what to eat after course of antibiotics

by Dr. Kelsi Mayert DVM 6 min read

Best Foods to Eat After Taking Antibiotics

  1. Yoghurt. Yoghurt, or yogurt, is probably the most famous probiotic food, and it certainly is one the best foods to eat after taking antibiotics.
  2. Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is finely cut cabbage that has been fermented in its own juice by various lactic acid bacteria.
  3. Garlic. ...
  4. Jerusalem Artichokes. ...
  5. Almonds. ...

Fermented foods are produced by microbes and include yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, kombucha and kimchi, among others. They contain a number of healthy bacterial species, such as Lactobacilli, which can help restore the gut microbiota to a healthy state after antibiotics.Oct 19, 2017

Full Answer

What should you eat before taking antibiotics?

Eating foods with probiotics such as bananas yogurt certain types of cheese even pickles. also you should be eating fiber rich food like pears, bananas, avocado oranges, most things that are whole grain apples are good too and you know just fruits in general vegetables, beans and Grains and nuts, drinking a lot of water is also important because certain antibiotics as well as some of the foods you're eating leads to dehydration also probably the best fluid you can put into your body right ...

How much should I eat before taking antibiotics?

Taking antibiotics at the incorrect time may also increase your chance of developing antibiotic resistance. Should your antibiotics be taken before or after food? In some cases, taking antibiotics whilst eating a meal may help to reduce stomach issues from certain antibiotics such as amoxicillin and doxycycline. Nevertheless, this approach won ...

What is the best diet to follow when taking antibiotics?

What to Eat

  • Foods high in insoluble fiber
  • Cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli), turnips, beets, carrots, cabbage
  • Raw vegetables
  • Fried or greasy foods
  • Fatty foods (such as mayonnaise or fatty meats)
  • Spicy foods
  • Whole wheat, wheat bran, wheat cereals
  • Rye
  • Unnatural oils (such as margarine, Olean, or Olestra)

More items...

Can I eat any food after taking antibiotics?

Yoghurt, or yogurt, is probably the most famous probiotic food, and it certainly is one the best foods to eat after taking antibiotics. Milk is transformed into yogurt through a fermentation process that uses live probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

How long does it take for good bacteria to restore after antibiotics?

After an antibiotic course, recovery of the gut microbiome can take some time. In general, after short-term antibiotic use (between five and ten days), studies have observed it can take at least one to two months for most bacterial groups to recover to pre-antibiotic levels2,3,13–16.

When should I eat after antibiotics?

As a general rule, medicines that are supposed to be taken on an empty stomach should be taken about an hour before a meal, or 2 hours after a meal. Forgetting these instructions on rare occasions is unlikely to do any harm, but taking these medicines with food regularly may mean they don't work.

What is the fastest way to recover from antibiotics?

How can I help my gut bacteria to recover after antibiotics?Take probiotics. The clinical evidence for the benefits of taking probiotics during and after antibiotic use is confusing. ... Make the most of prebiotics. ... Eat like a hunter-gatherer. ... Reduce stress. ... Exercise.

How do I detox my body after antibiotics?

After your course of antibiotics: Eat organic if possible. Take Milk Thistle 420mg/day in divided doses, 20 minutes away from food to help detoxify and support your liver.

How do I rebuild my immune system after antibiotics?

Some suggestions include:Try probiotics. Probiotics can help add good bacteria back into your digestive system. ... Practice good hygiene. ... Follow medication instructions. ... Only take antibiotics when needed. ... Talk to your doctor.

Can you eat eggs with antibiotics?

Eggs from hens treated with antibiotics cannot enter the food supply until they are totally safe.

What's the best probiotic to take after antibiotics?

Extensive clinical research suggests the best probiotic to take with antibiotics are particular strains that can be taken alongside antibiotics, rather than separately. These particular strains are Lactobacillus acidophilus Rosell-52, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Rosell-11 and Bifidobacterium lactis Lafti B94.

What is the fastest way to reset your digestive system?

Drink More Water while Fasting. Starting before the fast begin drinking more water. ... Eat Dinner Early and then Sleep 8 Hours. ... While Fasting Listen to your Body, but Set Clear Rules. ... Trust Yourself during a Fast. ... After a Fast Reintroduce Food Slowly!

How can I reduce the side effects of antibiotics?

How to Reduce the Side Effects of AntibioticsTake Antibiotics as Directed. Some antibiotics should be taken only with water. ... Take All of the Antibiotic Prescription. You should finish the entire prescribed course of antibiotics, even if your symptoms clear up. ... Abstain from Alcohol. ... Take a Probiotic. ... Talk to Your Doctor.

How do you replenish good bacteria after antibiotics?

A healthy diet combined with probiotic supplements can balance your gut's good bacteria by replenishing what is killed off by antibiotics, both during and after a course of antibiotics. They can also prevent the most common side effect: antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

What foods have a lot of probiotics?

The most common fermented foods that naturally contain probiotics, or have probiotics added to them, include yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread and some cheeses.

Do antibiotics keep working after you finish the course?

Will antibiotics continue to work after you stop taking them? Yes, antibiotics continue their antibacterial effects after your last dose. Some will last in the body longer than others. While doxycycline may take several days to clear, amoxicillin is excreted from the body more quickly.

What is a probiotic?

To be called a probiotic, they must be able to resist stomach acid and digestive processes, and then be able adhere to the gut walls and grow, while not causing any issues for the gut wall. They must also be tested for safety and efficacy in controlled trials.

What are some sources of resistant starch?

Shutterstock. Additional sources of resistant starch include under-ripe bananas, cooked and cooled rice, cornflour, cooked and cooled potatoes. For babies, breast milk is naturally rich in oligosaccharides.

Is it good to take prebiotics?

Prebiotic foods are good for everyone, contain a range of nutrients and help promote a healthy bacterial gut environment. The benefits of probiotics for a range of health conditions are unclear – they’re likely to be small, and depend on what is being taken and the underlying health issues.

Can antibiotics cause nausea?

The review found side effects were common when taking antibiotics and include taste disturbances, nausea, abdominal cramping, soft stools, fever and flatulence. But people taking probiotics reported fewer side effects, suggesting they may be helpful in countering some of the side effects.

Do antibiotics kill viruses?

It’s important to use antibiotics only when needed, and definitely not for viral infections, because antibiotics can’t kill viruses such as the common cold or COVID-19.

Is yogurt a probiotic?

To be called a probiotic, the dose of microorganisms needs to be sufficient to help restore the “good” bacteria, by elbowing out the “bad bacteria”. Most yoghurts contain “good bacteria” but not all can survive the acidity of the stomach acid or the bacteria won’t grow in the bowel, so there is no probiotic benefit.

Where can I find prebiotics?

Prebiotics can be found in a range of foods, including legumes. Additional sources of resistant starch include under-ripe bananas, cooked and cooled rice, cornflour, cooked and cooled potatoes. For babies, breast milk is naturally rich in oligosaccharides.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are foods, typically yoghurts and yoghurt drinks, that contain “good gut bacteria”: live microorganisms that can recolonise the gut or improve your gut health.

What are prebiotics? What are their functions?

Prebiotics are compounds that help beneficial gut microorganisms grow and survive. Prebiotic foods contain complex carbohydrates that can’t be digested and dietary fibres that resist digestive processes in the stomach and small intestine.

Can you take probiotics after taking antibiotics?

But people at high risk of diarrhoea after antibiotics may benefit from consuming probiotic – as well as prebiotic – foods daily. There is also emerging evidence that combining specific probiotics and prebiotics can increase the beneficial effects of both.

Can yogurt cause stomach acid?

Most yoghurts contain good bacteria but can’t survive the acidity of the stomach. The review found side-effects were common when taking antibiotics and include taste disturbances, nausea, abdominal cramping, soft stools, fever and flatulence. But people taking probiotics reported fewer side-effects, suggesting they may be helpful in countering some ...

Do probiotics grow well?

For probiotics to exert these beneficial effects, they not only have to make it to the large bowel, but once there they need the right fuel to help them grow well . That’s where prebiotics come into play – but more on them shortly.

Is yogurt a probiotic?

To be called a probiotic, the dose of microorganisms needs to be sufficient to help restore the “good” bacteria, by elbowing out the “bad bacteria”. Most yoghurts contain “good bacteria” but not all can survive the acidity of the stomach acid or the bacteria won’t grow in the bowel, so there is no probiotic benefit.

What is the best prebiotic to eat?

Here are the top 11 foods to eat to pack a prebiotic punch and feed the good bacteria that you should try to eat on a regular basis: Raw chicory root – 7g to achieve 6g. Raw Jerusalem Artichoke – 9.3 g. Raw dandelion greens – 19 g. Raw garlic – 34.3 g.

Why are antibiotics used in animals?

Once scientists uncovered this previously unknown fact, antibiotics began to be used routinely to make animals grow bigger for us to eat. What wasn’t known then, but is now due to advances in our ability to analyse DNA, is that our friendly gut bacteria, known as gut microflora, of which we have more than 100 trillion, with over 400 different species and can weigh 2kg, are altered or destroyed by the antibiotics we take whether that’s the ones we know we take or the ones hidden in food.

Do cattle need antibiotics?

Feeding antibiotics to animals. If you think you don’t take antibiotics on a regular basis then it might surprise you to learn that cattle, pigs, chickens and sheep are all force-fed antibiotics to make them grow bigger.

What are the best prebiotics to eat after taking an antibiotic?

Eating prebiotic foods is a vital and easy part of the post-antibiotic guide; all plant foods are beneficial, but if you’re serious about it, the hard-hitting prebiotic foods are asparagus, bananas (on the green side), garlic, leeks, onions and chicory.

Why are antibiotics lifesaving?

Antibiotics are lifesaving precisely because they eradicate bacteria – but that’s the problematic trade-off. The infection goes, but a devastated gut microbiome is left in its wake – both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bugs are indistinguishable to the antibiotics.

What vegetables are soluble in fibre?

Boost soluble fibre by gearing your 8 fruit and veggies a day towards fibre-rich root vegetables: sweet potatoes, carrots, beetroots, turnips, squash and pumpkins or gently stewed apples and pears.

How to increase diversity of bacteria in gut?

After antibiotics, you’ll boost diversity in a big way by adding a daily portion of probiotic foods such as miso soup, olives, kvass, kefir, kombucha, live yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi and pickles (for more information on fermented foods read here ). Most people like at least one of these options – and foods such as yogurt, miso soup or pickled veggies (e.g. cucumber immersed in salt water) can easily be made at home with very little effort – or cost; a good alternative if your finances won’t stretch to a probiotic supplement.

Does the gut microbiome affect mental health?

We now also know that the gut microbiome impacts our mental health and is a vital component of our immune system. Alongside antibiotic induced diarrhoea, coming down with a dose of thrush, more colds, food sensitivities and allergies and particularly – piling on the pounds as side effects, are entirely unappealing.

Does Boulardii help with gut health?

Boulardii helps to support intestinal health in a variety of ways, including helping to prevent ‘bad’ bugs from adhering to the gut wall, so can be really useful during, and after antibiotics.

What to eat after stopping antibiotics?

Eat high-fiber foods after you stop taking antibiotics. It is important to eat foods that are rich in fiber while taking antibiotics as well as after taking antibiotics. A systematic review of 64 studies on the effects of fiber on gut microbiota found that fiber is necessary for a healthy gut. Fiber helps to balance the gut’s microflora ...

What to do while on antibiotics?

Consume probiotics. The second thing to do while on antibiotics is to take probiotics or consume foods containing probiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial for gut health. As with prebiotics, you can get probiotics from foods or supplements.

How to treat diarrhea after antibiotics?

How to Treat Antibiotics Diarrhea 1 Keep well-hydrated. It is important to drink plenty of fluids if you have diarrhea after taking antibiotics. This is important to prevent the effects of dehydration. You may need to take fluids containing electrolytes if your diarrhea is severe. 2 Eat foods that are easy to digest. Soft foods like applesauce, bananas, and rice are easy on your digestion and some contain prebiotics. Although some high-fiber foods help increase the number of probiotics in your gut, you should avoid a lot of fiber if you have diarrhea. 3 Follow the instructions. Dr. Mary Harding on Patient.info says that some antibiotics should be taken with food, whereas others should be taken on an empty stomach. Taking antibiotics as instructed will also help prevent antibacterial resistance. ( 33)

How long after taking antibiotics can you take probiotics?

( 10) To get the most benefit from probiotics, it is good to wait for around 2 hours after taking an antibiotic pill.

How to prevent antibiotics from causing bad bacteria?

At the same time, you should consume foods that are easy on your digestion and contain probiotics to prevent the side effects of taking antibiotics.

What foods help to restore gut flora?

Foods like plain yogurt, bananas, and whole-grain cereals help to boost the number of good bacteria to restore your gut flora. Although we sometimes need antibiotics to treat serious infections, they don’t discriminate between harmful and beneficial bacteria.

What are the side effects of taking antibiotics?

There are some unpleasant side effects of taking antibiotics that include gastrointestinal upset, yeast infections, and rashes.

Why is it important to eat vegetables after antibiotics?

After antibiotics, some may experience irritable bowel or diarrhea, and fiber found in vegetables and fruits can help to restore normal bowel function . While hydration is important during sickness, it’s as equally important after.

What foods help bacteria thrive?

Sugar, refined flours, grains, and fast foods all contain junky ingredients that help bad bacteria thrive and don’t nourish good bacteria. 5. Support the Liver. If you’ve taken antibiotics frequently or several times in the course of a few years, it’s also important to support liver health.

How do antibiotics affect the gut?

How Antibiotics Affect the Gut. While antibiotics have vital health benefits in certain situations, they also alter the microbiome and can change the gut even after a single dose. ( 1, 2 ) Not only do antibiotics suppress bacterial infections, they can also cause an immediate decline in beneficial bacterial strains like lactobacillus ...

What are the benefits of taking antibiotics for strep throat?

Antibiotics are medications that have life-saving uses for bacterial infections, such as strep throat and UTIs. They kill the bacteria that cause the infection and prevent it from spreading , which can be important, especially for serious cases or in those who have compromised immune systems. Do you struggle with bloating, gas, constipation, ...

How long does it take for a bacterial infection to return to normal after taking antibiotics?

While the gut may return to normal on its own without assistance, in many cases, it can take an average of four weeks after a single dose ...

Why are antibiotics used in the first few years of life?

Antibiotics used in the first few years of life have the potential to create gut microbiomes that are drastically different from those who didn’t have them as children. This can lead to a greater likelihood of weight gain and obesity, both in childhood and the adult years. ( 10 )

Why do antibiotics cause yeast infections?

This is because the body needs good bacteria to keep these naturally occurring bugs in check, and when that gets wiped out, the bad bacteria can rapidly proliferate.

What is the best food to take for a med?

Vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the best foods you can have to fight the ongoing disease and enhance your medication effect. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits because they are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and various other poly nutrients that are important for your body to function correctly.

How to get rid of bad bacteria after antibiotics?

Once you have finished your first go of antibiotics, round yourself up on fiber to add the good missing bacteria back in your system. It is imperative not to lose the good while you’re fighting the bad, so having lots of fiber-rich foods will genuinely help.

What bacteria break down sugar in yogurt?

Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles are the combinations of bacteria that you add to the milk so that it takes the form of yogurt. These bacteria effectively break the sugar level of milk and provide yogurt with a tart effect that can easily be consumed by lactose-intolerant people.

What is the best way to get rid of bad bacteria in your gut?

2. Prebiotics. Variety of prebiotic foods. Prebiotics are types of dietary fiber that feed the friendly bacteria in your gut. Suppose you’ve taken a very long course of antibiotics. In that case, the chances are that your body has wholly cleaned of bacteria, which means you have lost the good bacteria.

How to reduce the effects of bacteria on your body?

Please take a good night’s sleep and eat healthily, and also, we suggest you take some beneficial herbs to boost your immunity. Herbs help lessen the effects of bacteria on you.

What foods have vitamin K?

3. Foods with Vitamin K. Green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens, parsley, romaine, and green leaf lettuce are foods rich with Vitamin K. Vitamin K deficiency is also something that we have come across in people who are taking antibiotics.

What are antibiotics? What are their functions?

What Are Antibiotics? Antibiotics are killers. They not only take out harmful bacteria from your system but also wipe out the existence of good bacteria from your body. In doing this, it could leave you with a weaker immune system. To compensate for that, you need to ensure that you manage your diet well not to get any side-effects by ...

What are some good sources of probiotics?

Probiotics: — Like prebiotics, probiotics feed good bacteria, helping them to grow and flourish. Good sources include supplements, kefir, yogurt, and milk. Yogurt and Fermented Milk — Both yogurt and fermented milk (kefir) increase the presence of Lactobacilli (a critical element of digestion) in the intestines.

How long does it take for an antibiotic to work?

Antibiotics begin their work as soon as they enter your bloodstream. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll feel well right away. It may take a day or two before you really begin to feel better. In the meantime, discuss what you can do to control your symptoms with your doctor.

How long should you wait to drink alcohol after a candida treatment?

You should avoid alcohol throughout the duration of treatment and for 48 to 72 hours after treatment ends. Sugars and Yeast — For some patients (especially women) antibiotic usage may lead to candida (yeast) infections. Avoid foods high in sugar and yeast to avoid feeding the candida organism.

What are the building blocks of gut bacteria?

Prebiotics — Prebiotics are the building blocks for healthy gut bacteria. When you ingest them, they help to make your gut a friendly place for more healthy bacteria to grow. Find them in kefir, yogurt, and even fortified cereals.

How to get more vitamin K?

Get more K by ingesting leafy green vegetables, cauliflower, liver, and eggs.

What is the natural ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria?

The natural ratio of good bacteria to bad is set at just the right rate for both to coexist without causing you any harm. When you take antibiotics, the very drugs you take to fight off an infection also target the good bacteria in your G.I. tract, too.

Why do people stop taking antibiotics?

A lot of people stop taking their antibiotics when they feel better in order to avoid further side effects. This may lead to the infection not properly clearing, resulting in recurrence and the need for another round of medication. 3.

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