How long probiotics stay in your system

You'll want a product that explicitly states a "sell-by" date. Dosages vary by product, so no general dosing recommendation can be made. However, common dosages for adults range from five billion to 10 billion colony-forming units per day. Take just one dose of probiotics per day. Some people may experience loose stools in the first few days of taking probiotics, but this goes away.

Taking probiotics at the end of a meal may help to reduce the symptoms. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

The latest research shows that probiotic foods may offer benefits against a range of health conditions, including allergies, arthritis, asthma, cancer, depression, heart disease, and gastrointestinal GI problems.

Probiotics may even help with weight loss! Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Recent Blog Articles. Health news headlines can be deceiving. A common question about probiotics is whether it is ok to take probiotic supplements every day. Whilst there may be a few exceptions to this rule, the general answer is yes, it's safe, and usually recommended, to take them daily. It's important to understand that probiotics are a natural supplement and not a medicine.

They are best used at breakfast time as part of a daily health regime, rather than as a 'quick fix' option. There are also some situations where certain strains can be taken for a short time, such as alongside antibiotics. Fermented foods containing live cultures have been part of traditional diets in many different ethnic groups for centuries.

Learn more by reading about our 5 favourite fermented foods. People have been consuming probiotics for generations in foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and kombucha , but it has only been more recently that we have been able to consume specific strains for specific purposes, in easy-to-take capsules, powders, or kids' gummies.

Many people choose to take probiotics every day, whilst some might just use them periodically or whenever they feel that they need a little support. Whichever way you find works best for you, it is worth remembering that many factors can negatively affect the probiotic colonies in our gut. So, whilst you might think that once you have established good gut flora that it can then be left to its own devices, in reality our lifestyles are now so challenging for our microbiome that many of us need to nurture it on an ongoing basis.

If you would like to learn more, read our article on the gut microbiome - all you need to know. Most people know that antibiotics do not differentiate between the good and bad bacteria in our guts, and therefore negatively impact on our probiotic colonies, but even if we don't take them ourselves, it's possible there may be other sources of antibiotics in our food chain, such as in meat and other animal products.

Product quality is based on many factors, but the overarching ones to look out for are the science the products are based on, the manufacturing process, the source and quality of the bacteria strains, and the composition of the product itself. Each of these factors can negatively impact product quality and the success you experience with the product. Incorrect dose: Taking an incorrect dose may also impact how quickly you are seeing results.

Make sure to check the label and intake instructions for details. Multispecies and multistrain probiotic : The product should contain different bacterial species and multiple strains of bacteria. Differentiated products tailored to your needs: Different digestive issues warrant different probiotic strains.

Therefore, for optimal benefits, try to seek out a probiotic that is tailored to the specific health outcomes you are trying to achieve. Clinical studies: The probiotic and its claims should be backed by clinical studies using the final product.

This will ensure that you are buying a product whose effects have been studied and proven. Human strains: Only human bacterial strains can colonize your gut i.

Other bacteria, such as bacteria found in fermented foods such as yogurt and in soil-based probiotics, cannot colonize the gut and usually pass through your body within a few days.

For lasting positive effects, you want to make sure that you have human strains that can colonize. Free of animal proteins, allergens and fillers: It is recommended to choose a probiotic that is free of dairy and other animal proteins, gluten, soy and yeast to ensure you are taking a clean product. Delivery mechanism: When you ingest your probiotic, the probiotic travels through the harsh, very acidic environment of the stomach before it reaches the small and large intestine.

Many capsules contain freeze-dried bacteria. If these bacteria get in contact with stomach acid as the first liquid, then they will soak up the stomach acid and die from the acidity as a result.

The most effective probiotic is formulated as a powder and activated with water prior to intake. In addition, look for a probiotic that has prebiotics mixed in, as the prebiotics are food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut. To ensure your probiotic is working, make sure to follow the recommended use instructions on the packaging.

Depending on the delivery mechanism, the method of taking your probiotic may differ. For example, some probiotics may need to be dissolved in a liquid, whereas others may need to be taken on an empty stomach. Certain medications such as antibiotics can have a negative impact on the good bacteria in your gut and in your probiotic supplement, so probiotics are best taken away from other medications.

Check the product label for storage instructions to make sure your probiotic is stored properly. Improper storage can make your probiotic less likely to work. If the probiotic works for you, at the very least you should be seeing an improvement in your digestion within four weeks of taking the product.

Side Effects : Some individuals experience minor side effects like mild bloating, flatulence or more frequent bowel movements for the first few days of taking a new probiotic.

This is your body getting used to the probiotic and potentially cleaning out harmful substances like pathogens. However, if these side effects persist beyond the first week of taking the probiotic, stop taking the product and consult a physician.

If you experience more serious side effects like allergic reactions, dizziness, swelling or difficulty breathing, discontinue the product and contact your physician immediately. Read the label: If you experience minor side effects like bloating, nausea or gas, check the ingredients to see whether the label contains any ingredients you might be allergic to. Many probiotics contain lactose, which can irritate the gut, especially in adults.

But only three studies have shown these benefits in healthy adults. Our review also found the changes appear to be short-lived. In other words, you need to keep taking the probiotic supplements for the effects to last. If you stop taking them, your gut bacteria are likely return to their pre-supplementation condition within one to three weeks. Like all living organisms, bacteria need food to survive.

We also found little evidence that probiotic supplements can reduce cholesterol in healthy adults. And there is little evidence to show that probiotics can improve glucose blood sugar and insulin responses in healthy adults. Read more: Plain, Greek, low-fat?