Expert: Dr. Kristina Conner - 4/6/2010

Question
Hi,

I am about to start a course of antibiotics that I know will give me bad diarrhea, it always does, but this is the only antibiotic I can afford right now (my husband and I are both unemployed). I have bee reading about probiotics and there is a lot of confusing information out there. Can you suggest foods and/or supplements that contain the appropriate probiotics to either prevent or cure this problem? Also, I have read mixed reviews on this, some say to take before during and after the antibiotic and some say wait until I finished the antibiotic. If you recommend pills over foods, brand names would be helpful. I am suspicious of most pills since they are not FDA regulated you never know if they are really any good. Thank you so much for your help.
Susan

Answer
Hello Susan, Thanks for your question.  Probiotics are almost always recommended after antibiotics.  There's not evidence that they will decrease the efficacy of the antibiotic but they will help decrease the common effect of diarrhea.  So for most people can be given with the antibiotic as well as after to replace the good GI flora wiped out from the antibiotic.  Foods like plain, active culture yogurt are helpful but for best effect pills are preferred because foods will not give as predictable an amount.  Better brands such as Nature's way or Natural Factors will come refrigerated and should be stored that way.  There are good, safe, & affordable brands out there, but you have to be careful in choosing them.  Health food stores and markets like WHole Foods tend to carry better brands than drugstores or exclusively internet sources.
In health,
Dr Conner