The following strains were proved to prevent diarrhea by Rotaviruses such as Saccharomyces Boulardii, Lactobacillus Reuteri, Lactobacillus GG, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, Lactobacillus Casei, Streptococcus Thermophilus, Bifidobacterium Bifidum.

There were no cases so far that had documented the increase of diarrhea condition after supplementing probiotics.

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea

Antibiotics often kill both beneficial and harmful bacteria. As a result, people who take an overdose or do not follow the guidelines are prone to diarrhea. Recent researches revealed that probiotics were able to help prevent this kind of diarrhea [1]. However, you should care whether they interact with any antibiotics, which is one of the common medications causing diarrhea, or not. Keep going to find out.

Antibiotics often kill both beneficial and harmful bacteria
Antibiotics often kill both beneficial and harmful bacteria

Constipation

Because of secondary lifestyle that most people have nowadays, constipation is becoming the most common complaint of them. However, we should not to much be worried due to the benefits of probiotics. Taking PROBIOTICS MAKE YOU POOP and loosen your stool. You might take 3 to 4 doses to get this effectiveness.

For those people who have constipation, they can click BEST PROBIOTICS FOR CONSTIPATION, HOMEMADE LAXATIVE or ESSENTIAL OILS FOR CONSTIPATION to find the suitable solutions to address their problem. Besides, reading DO PROBIOTICS HELP WITH CONSTIPATION also provide them the exciting information about their condition.

Enteritis

Some inflammatory bowel diseases such as the duodenal ulcer or ulcerative colitis can be prevented by probiotics when the condition is mild. As the disease progresses, the use of probiotics will no longer be effectual.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome usually causes digestive disorders, including diarrhea or constipation in patients. Use of probiotics containing Bifidobacterium Lactis,  Bifidobacterium Infantis, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Plantarum will help regulate the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, thereby reducing the symptoms of flatulence or diarrhea.

The skin

A variety of conditions related to the skin such as acne, atopic dermatitis, eczema or skin hyperactivity could be avoided and prevented by using probiotics [2]. Several types of probiotics, including Lactobacillus GG, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, or Bifidobacterium Lactis Khi were thought to help treat eczema in children efficiently. Thus pregnancy might consume these types of bacteria to prevent this disease at the early stage.

Besides the main effects mentioned above, probiotics may be useful in situations such as influenza in children, urinary tract and, genitourinary, allergy and asthma, lactose intolerance, gastritis and pneumonia in children, oral disease, stiffness and so on.

Perhaps HOW LONG DO PROBIOTICS LAST? and, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR PROBIOTICS WORK? can assist you to understand the mechanism of probiotics activities to give your body the above benefits.

Do probiotics interact with any medications?

Because of a variety of benefits that probiotics bring to us, according to NCCIH, the percentage of adults taking probiotics and prebiotics was 1.6% of the population in 2012, which was four times higher than in 2007 [3]. What such a significant number!

However, whether all inhabitants know clearly about “Do probiotics interact with any medications?” or not. Thus, if you are reading this article and do not have an answer to this question, please find out with us.

Probiotics and antibiotics

Antibiotics are used to prevent or cure an infection caused by microorganisms, some certain parasites or fungi. You are entirely on antibiotic therapy at any point in life. It is a usual solution when inhabitants, in common, and children, in particular, do suffer from infections such as bronchitis, pneumonia.

However, prolonged antibiotic treatment may increase the risk of gastrointestinal disturbances, affecting health and nutritional absorption. Thus, probiotics sometimes are needed to recover the balance of gut system, by the way, providing some useful bacteria.

Some people are wondering whether probiotics interact with any antibiotics or not. The answer is that it will be a right combination if you take them in the right way, following the doctor’s instruction.

According to several recommendations, you should take probiotics separated with medications like antibiotics at least two hours, after or before it is still okay; so that beneficial microorganism are not affected by antibiotics.

Also, for children, it is important to note that do not mix probiotics with hot water or any hot food, because temperatures higher than 50 degree Celsius might kill the good bacteria in probiotics.

Click CAN YOU TAKE PROBIOTICS AND ANTIBIOTICS AT THE SAME TIME? to get more detail.

Probiotics and Omeprazole

Let’s come back to the question “ Do probiotics interact with any medications?”. In this section, we would like to reveal you the interaction between probiotics and one kind of antacid drugs called Omeprazole.

Omeprazole is a member of proteins pump inhibitors (PPIs) used to treat some specific gastric and esophagus diseases, especially acid reflux and ulcers. The primary mechanism to complete its role is that omeprazole lowers the acid level in people’s stomach.

Because of leading to reduce the stomach acid, the harmful bacteria might develop in our gut very brisk. Regarding probiotics, they do supply for our body the health-improving microorganisms that are similar to the good bacteria in our gut. Therefore, probiotics could interact with omeprazole or any PPIs in the negative impact when we take these two medications together.

In particular, the administration of probiotics will drop the efficacy of omeprazole [4]. Due to this reason, we should take probiotics separated from omeprazole and other PPIs. Remember that ask your doctor’s opinion in advance. The time you take omeprazole depending on the prescription of your physician. Thus, consuming probiotics at least 2 hours after omeprazole is the excellent recommendation to achieve both their benefits.

Probiotics and immunosuppressive drugs

Although probiotics are fundamentally helpful bacteria or yeasts, they seldom do cause infections for individuals. However, immunocompromised people like HIV patients or patients who are using immunosuppressive drugs are very vulnerable and sensitive to infection. Whether probiotics interact with any medications that suppress the immune system or not.

No clear evidence proved that the interaction between two kinds of the products is positively or negatively. However, a study on patients after surgery and HIV patients in 2015 showed that probiotics were likely to be safe for them because there was not the presence of increasing infection [5].

Probiotics and multivitamins

Multivitamins is a kind of supplement, including three or more vitamins like vitamin A, B, C, D with or without minerals such as zinc, iron and so on. Each vitamin or mineral containing in multivitamins has a vital role in protecting the health of the body.

Many nutritionists do believe that probiotics might interact with multivitamins when taking them together at any time and give excellent effects to our body.

Although multivitamins are not medications, they are consumed to aid in weight loss, muscle development and antioxidation to protect our body from the harmful effects of free radical, support the nutritional needs, improve the immune system and maintain the health in women.

When vitamins go into your body, probiotics support them to split and be absorbed via gastrointestinal system easier. They have an excellent mutual impact; vitamins do not hamper the mission of probiotics with your body and probiotics do not also interfere the effectiveness of the vitamins. Some studies revealed that the activity of vitamin D in the body was enhanced by the presence of probiotics [6].

However, we do not need to buy both probiotics and multivitamins outside to get the best potency. In fact, vitamins have already existed in the food we eat daily. Unless you are poor and are not likely to afford some nutrient-rich food, taking probiotics is adequate to gain the benefits of both.

Probiotics and digestive enzymes

Digestive enzymes refer to a group of proteins secreted by the glands in the body to support digestion processes. They are used to enhance the digestion of food over a specified period. However, for both adults and children, they are only allowed to use these enzymes when prescribed by your doctor in case there is evidence to prove the deficiency of digestive enzymes.

Do probiotics interact with digestive enzymes when we supplement them together? Both of them have an impact on the gut system with different mechanisms but the same benefit which is to promote gut functions, so, consuming them at the same time does not bring any adverse results. In fact, in some cases at present, to treat the gastrointestinal disorders, doctors often prescribe both of them for children who are insufficient, sometimes even combine with other medications.

However, it does not mean that taking probiotics and digestive enzymes will always be beneficial for people. Although it is undoubted about probiotics benefits, it should be utilized following the instruction of the doctor. Consuming too many probiotics without the indication could lead to the appearance of some adverse effects such as diarrhea, bloating, stomach upset or even more severe like the allergy reaction.

Regarding digestive enzymes, long-term utilization is not recommended because it is able to reduce the secretion of our body’s natural proteins that make our body dependent on the source outside. Therefore, you should not give children to use enzymes without doctor’s prescription.

Do probiotics cause any health risks?

Besides probiotics interact with any medications might bring the ineffective results, what about probiotics themselves?A significant number of studies showed that probiotics were quite safe to us, even for vulnerable groups like children, older adults or immunocompromised individuals. However, you may experience some health problems after taking these live bacteria in the long term with significant quantity.

Develop awkward symptoms in the gut system

Probiotics do not affect most people, but some of them may experience digestive problems with probiotics such as gas and bloat.

Headache

One of the side effects of probiotics is that they can cause a headache. This issue is usually caused by the amines presented in the probiotics. This is especially true if you choose cabbage, yogurt or kimchi because they are rich in amino acids, which are substances formed by fermentation.

Headache is a side effect
Headache is a side effect of probiotics

Some of the most common amines found in these probiotic foods are histamine, tyramine, tryptamine and, phenylethylamine. These amines are likely to affect the central nervous system and change the blood flow, thus causing the headache.

Allergic reactions

Some microbial strains in the probiotics may trigger histamine production in the gastrointestinal tract, causing dilating and increasing the permeability of blood vessels. This process can exacerbate inflammation response in the body and also cause allergic symptoms, such as watery eyes, itching, shortness of breath, runny nose.

Also, the allergy could happen because food and supplements that do contain probiotics interact with your body. Any probiotic supplements including eggs, milk or soy and allergens might cause adverse reactions in people with gluten allergy. This reaction occurs with the same allergic mechanism between some medications and the body.

If you are asking about what probiotics side effects are and hope to read more, click DO PROBIOTICS MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT to comprehend more obviously.

Conclusion

The question “ Do probiotics interact with any medications?” have already been provided the appropriate and exact answer. Although the interaction between two types of products sometimes occurs, especially in the negative effect, we could find several methods to prevent. Try to follow the instruction of the doctor to achieve the best result of taking probiotics.

If you are still confusing about any issues related to this topic, contact us to get the answer. We are always ready to support you.

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