{"id":8108,"date":"2026-04-21T11:03:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T11:03:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=8108"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:35:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T13:35:32","slug":"why-you-do-need-a-probiotic-when-taking-antibiotics-and-which-type-is-best-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=8108","title":{"rendered":"Why you DO need a probiotic when taking antibiotics… and which type is best for you"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A new type of probiotic \u2013 designed specifically to be used alongside antibiotics \u2013 has hit supermarket and pharmacy shelves. But with often heftier price tags attached, are they worth forking out for the next time you get sick?<\/p>\n

Antibiotics are the standard treatment for a range of bacterial infections, from pneumonia<\/a> to whooping cough and meningitis.<\/p>\n

More than 30 million prescriptions are issued each year in the UK \u2013 but they can also wreak havoc on your digestive system, with around a third of users experiencing diarrhoea.<\/p>\n

This is because they are broad-spectrum medications, meaning they target a wide range of different bacteria at once; and as well as killing those responsible for infections, they also kill off many of the beneficial bacteria in your gut.<\/p>\n

This disrupts the overall balance of your microbiome and can allow harmful bacteria to thrive, causing not only diarrhoea, but stomach cramps and other gut-related problems too.<\/p>\n

People on long-term antibiotics \u2013 for example, for acne or recurrent urine infections \u2013 can find their microbiome is disrupted for years, which some experts believe can lead to serious complications beyond the gut. This can include metabolic problems, such as type 2 diabetes<\/a>, or inflammatory conditions such as asthma.<\/p>\n

As our understanding of the gut\u2019s microbiome and its importance grows, GPs and gut health doctors increasingly advise taking probiotic supplements either during or after a course of antibiotics.<\/p>\n

Probiotic supplements contain bacteria to replenish levels of \u2018good\u2019 organisms in your gut. But is this actually the most effective way to restore good gut health?<\/p>\n

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\"GPs<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

GPs and gut health doctors increasingly advise taking probiotic supplements either during or after a course of antibiotics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Antibiotics<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Antibiotics can disrupt the balance of your microbiome, which can cause diarrhoea, stomach cramps and other gut-related problems<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A 2021 review of 36 studies, published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, found that taking the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus<\/span> \u2013 one of the most common bacteria strains found in many probiotic supplements \u2013 reduced the incidence and duration of loose stools and bloating.<\/p>\n

Yet a 2018 study in the journal Cell found that taking probiotics after a course of antibiotics might actually delay your gut\u2019s microbiome returning to its normal balance.<\/p>\n

The researchers in the latter study gave both mice and humans a preparation containing 11 strains of the most widely used probiotics. These did indeed colonise the gut effectively \u2013 but also apparently delayed the microbiome\u2019s return to its original balance.<\/p>\n

In fact, those taking the probiotics took a full six months to return to their normal balance compared to the placebo group, whose microbiome bounced back just three weeks after stopping the antibiotics.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s thought this is because the probiotics introduced species of bacteria not normally present in the recipients\u2019 microbiomes. These appeared to further crowd out the remaining original healthy bacteria (already depleted by antibiotic treatment), slowing the re-establishment of a \u2018baseline\u2019 gut ecosystem.<\/p>\n

Simon Gaisford, a professor of pharmaceutics at University College London, says that while the results of taking probiotics with antibiotics have generally been mixed, the 2018 study involved only 21 people, \u2018which means it\u2019s not definitive in its own right\u2019.<\/p>\n

A study he was part of \u2013 as yet unpublished \u2013 tested the recovery of the gut microbiome in the lab after antibiotic treatment using a probiotic (containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus<\/span> and three other strains) and showed \u2018faster recovery \u2013 equivalent to just a few days in most people\u2019, he says.<\/p>\n

\u2018So I would say that there are mixed results so far and you probably get different results depending on just which probiotic you take,\u2019 he adds. \u2018Because taking oral antibiotics is usually quite detrimental to your gut bacteria, I\u2019d still say taking a good probiotic supplement while on a course of antibiotics is sensible.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Join the discussion<\/span><\/p>\n

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Would YOU pay more for a probiotic designed for antibiotic use?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Simon<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Simon Gaisford, a professor of pharmaceutics at University College London, says ‘taking a good probiotic supplement while on a course of antibiotics is sensible’<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Glenn Gibson, a professor of food microbiology at the University of Reading, has long supported taking probiotics alongside antibiotics.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m not convinced by small studies that suggest probiotics may delay the gut microbiome returning to normal,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s a long-standing observation that probiotics help reset the gut microbiome after antibiotic use. They help the good bacteria thrive and multiply.\u2019<\/p>\n

However, he recommends taking a well-researched strain (though these are contained in most products on the market).<\/p>\n

So should we all take probiotics following antibiotics?<\/p>\n

Professor Gaisford says that probiotics can be helpful, but timing is crucial. He warns against taking both pills at the same time \u2018as the antibiotic will just kill the probiotic bacteria\u2019. Instead, take your probiotic between antibiotic doses.<\/p>\n

Probiotics also differ in terms of strain and formulation.<\/p>\n

\u2018There are many probiotic species that have health claims made for them, but Lactobacillus rhamnosus<\/span> \u2013 one of the most researched bacterial probiotic strains \u2013 is noted for its ability to survive stomach acid and stick to the intestinal lining,\u2019 says Professor Gaisford. It\u2019s been investigated for its role in microbial recovery after antibiotic use, as well as in supporting the gut barrier.<\/p>\n

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\"'Lactobacillus<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

‘Lactobacillus rhamnosus \u2013 one of the most researched bacterial probiotic strains \u2013 is noted for its ability to survive stomach acid and stick to the intestinal lining,\u2019 says Professor Gaisford<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

So convincing is the research that the World Gastroenterology Organisation\u2019s guidelines now recommend taking a supplement with Lactobacillus rhamnosus<\/span> while on antibiotics.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the only useful strain: it belongs to a group known as lactic acid bacteria, explains Professor Gaisford \u2013 named so because they produce lactic acid. \u2018A more acidic gut environment appears to help support good bacteria and kill off the bad\u2019, he says.<\/p>\n

Nearly all probiotic species shown to be beneficial when taking antibiotics and for general gut health belong to this category \u2013 so you don\u2019t necessarily need a probiotic product specifically stating it\u2019s for use after antibiotics.<\/p>\n

Another supplement will work, \u2018as long as it contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus<\/span> and other lactic acid bacteria \u2013 all of which start with the name \u201cLactobacillus\u201d,\u2019 says Professor Gaisford.<\/p>\n

It can work out cheaper too. Omni Biotic 10 AAD, one of the top-selling post-antibiotic probiotics, costs about \u00a343 for 30 days; while Optibac Every Day, which contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus<\/span>, costs roughly \u00a313.50 for 30 days, for example.<\/p>\n

Another ingredient to look for is Saccharomyces boulardii<\/span>, a yeast-based probiotic which a review in 2020 by the Medical University of Gdansk in Poland found helped prevent antibiotic-linked diarrhoea and restore a healthy gut microbiome.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  A new type of probiotic \u2013 designed specifically to be used alongside antibiotics \u2013 has hit supermarket and pharmacy shelves. But with often heftier price tags attached, are they worth forking out for the next time you get sick? Antibiotics are the standard treatment for a range of bacterial infections, from pneumonia to whooping<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8109,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[987],"tags":[2649,2655,2654,1945,2656,2650,2652,2653,2648,2651],"class_list":{"0":"post-8108","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthy-living","8":"tag-antibiotic-recovery","9":"tag-dysbiosis","10":"tag-gastroenterology","11":"tag-gut-microbiome","12":"tag-health-savings","13":"tag-lactobacillus-rhamnosus","14":"tag-microbial-recovery","15":"tag-post-antibiotic-care","16":"tag-probiotics-2026","17":"tag-saccharomyces-boulardii"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8108"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8119,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8108\/revisions\/8119"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}