If someone takes antibiotics for several weeks, and also takes a probiotic, do the antibiotics just kill the probiotic bacteria before they can do any good?
In: Chemistry
First, the probiotic prescription is also “take at regular intervals”, so the probiotic bacteria are replenished by you taking another pill when the previous ones have died.
And then, antibiotics do kill bacteria, including the probiotic ones, but the antibiotic is not like lysol, instant death. It’s more like a toxin for bacteria, it does take a few hours, during which the probiotic bacteria CAN multiply in your intestines and do some of the digestion for you.
It’s actually a matter of doses; you get enough antibiotic “strength” to kill whatever infection you have, and you get enough probiotic bacteria so that they can multiply enough even WITH the effects of the antibiotic killing some of them in the few hours that it takes to do so.
It’s worth remembering that different antibiotics work in different ways. Some, such as co-amoxiclav, are combined with acids to target resistant bacteria.
That said, antibiotics do play havoc with your gut bacteria. However, there are something in the region of 100 trillion in there, and they aren’t all wiped out. Best practice is to try and “feed” them by eating plenty of yoghurt as well as fibre-rich seeds, nuts, lentils, peas and berries.
The problem with probiotics is that you’re effectively introducing competition rather than helping your gut bacteria recover – which bacteria can do notoriously well.
Kind of think of it as if you were off sick from work, got back and your boss said “Hey, I’ve hired this new person to help you out. Because, you know, I think you’re a bit unreliable because you were sick. Work with them for a bit”. People don’t like sharing a job and gut bacteria are little different.
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