GypsyGirl7 said...
@Traveler, thank you for the heads up. I was going off what my former naturopathic doctor told me. Do you happen to have links/further information to how that works (taking probiotics while on antibiotics)?
I like to know the hows & whys and this one is new to me. :)
There is a lot of documentation of the need for taking probiotics at the same time as taking abx - that's easy enough to find online, so I looked specifically for places that spoke of the timing of when to take the probiotics for you.
You can see the links below for confirmation of the timing. Most of these say 3 hours between the time of taking the abx and taking probiotics - we say 2 hours away from antibiotics and so do any doctors that I have spoken to that knew anything about
probiotics. It's rare to find doctors that know anything about
kefir though.
It's always advisable to take the abx first, wait 2 - 3 hours, then take the probiotic to help replenish the good bacteria that the abx has wiped out.
Here are the links backing this up. Please disregard any advertising being done for a specific brand of probiotics - I am not promoting any brand, as I prefer to make my own.:
"A rule of thumb is to take your probiotic 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking your antibiotic. This gives sufficient time for the antibiotic to work while not killing off the beneficial bacteria. If you wait until your antibiotic therapy is over to take your probiotics (typically 7-10 days), then you will have needlessly suffered digestive upset for over a week.
www.vitamedica.com/antibiotics-and-probiotics-what-you-need-to-know/#sthash.Ad6qO6Vj.dpuf"It is advisable however to stagger the administration of the antibiotic and the probiotic such that the probiotic is administered at least three hours after the antibiotic dose, where possible, otherwise the antibiotic may reduce the efficacy of the probiotic microorganisms. It is important to note that the reverse is not true: probiotics will not cause a reduction in efficacy or effectiveness of the antibiotic."
www.bio-kult.com/userfiles/file/probiotics_and_antibiotics_-_should_they_be_given_together_-_aileen_green.pdf"Gastroenterologists and other specialists have found it’s best to co-administer high potency probiotics with antibiotics. The secret is not to take them at the same exact time. Separating the two by 3-6 hours is best. Since most antibiotics are water soluble, they absorb in the upper G.I. tract. Probiotics work mainly in the lower G.I. tract – so giving antibiotics time to absorb and get out of the way is the key."
www.probiotic-myths.com/default.aspx#14"Although you can take probiotics while using antibiotics, do not take them at the same time. The National Institutes of Health recommends waiting at least two hours before or after taking your antibiotic to consume your probiotic supplement."
www.livestrong.com/article/507055-when-does-one-take-probiotics-when-taking-an-antibiotic/"To maximize the beneficial effect of the probiotics, take them at least 2 hours apart from your dosage of antibiotics. This way as few as possible of the ‘good bacteria’ will get killed by the antibiotics in your gut.
Take the probiotics after a meal as this is when your stomach acid is at its lowest. You can take probiotics before, during and after your course of antibiotics."
www.thecandidadiet.com/probiotics-while-on-antibiotics.htm