The connection between a robust microbiome and supporting overall health has drawn increased attention in scientific research and the media. If you’re thinking about trying probiotic supplements but you’re not sure what to expect, the answers to these commonly asked questions should set your mind at ease.
So, what should you expect when you first start taking probiotics?
Since each body is unique, there really isn’t a single answer to this question. Some people may feel great from the get-go—experiencing vibrant energy, a glowing complexion, or just a comfortable gut. Others might actually feel a bit worse at first, but this soon passes.*
If you’re like the vast majority of people, you probably won’t feel much of anything changing at the very beginning—but you can rest assured that you've just taken a positive step to support your strong, diverse microbial community and lifelong health.*
Will Things Get Worse Before They Get Better?
When you begin taking probiotics, you’re introducing a whole host of beneficial microbes that should quickly begin to multiply in your digestive tract. These friendly flora work hard to crowd out the types of bacteria and yeast you don’t want in your body. That’s great news—however, in rare cases of dysbiosis, the mass of dying troublesome strains can sometimes release toxins faster than your body can flush them out. As your immune system rallies to clean up the mess and detoxify (a process known as the Jarisch–Herxheimer reaction), you may experience some temporary discomforts including bloating, gas, minor aches, changes in the frequency and texture of bowel movements, and even skin irritations.1* This phase is temporary and well worth the benefits.
To complicate matters, as your new microbial friends begin to colonize and gain a foothold in your gut, you may experience a number of different chemical reactions. While these are all beneficial to your long-term health, your body may need some time to adjust—which can also produce temporary minor digestive discomforts, aches, and skin flare-ups.*
As unpleasant as this may all seem, these symptoms are signs that your probiotics are working just as they should. As your body acclimates to its microbial improvements, any discomfort you’re feeling should ease within a matter of weeks, and you’ll be on your way to better health.*
To speed the detoxification process along as much as possible, it’s helpful to drink lots of ;water throughout the day. If you’re still finding the adjustment to probiotics too intense, you might want to consider cutting back and ramping up to your desired dose gradually.
When Will I Feel a Difference?
For many people it takes some time to properly fortify their microbial communities. Not feeling a change right away doesn’t necessarily mean that your probiotics aren’t working.*
Probiotics are similar to vitamins in that they build up in the body over time, and it can take anywhere from two weeks to multiple months before your new microbial friends gain a real foothold in your gut and begin supporting:*
- Nutrient absorption*
- A healthy microbial ratio of good guys to troublemakers*
- A healthy and strong gut wall*
- A strong immune system, healthy metabolism, and cardiovascular wellness*
Can I Take More Than One Probiotic at a Time?
Yes! It’s generally safe to take more than one probiotic supplement daily, and it can be beneficial to take a few complementary formulas at the same time.*
For example, you might want to include a basic daily formula such as Hyperbiotics Pro-15® Pre + Probiotic or Hyperbiotics Pro-15 Advanced Probiotic along with a specialized formula like Hyperbiotics Pro-Lean Probiotic (to support healthy weight),†† Hyperbiotics Pro-Natal Probiotic (for pregnant or nursing women), or Hyperbiotics Bifidobacterium Probiotic (for healthy aging support).* And because a balanced oral microbiome turns out to be critical for overall wellness, you may also want to add a delicious chewable oral probiotic such as Hyperbiotics Pro-Dental® Probiotic.*
To help your body adjust smoothly to all the microbial renovation, we recommend introducing only one probiotic formula at a time and then waiting at least a week before adding another one to your regimen.*
Am I Taking My Probiotics at the Right Time of Day?
With the patented BIO-tract® process, there really isn’t a bad time of the day to take probiotics. Since the delivery is time-released over 8-10 hours, you can even take your probiotics on an empty stomach without worrying about digestive upset.*
That said, you’ll supercharge your results when you take your probiotic first thing in the morning on an empty stomach—about 15 minutes or so before breakfast. This timing allows the first burst of probiotics released to avoid competing with a big meal in order to find their way down to your gut and makes it easier for them to get established. Some people feel better when they take their probiotics with food; you'll have to experiment to see what feels best for you.*
One important exception when it comes to how to take probiotics: If you’re currently on antibiotics, timing becomes more of an issue. It can take up to a year for your microbiome to rebound after a course of antibiotics, so it’s especially important to support your microbial health with probiotic fortification at this time—and to do whatever you can to get the most from the probiotics you take!2,3 To encourage the probiotics you bring on board to survive, be sure to wait at least two hours after taking your antibiotic medication before ingesting a probiotic supplement.*
Am I Doing It Right?
Don’t worry—taking probiotics isn’t complicated. With a time-released formula like Hyperbiotics, you can supplement when it’s convenient for you, and it’s easy to tailor a mix of complementary formulas to suit your body and lifestyle. There’s no need to store your probiotics in the fridge, and you can even cut them in half without diminishing their survivability.*
If you’re taking other supplements or medications already, adding probiotics shouldn’t pose an issue. To be safe though, always check in with your doctor first to make sure it’s okay to take probiotics with other medications.*
One of the only ways you could go wrong is by starving the probiotics before they get the chance to do your body any good. Just like all living organisms, probiotics need to eat in order to survive.
The prebiotic fiber found in whole plant foods such as apples, nuts, asparagus, bananas, and broccoli provides complete nutrition for your beneficial microbes, so enjoying a fiber-rich diet with lots of whole plant foods is one of the best things you can do to keep your microbial good guys going strong. It’s also important to avoid processed foods, pesticides, GMOs, refined sugars, and artificial additives—since all of these can be damaging to your friendly flora.*
It’s sometimes difficult to get enough prebiotics from diet alone, but you can make sure your probiotic team isn’t going hungry by supplementing with an organic prebiotic powder.*
The bottom line is that probiotics are a safe, convenient, and simple way to take your health to a whole new level.*
References
1. Belum GR et al. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease. 2013;11(4):231-237.
2. Ouwehand AC et al. Annals of Medicine. 2016;48(4):246-255.
3. Zaura E et al. MBio. 2015;6(6).
††Provides weight management support as part of a healthy lifestyle with a reduced-calorie diet and regular exercise
