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Probiotics with antibiotics
Our food is teeming with bacteria. And then it’s not just about bacteria that can make you sick, but also about bacteria that are good for your health. They are even added to products and we call them probiotics. When is it smart to take these products?
Good bacteria can be found in sauerkraut, yogurt, buttermilk and salami, for example. However, they are few and they are not very resistant to your stomach acid and bile. There are products on the market that contain a lot of live bacteria, and that are more resistant to the juices from the digestive system. These so-called probiotics are bacteria that reach the gut alive. There they ensure that bad bacteria cannot grow properly and they have a beneficial effect on building up your resistance. Probiotics are in some drinks, yogurt products and supplements.
Probiotics with antibiotics
Have you been advised to take a course of antibiotics? Then it is advisable to use probiotics in addition to your antibiotics course, according to a TNO publication from 2018. Antibiotics do not only fight the bacteria that make you sick, but also the good bacteria in your gut. This puts you at risk of antibiotic-related diarrhea. One in four adults is affected by antibiotics. Probiotics protect the gut microbiome against the disruptive effect of a course of antibiotics and promote recovery. Because the resistance remains more intact, the chance of recurring infections also decreases. As a rule of thumb, you can take probiotics two hours after antibiotics for the entire duration of the antibiotic course. In addition, it is wise to continue with probiotics for one to two weeks after the treatment. Incidentally, the bacterial strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) reduces the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea the most.
Probiotics in acute diarrhea
The Nutrition Center says on its website that there is insufficient scientific evidence that probiotics reduce intestinal complaints. Nevertheless, a large overview, for which no fewer than 63 studies were examined with a total of more than 8000 patients, shows that acute diarrhea lasts about a day shorter when using probiotics. In addition, the chance that diarrhea lasts longer than four days is 59 percent smaller than when no probiotics are taken. Probiotics have no unwanted side effects, so are definitely worth considering if you’re experiencing acute diarrhea.
To start early
It can also be good for babies to get probiotics. To be honest, nature itself already takes care of that because breast milk appears to be full of good (probiotic) bacteria. Research shows that these have a protective effect on the development of eczema in babies. This is because some healthy gut bacteria produce the substance butyrate, which plays a crucial role in protecting against eczema at a young age.
After birth, there are still few bacteria in a baby’s intestines, but they do develop through breastfeeding, among other things. Good intestinal bacteria help build resistance. It is important that the intestines of babies start to contain a lot of good bacteria that occur naturally in the gut. This forms the basis for the gut microbiome throughout life. Sometimes it is difficult to let the good bacteria prevail: for example after a caesarean section, if there is an allergy in the family or if antibiotics were needed during pregnancy or after birth.
And further?
Your intestines benefit from a healthy diet, little stress and sufficient exercise. This is mainly because the beneficial gut bacteria benefit from it. A diet high in fiber is beneficial for the growth of good bacteria in your gut. If you drink a lot of alcohol, are under a lot of stress, eat a diet with a lot of sugars or eat few fruits and vegetables, this can have an adverse effect on the composition of the bacteria in your gut. The bacterial composition also changes with age. Of course, it is important to adopt better eating habits, to try to avoid excessive stress. But maybe probiotics also have an effect on you.